"And Moses said to the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben: 'Shall your brethren go to war while you sit here?'"
The Bible speaks of God as, "The LORD, a man of war...." Today people love to refer to David as, "The sweet psalmist of Israel." Right---- but this "sweet psalmist," who "had God's heart," was also known as "a mighty man of valor, a man of war...," some times, not so "sweet." And to those who give me the tired old phrase, "O, that's Old Testament," I just refer them to the last Book of the New Testament--- "Now I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war." I have mentioned before that my maternal great grandfather, Thomas Sherwood, was a Quaker, who realized that a person cannot stand by and let others fight his battles. He joined the Ohio 79th, a volunteer outfit, and fought with General William Tecumseh Sherman in the American Civil War. Sherman was one of the first generals to introduce the concept of "Total War." His goal was to destroy "the resources required for the South to make war....General U. S. Grant and President Lincoln initially opposed the plan (for his "march to the sea") until Sherman convinced them of its necessity."
Today, America has no such political leaders or generals. What we do have are spineless generals and admirals who stand with Obama to close Gitmo and "bring the troops home." They are willingly ignorant of the fact that it was total war which brought victory in the last American war which we actually "finished"----- and won! Now some say, "Christians should not talk like this." Others debate the concept of Christianity and war altogether. But just remember; if you eliminate war, you have just eliminated the United States of America, you remember the one, "And the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air"? It may offend a person's delicate sensibilities, but take away war, and you take away America. By the way, those detainees in Gitmo and Al Qaeda should thank their moon god that William Tecumseh Sherman is not in charge!
We know from the Scriptures that the Jews had been given The Land. But our text reveals that they had to fight for it. What seeming contradiction, but, there it is. Yet it is very similar for You and me. You and I were given salvation, Heaven, eternal life, etc., but we must fight for it. Only the spiritually blind would deny that this life is a fight for survival against an Enemy out to "steal, kill, and destroy." In using these words, Jesus reveals that we are up against a "total war" Enemy. Now some love to make this fight sound less militaristic and call it a "battle," or, "spiritual warfare," but come on, now. From the moment you and I were born, we have been in a fight for our life, our very existence. Yes, there is "Victory in Jesus," of course there is. But "victory" implies a fight, and we must join the fight for this victory. Paul said, "Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection...." This is our heritage. This is our call. This is our "glory."
Father, in Jesus' Name, I pray that I will never allow others to "go to war while [I] sit here." Amen.
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Hebrews 12:2
Hebrews 12:2
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