The Military
Is It Yahweh’s Desire?
Rivqah Yahsepha, age 17, 04-13-5767 (07-09-2006)
Rivqah Yahsepha, age 17, 04-13-5767 (07-09-2006)
There have always been wars and
rumors or wars, and until Yahshua’s return, there always will be. In this
article, we are going to take a look at what Yahweh has to say about the
military. Should believers be involved in it? What did Yahshua
say? Moreover, what did the Torah say? We are going to attempt to
look at these questions in a concise and orderly way, and find answers that are
supported, not by a verse here or a verse there, but by the whole of
Scripture.
We’ll look at first things first. As Israel, a very young nation at that point, stood at the foot of Mount Sinai, Yahweh spoke to them of the things which would be foundational to them in their walk with Him. In Exodus 20:5, He told them, “I, Yahweh thy Elohim, am a jealous Elohim, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me.” Later on when we come to verse 13, we read that He commanded, “Thou shalt not kill.” These two verses go hand in hand, and are very important. They are sort of the theme of this whole article. For one thing, Yahweh is the one who is in control. All things are in His hands. He is the one to decide who will live and who will die. Righteous vengeance comes from Him alone. Secondarily, we see that Yahweh instructs us not to kill. It is not up to His people to decide who is worthy to die. It is not up to His people to execute vengeance on their own. All things are to proceed from the Father’s hand, and His people must not take it upon themselves to execute His office.
Looking at the TaNaK (Old Testament) and the
Apostolic Writings, we will consider some times when Yahweh executed judgement
and justice without using any mortal men to do so.
Exodus 12:29 ~ “And it came to pass, that at midnight Yahweh smote all the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne, unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of the cattle.” What did Israel do to Pharaoh? Nothing. What did Yahweh do? Everything. It was the same way when Pharaoh chased the Israelites and came upon them at the Red Sea. Exodus 13:13-14 ~ “And Moses said unto the people, ‘Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of Yahweh, which He will shew to you today: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more forever. Yahweh shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.’ ” So what did Israel do? Nothing. What did Yahweh do? Everything.
Another example is found in 2 Samuel 25, where Nabal provoked David to anger by his evil manner. David was all ready to go up and punish Nabal and his men, forgetting one thing. That one thing was that Nabal truly was a fool, but his servants were not. (See 2 Samuel 25:14-17.) Forgetting to ask counsel of Yahweh, David prepared to slay Nabal and all his servants. Seeing David’s rash judgment and lack of wisdom, Yahweh used Abigail to stop the slaughter. “And it came to pass about ten days after that Yahweh smote Nabal, that he died.” (2 Samuel 25:38) What did David do? Nothing. What did Yahweh do? Everything.
Now let us consider an example from the book of Matthew. Matthew 24:6-9, 12-13 ~ “And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of ALL NATIONS for My Name’s sake. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” This verse is so important because it reveals several key facts to us. Yahshua told His disciples that they would hear of wars and rumors of wars: HE DID NOT TELL THEM THAT THEY WOULD BE PARTICIPATING IN THESE WARS. What He did tell them would be happening is that they would be persecuted and hated by all nations: HE DID NOT TELL THEM THAT THEY WOULD BE FIGHTING ALONGSIDE ANY OF THE NATIONS. He revealed to them that ultimate deliverance would come about, not by their resisting and fighting, but by their patient endurance and waiting upon Him.
Keeping everything that we have just read in mind, we will now take a look at some examples of those who engaged in war contrary to Yahweh’s desire.
When the Midianites were oppressing Yahweh’s people, Yahweh chose Gideon and told him to take 300 men and go surround the camp of the Midianites at night, blow their trumpets, and break their pitchers. When the Midianites heard all of this commotion, they were greatly frightened. Judges 7:21-22 ~ “And they stood every man in his place round about the [Midianite] camp: and all the host [of Midian] ran, and cried, and fled. And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and Yahweh set every man’s sword against his fellow, even throughout all the [Midianite] host...” Yahweh was not pleased with Midian’s army, and He defeated them by causing them to slay each other.
