God and Violence

Violence is the result or expression of deeper causes. To properly understand its role in history, in the Bible, and in our lives, we must apply the truths we have previously learned.

The rise and fall of empires and nations, the slaughtering of armies, the horror stories of victims and martyrs, the many generations of humanity filled with anger, the crucifiction of the Son of God, these are a small sample of the world’s violence. These are the real-life expressions of pain. They are the result of violating the principles of perfection.

Breakdown of faith, hope, love

The first act of violence was Lucifer’s first selfish choice. Though only a pinhole in the protective hull of the universe, that sin let the dark waters of evil enter. Violence on the microscopic scale, unchecked, would become violence on a galactic scale.

Patterns of positive faith, hope, and love are the essence of harmony and peace. Break any pattern, turn it negative, then spiritual followed by physical, violence must result. Even efforts to stop and fix the violence are, in a sense, violence themselves because they are actions outside of the normal harmonies.

Infinite Good Person chooses

The universe exists and operates by the choices and power of Infinity. People and angels are permitted by request to attempt to reshape and redirect the already flowing interactions of the cosmos. The Creator chooses to enact or permit creatures‘ choices. With or without modifications, God setup this process for our learning and independence. To misuse this system is violence to the design of Love.

God pays for all damages

Because creatures are incapable of creating or re-creating, God Himself is the only person able to fix the damage of evil. Physically, He incarnated a body of death to help us see the ultimate destructive power of sin. He also poured out through that body His life, His soul, to fill the void and heal the death of evil.

Un-law of love never changed

In spite of temporary appearances, in spite of contrary violence, the law of love never stopped being the ideal to which God seeks to restore us. The goal of returning the universe to unbroken patterns of faith, hope, and love never ceased. This automatically puts a limit and judgment on evil.

Goal of global family never changed

The Father’s plan to fill the world with a fruitful family is still His plan and will be soon achieved spiritually, even though much violence has been perpetrated in attempts to stop it. After Christ returns, the earth will be renewed to perfection and the human family will have an eternal home. All violence will forever cease.

Satan is violently out of control

The devil and his cohorts are insanely fixated on world domination and will kill anyone in their way. Pain and violence along the way to that end is total delight to their demented emotions. Directly and indirectly, they will push their way as much as possible. Often, forceful means are the only way to keep them in the bounds that God has set for our own good.

Ultimate justice is proportional and finite

We have seen that the final judgment in the lake of fire is proportional to the sins committed and therefore finite. If the final violence of destroying evil is limited, then the violence used to contain evil and to help restore evildoers must also be appropriate to the situation.

God speaks to immature people

Often the only language an immature, headstrong person will listen to is the physical language of violence. Their reason has become so blinded and ignored that they must run straight into the wall of reality or the wall of reality must fall on them. They cannot think straight so they can only feel the violence of contradiction or conflict to make them stop and come to their senses.

Immature people think that might makes right. Therefore they devote all their power to their goal. They will not reconsider their ways until they are handcuffed in the back of a police car or standing in front of a judge in a courtroom. Therefore God shows His might, sometimes violently, to get the sinner to rethink their views of right.

God minimizes pain

We have seen that God is a Master Surgeon, not a demonic torturer. He minimizes pain so that we may be healed and restored, not slaughtered. Some events in history are so painful, almost beyond our comprehension, that we deny them or use them to accuse God of sadism. However, He sees the larger picture and knows the future. One day He will explain everything in detail to us to show that violence was minimized.

Before the flood

“He placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.” (Genesis 3:24)

For over 1600 years the garden of Eden with its gatekeeping cherubims was on the earth for all to see. Sacrifices were approved or disapproved there. God’s will could be sought and heaven’s angels could be visibly seen. It was hard to be an atheist in those times.

Yet, the tangible evidence of God could be rejected and rejecting truth always puts the skeptic into a tailspin.

“The sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.... And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” (Genesis 6:2-5)

The sons of God were those loyal to Him. (see John 1:12; Romans 8:14-19; 1 John 3:1-2) They intermarried with the daughters of men according to their own lusts rather than staying within God’s will. The whole world was descending into continual evil without a good desire remaining for the Spirit to kindle into flame.

“And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.” (Genesis 6:12-13)

In the pristine pre-flood world the population lived long and healthy. They had almost perfect weather and abundant natural resources. God had merely cursed the earth with thorns and mild pain. Yet, they rebelled and filled the earth with violence. They eliminated almost every believer. The plan of redemption was one generation from total failure. God had to respond in a drastic way.

