Does the Bible depict our Creator as a God of war, or a God of love? Is he harsh and demanding; or loving, kind, and forgiving? Could his great love for us, and his justice, actually demand that he also be a God of war?
As religious organizations of our day promote violence and terrorism in the name of their God, they hold up their holy books in support of their actions. They assert those writings come from God. For justification of such violence, such ones often point to the Bible and assert it teaches the God of the Bible to be a God of War. Is that true? Simply stated: No, it certainly is not! Hebrews 11:6 teaches us that all who come to God must believe he is (that God exists) and that he becomes the rewarder of those who seek him out (that he is good). That knowledge of God's goodness seems the basis of becoming a follower of Christ Jesus. Asserting God is hateful, or demanding and unforgiving, flies in the face of the hope generated by that scripture. The Bible does teach our Creator will finally do away with those who harm others, but that certainly does not make him bad. Action against the wicked is actually demanded if God is good:
When individuals state the Bible teaches God it spiteful, or hateful and violent, it becomes clear they have no real knowledge of the Bible. The Bible documents some horrendous violence, most often at the hands of persons who did not worship God. When God acted with violence toward some individual or group, it was because they refused to be corrected from some wicked conduct [causing harm to others]. If you want to have faith and hope in the Bible, it seems prudent to have enough Bible knowledge to scripturally defend against those who attack the God of the Bible. In being able to defend your hope from the Bible, you might help others to really know the loving God who inspired it. Learning to scripturally defend your faith also helps to strengthen it. (Acts 17:23) The Mosaic Law teaches "an eye for an eye and tooth for tooth" as justice. (Exodus 21:24) Some attack our Creator stating that law is harsh. Jesus, in what some might consider a contrast, taught we should "turn the other cheek." (Matthew 5:38-39) Are those teachings contradictory? Which is right? Which accurately portrays the God of the Bible? Actually, both are accurate, we simply need a little Bible history to understand.
Right after the sin of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, God revealed his purpose to raise up a seed of salvation: (Genesis 3:15) That promised seed was later revealed in the birth of Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:19) It took four thousand years, from the promise in the Garden to the arrival of Christ. Sin was introduced as Adam and Eve joined satan in asserting their independence. God has allowed them and their children time to prove their assertion they would be better off without God's direction. (Genesis 3:1-5) God's patience has also allowed time for his creation of mankind to grow in number - to fill the earth. (Genesis 1:28) While God was allowing them time to produce children, [and giving them the opportunity to choose to be obedient,] He also needed to protect "truth" and true worship in the earth. He needed to keep knowledge of the truth from being swallowed up by the lies of men. (John 8:44) To protect truth and true worship, God raised up the nation of the Jews who were the descendants of faithful Abraham. Since mankind could not easily express faith in or follow the example of a savior who had not yet appeared; God provided the Law code to the Jewish nation. The Law would provide them directions, including a method of sacrifice, so they could remain spiritually clean enough to have a working relationship with Jehovah God. That Law Code would also prove to be a tutor leading to the Christ. (Galatians 3:23-25) The keeping of the Law provided the Jews protection from immorality, murder, and other sins that would separate them from God. The eye for eye law, helped them understand why murder was wrong, and directed that if they had a murderer in their midst, he should pay for his crime of murder with his own life. The Jewish nation could thus be protected to enjoy life, and would be kept spiritually clean to worship their creator; All the while waiting for the Messiah promised in Eden. (Genesis 3:15)