That was the Midianite army. What about Yahweh’s people? Have they engaged in wars that He did not approve of?
In Numbers we read of the Israelite army desiring to go up and make war against the Canaanites. Numbers 14:41-45 ~ “And Moses said, ‘Wherefore now do ye transgress the commandment of Yahweh? But it shall not prosper. Go not up, for Yahweh is not among you; that ye be not smitten before your enemies. For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and ye shall fall by the sword: because ye are turned away from Yahweh, therefore Yahweh will not be with you.’ But they presumed to go up until the hill top: nevertheless, the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, and Moses, departed not out of the camp. Then the Amalekites came down, and the Canaanites which dwelt in that hill, and smote them, and discomfited them, even unto Hormah.” This passage speaks volumes about what comes to pass when Yahweh’s people go out to war without Him.
However, we are all aware that there are times when Israel has successfully entered the battle lines, with Yahweh’s approval and blessing. How do we reconcile these times with everything else that has been covered? The answer is that we must return to Exodus 20, where we read that Yahweh will visit the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generations. Yahweh’s hand must be in the battle. His people must be moving forward at His command. For then, Israel is not going out to the slaughter. Israel is not executing the vengeance. Israel is not deciding who is to live and who is to die. Yahweh is doing all of this, and Israel is just a willing vessel in His hands.
Exodus 17:8-16 ~ “Then came Amalek, and fought with
Israel in Rephidim. And Moses said unto Joshua, ‘Choose us out men, and go
out, fight with Amalek: tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the
rod of Elohim in mine hand.’ So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and
fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the
hill. And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel
prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’
hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat
thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the
other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the
sun. And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the
sword. And Yahweh said unto Moses, ‘Write this for a memorial in a book,
and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the
remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.’ And Moses built an alter, and
called the name of it Yahweh-Nissi: for he said, ‘Because Yahweh hath sworn that
Yahweh will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.’ ” Who would
have war with Amalek? Yahweh. In order for the battle to be won,
Israel needed to be going out by Yahweh’s command, upholding Yahweh as
sovereign. When the scepter of Yahweh was lowered in their eyes, they
could not win; when it was lifted up, He prevailed. Only as they upheld
the Word of His power, fighting as willing vessels of the Father, would HE win
the battle.
Again, in the end times, we behold Yahweh using His servants as the means to execute His vengeance and judgment on the nations. Psalm 149:5-9 ~ “Let the set-apart ones be joyful in esteem: let them sing aloud upon their beds. Let the high praises of Elohim be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand; to execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people; to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; to execute upon them the judgment written: this honor have all His set-apart ones. Praise ye Yahweh.” The two-edged sword which the set-apart ones hold in their hand is the Word of Yahweh. (See Hebrews 4:12.) Who is fighting the battle? Yahweh, by the Word of His power and the willing obedience of His servants.
Let’s summarize some of the facts which we have
looked at.
1. Yahweh instructs us not to kill. It is not
up to us to take things into our own hands. The battle belongs to Yahweh,
and He alone holds the key to the execution of righteous
vengeance.
2. Many times, Yahweh calls to His people, saying,
“Be still and know that I am the Mighty One; I will be exalted among the
heathen; I will be exalted in the earth.” (Psalm 46:10) “Fear ye not, stand
still, and see the salvation of Yahweh, which He will shew to you today....
Yahweh shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.” (Exodus
13:13-14)
3. There are times that Yahweh commands His people to
enter the battle. It is then that He uses His servants to fight His battle
for Him. It is so important to Him that His people realize that it is HIM
fighting the battle, NOT THEM. When Gideon gathered together the army of
Israel to fight against Midian, Yahweh’s instructions were as follows: “The
people that are with thee are too many for Me to give the Midianites into their
hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against Me, saying, ‘Mine own hand hath
saved me.” (Judges 7:2) 1 Esdras 4:59 ~ “From THEE cometh victory, from
THEE cometh wisdom, and THINE is the esteem, and I AM THY SERVANT.” This
is the spirit with which Yahweh’s children must step into His
army.
Having reviewed all of the things which we have studied out thus far, now we must determine an important fact: When does Yahweh call His people to enter the army? There have been times when He has said “No” and also times when He has said “Yes”. How do we know what He wants us to do?
There are several important requirements. First of all, in order to win the battle, those in the army must be right with Yahweh. Joshua 7:1-5 ~ “But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of Yahweh was kindled against the children of Israel. And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Bethaven, on the east side of Bethel, and spake unto them, saying, ‘Go up and view the country.’ And the men went up and viewed Ai. And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, ‘Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; and make not all the people to labor thither; for they are but a few. So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai. And men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water.” The problem? One of the Israelites was not in good standing with Yahweh. Achan had blatantly disobeyed the commands of the Almighty. Because of his transgression, the whole of Israel was considered guilty, and Yahweh would not fight the battle for them. Children of Yahweh, if you will take a realistic look at those around you in “your country”, not one of you will disagree with me when I say that AMERICA IS NOT RIGHT WITH YAHWEH. All it took was ONE MAN to contaminate the army of Israel. How then can we expect to have Yahweh fighting the battle with us, when the army is made up of such men as Achan, with the righteous being a very tiny minority in the battle?
Secondarily, if the battle is to be won, the army must move forward at the voice of Yahweh. Every army recognizes the fact that they need a commander in order to succeed. When the commander dies, the army disperses. Void of his organization and instruction, they are lost. YAHWEH’S PEOPLE HAVE GONE ASTRAY SOMEWHERE. LEAVING THEIR COMMANDER ON THE SIDELINES, THEY ARE JUMPING INTO THE THICK OF THE BATTLE, FIGHTING WITHOUT HIM! Yahshua said, “He that entereth in by the door is the Shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear His voice: and He calleth His own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when He putteth forth His own sheep, He goeth before them, and the sheep follow Him: for they know His voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.” (John 10:2-5) Who is commanding the army? If the nation is not in favorable standing with Yahweh, then why would He command them to go out to battle against another nation?
Something to consider is that Yahweh may ALLOW a battle to take place, and one side or the other is going to win, but it must not be thought that those who fight contrary to His desire will go unpunished. Yahweh allowed the Babylonians, Philistines, etc. to defeat His people at times when Israel needed punishment. Isaiah 47:6 ~ “I was wroth with My people, I have polluted Mine inheritance, and given them into thine hand, [Babylon]: thou didst shew them no mercy; upon the ancient hast thou very heavily laid thy yoke.” But was He in favor of these nations coming up to fight against His chosen ones? No, and they will most assuredly receive their punishment. He said unto His people, “For your sake I have sent to Babylon, and have brought down all their nobles, and the Chaldeans, whose cry is in the ships. They shall lie down together, they shall not rise: they are extinct, they are quenched as tow.” (Isaiah 43:14, 17) Whether a nation appears on the surface to win or not, anyone who goes out to battle without Yahweh’s command will reap the rewards, if not immediately, then further on down the road.
Another thing to take into consideration is that no matter how noble the cause of the battle may be, IF THE PEOPLE ARE NOT FOLLOWING YAHWEH’S LEAD, that army will fall. Yahweh desired Israel to fight against Canaan, so that they might receive their promised possession. However, they resisted the voice of His Spirit, crying, “We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.” (Numbers 13:31) Yahweh was greatly disturbed with their lack of faith and obedience, and declared, “Because all those men which have seen My splendor, and My miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted Me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to My voice; surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked Me see it” (Numbers 14:22-23) After Israel heard this, they decided that they would indeed go up and fight against the Canaanites. However, by this time, Yahweh had removed Himself from out of the midst of their army, and they were instructed, “Go not up, for Yahweh is not among you.” (Numbers 14:42) They went anyway, as we read previously, and they were smitten. Why? Hadn’t Yahweh wanted to conquer the Canaanites? Yes. But when Israel ceased to follow Yahweh’s lead, Yahweh ceased to fight for them.