Some will assert: "That seems unfair. What about the nations who did not have God's law?" As God protected his nation of people, He also gave witness to all those other nations. He identified who He was, and what He was doing. In Egypt for example, He gave Pharaoh at least nine warnings before He finally took lethal action against him. Even when He finally struck down the first born of the Egyptian nation, He gave them clear warning on how they could be protected. Everyone needed to [and could] splash the blood of protection on their door posts. (Exodus 12:21-23) The Egyptians and others, who should have been learning during the first nine plagues, could join with the Jews and be protected by an act of faith in what God told them to do. Finally, left with no choice by an absolutely uncorrectable Pharaoh, Jehovah struck down the whole Egyptian army in the red sea. It is of note that the Bible says a vast mixed company of non-Jews went with them when they left Egypt. Some historians assert there were more of the mixed company than there were of Jews. Thus Jehovah provided warning, and then salvation to all who would accept it; Not just to the Jews. God provided ample warning of what he was doing before he struck Pharaoh down. Then, as the Egyptian army was destroyed, they in turn provided a witness to all the nations round about them. The earth became filled with knowledge of the true God, and of how he was protecting true worship by use of his nation of people. (Joshua 2:10)
There was a section of land God had promised Abraham for his descendants. (Genesis 28:3-4) Some feel it was bad on God's part to take that land from it's inhabitants and give it to the Jews. Remember, that land was inhabited by people who were wicked in their practices. They practiced child sacrifice, bestiality, and other gross sins. They were so vile it was not a fit place for righteous persons to live. When God led Lot out and then struck Sodom, the Bible says every one in the city came out for badness. (Genesis 19:4) They came out to gang rape [and likely to kill] the men (angels) who came in to Lot's home. By their badness, they demonstrated they were not fit to live. The Bible says not just most of them came out, but all of them. Even with their gross wickedness, God had said he would spare the whole city if 10 righteous persons could be found there. (Genesis 18:32-33) None could be found. Even Lot's son-in-laws would not accept his help. (Genesis 19:14) After they proved themselves completely worthless, God destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. All those nations who were driven out of the promised land were driven out for their own badness. (Genesis 9:4) God then gave that land to the Jews for the sake of his promises to faithful mankind; And to further his purpose to produce the seed of promise.
What happened to Egypt, and then to other unrepentant kings and nations, provided a warning to all those nations who were being driven out of the promised land. Some individuals, and even nations, heeded the warning; And made use of the "truth" they were given so as to gain salvation for themselves. Faithful individuals could choose to become Jewish proselytes. Rahab the harlot gained salvation for herself and her household through her faith in the God of the Jews. (Joshua 2:9-11) Rahab was then used by God as an ancestress of Christ Jesus. The Gibeonite nation acted wisely and were spared to become servants to the Jews. (Joshua 9:3-27) Remember, being a servant to the Jews would have been like having a job working for someone in our day. The Law of their God provided protection for their slaves as well as their own Jewish nation. Those proselytes and slaves came under the protection of the Jewish Law. They would be far happier and better off, being proselytes to the Jewish nation, than living among Law defying people who were pitiful and lost without knowledge of the true God.
We can see the Bible teaches Jehovah will, when necessary, become a God of War; But only against those who are wicked and refuse to be corrected. His hand will never be cut short in that regard. Judging who is wicked is not for us however, nor are we to do harm to anyone. Christ is the appointed judge, and we wait upon his judgment. We rather learn to have the faith which Jesus spoke of, which faith can provide protection for us. (Psalm 118) The warfare we carry on is simply to be making people aware of these truths. (2 Corinthians 10:3-5) When the Bible teaches Jehovah is love; we know that love is extended toward all, including the wicked. We are every one being given every opportunity to become persons who will not cause harm to others. It is our own manifestation of our love for God and neighbor alone, that can mark us in our forehead as evidence we are working to make that change. (Ezekiel 9:4) The Bible is the only book that reveals this beautiful truth to us. The Bible reveals Jehovah in a way that should make it impossible not to be moved with love for him: Because of his revealed love for us. (1 John 4:19) Read your Bible! (John 17:3)
Jehovah, the true God of the Bible, (Psalms 83:18) is not violent or hateful or petty. Rather, He loves and cares for each and every one of us. (John 3:16 ; Isaiah 48:17) The more you learn about the Bible, the more you can appreciate God's love, and his goodness. (Hebrews 11:6) There is no book to compare with the Bible, and there is no God to compare with Jehovah. Hallelujah! (Praise Jah you people!) (Psalms 104:35-105:5)
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