Scripture makes it very clear that if Yahweh is not heading the battle, the army will be smitten and destroyed. There have been times that Yahweh has instructed His people to step forward in His army, but there are infinitely more times when He says, “Stand still.... Yahweh shall fight for you.” (Exodus 13:13-14) We must not only be willing servants when He says, “Go.” We must be just as willing when He says, “Stay.”
At present, Israel is scattered among the nations. Yahweh never told the Israelites to go fight for the Philistines. He never told them to join hands with the Assyrians. Rather, He has clearly commanded, “ ‘Come out from among them, and be ye separate,’ saith Yahweh, ‘And touch not the unclean thing: and I will receive you’ ” (2 Corinthians 6:17) Again, in John 17:14-16, Yahshua said, “I have given them Thy Word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that Thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that Thou shouldest keep them from the world. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.” Therefore, at this time, Yahweh is not calling His people to take up arms. Rather, in our present situation, we will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but we will be hated of ALL NATIONS, and we will not band with any of them in their battles.
Something else that I would like to touch base on is attitude. 2 Timothy 2:24-25 ~ “But the servant of Yahweh must not strive, but be gentle unto all, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves....” Yahweh does not desire His servants to have militant spirits. Rather, He says, “Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart..... Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself: I am Yahweh.” (Leviticus 19:17-18) “If thou meet thine enemy’s ox or his donkey going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again. If thou see the donkey of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, and wouldest forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help with him.” (Exodus 23:4-5) “If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink: for thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and Yahweh shall reward thee.” (Proverbs 25:21-22) “He that revengeth shall find vengeance from Yahweh, and he shall surely keep his sins in remembrance. Forgive thy neighbor the hurt that he hath done unto thee: so shall thy sins also be forgiven thee when thou prayest. One man beareth hatred against another, and doth he seek pardon from Yahweh? He sheweth no mercy to a man which is like himself: and doth he ask forgiveness of his own sins? If he that is but flesh nourish hatred, who will entreat for pardon of his sins? Remember thy end, and let enmity cease; remember corruption and death, and abide in the commandments.” (Sirach 28:1-6) “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? Do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? Do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5:44-48) There are times that Yahweh calls His people to step forward in the battle. When he does, we must obey His command, and prayerfully and humbly take the Sword of His Word and Spirit which He hands to us. When He doesn’t tell us to enter the battle, we must meekly remember that He has said, “All they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.” (Matthew 26:52) “Put up thy sword into thy sheath” (John 18:11) “He that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword.” (Revelation 13:10) If He does not put the sword in your hands, brother, take great caution!
Once again, we will review what Yahweh has been showing us through His Word. He instructs us not to go out executing judgment on our own power. Vengeance belongs to him, and He will fight the battles. There are times that He will ask His servants to fight. Only when He places the sword in our hands may we humbly go out as instruments for Him in fighting the battle. However, He does not desire His children to fight the battles of the nations around them. Rather, we are to be separate from the people of the world, relying on Yahweh with meek and submissive, rather than militant, spirits.
Yahweh told Israel to fight against the Canaanites, and they refused to. Thus Yahweh departed from the midst of them. When they finally got around to deciding that they wanted to fight, Yahweh said, “I am not fighting for you any longer. Do not go up and fight.” They ignored His command and fought anyway, and they were grievously defeated.
America, along with all nations of the world, has not fought the battles that Yahweh told her to fight. She has not fought against corruption, immorality, adultery, pagan practices, and atheism. She has not fought to uphold the Word of Yahweh, nor has she engaged in a battle to preserve her children’s souls. Thus, she is in no place to take vengeance on the nations around her. When Yahweh told her to fight, she didn’t. Thus He does not fight her battles for her. She is not a willing vessel in His hand, and He does not dwell in the midst of her camp, or in the midst of any other secular military camp. Beware then, people of Yahweh, that you join not your hands with those who have defied the living Elohim.
Romans 12:19 ~ “ ‘Vengeance is Mine; I will repay,’ saith Yahweh.”