In the pre-flood history we see the results of blessing the wicked. They become spoiled and arrogant. Putting them to death was a mercy to them and to future generations.

“But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace, says my God, to the wicked.” (Isaiah 57:20-21) Internal spiritual violence always produces external physical violence.

After the flood

The earth emerged from the flood ravaged by its violence. The great blessings were buried and now more pain and hardship would take its place. Those early generations had all around them the results of their violent ancestors. Just as their needs and sufferings were greater, so their inclination to call upon God for help should have been greater. But the descendants continued in the same path of distrust and disobedience.

“And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter. And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.” (Genesis 11:3-4)

Just like Satan their father, the people wanted to build an empire and control multitudes. They were headed for abject failure, so God forced them to speak different languages.

“So the LORD scattered them abroad from there upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from there did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.” (Genesis 11:8-9)

No longer was there one world. Now the globe was divided into nations each remembering pieces of the former technologies and truths. This was intentional. Even though the barriers made it harder to communicate the gospel, it also slowed down the spread of sin. Some nations would do better and others would do worse. For example, the cities of Sodom fell into such gross perversions and general gluttony that they were destroyed as a scourge to the young world. (Genesis 19)

Immature Israel and nations

It was a commonly held belief that material prosperity and numerous descendants was a sign of approval from God. Blessings were bestowed, but on condition of being shared. Few understood this, but among them was Abraham.

“Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get you out of your country, and from your kindred, and from your father’s house, unto a land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless you and curse him that curses you and in you shall all families of the earth be blessed.” (Genesis 12:1-3)

Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the twelve patriarchs, then the exponentially increasing multitude of descendants, the nation of Israel contained the holy line leading to the soon coming Savior, but they descended to the level of the nations around them. They wanted the blessings without the responsibilities.

Therefore, history becomes murky and confusing when Israel enters Canaan. Sometimes it was clear that Israel was worthy of ownership, but often it was not. Rather than being the inspiring example of faith, hope, and love, they viewed God as a bigger god among gods. Because they possessed the sanctuary, they felt their security was in might and they did not need to do right. Their vision collapsed to the short-term, materialistic world and so violence, the way of the world, became a part of their history.

However, that was not God’s way, but He must also protect the holy line to the Savior. Dramatic displays of power and violence (both for and against Israel) were among the tools used to protect and influence Israel for the better. For a while, God would speak the language of immature teenagers in attempts to reach them.

Solomon

“Judah and Israel were many, as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking, and making merry. And Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the river [Euphrates] unto the land of the Philistines, and unto the border of Egypt: they brought presents, and served Solomon all the days of his life.... and he had peace on all sides round about him. And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon.” (1 Kings 4:20-25)

For a short time, Israel began to experience the success that God wanted them to have. And that success was dependent on sharing it.

“And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to prove him with hard questions. And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart. And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not any thing hid from the king, which he told her not. And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon’s wisdom, and the house that he had built, And the food of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the LORD; there was no more spirit in her. And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in my own land of your acts and of your wisdom. However I believed not the words, until I came, and my eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: your wisdom and prosperity exceeds the fame which I heard. Happy are your men, happy are these your servants, which stand continually before you and that hear your wisdom. Blessed be the LORD your God, which delighted in you to set you on the throne of Israel: because the LORD loved Israel for ever, therefore made he you king, to do judgment and justice.” (1 Kings 10:1-9)

But the later life of Solomon proved to be an unfaithful, degenerate example. Israel once more was on the downhill course.

Kings and captivity

After Solomon’s death, Israel split into two nations: the northern ten tribes (often called, Israel) and the two southern tribes (often called, Judah). Sometimes they fought each other, but often it was a back and forth struggle between them and the armies of surrounding nations. When they turned to God they would begin to prosper. When they indulged the evils of idolatry, they would to that degree lose protection. History is not a record of God choosing favorites. He blesses the faithful.

“Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land, and went up to Samaria, and besieged it three years. In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away into Assyria, and placed them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes. For so it was, that the children of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God, which had brought them up out of the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods, And walked in the statutes of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which they had made. And the children of Israel did secretly those things that were not right against the LORD their God, and they built them high places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city. And they set them up images and groves in every high hill, and under every green tree: And there they burnt incense in all the high places, as did the heathen whom the LORD carried away before them; and worked wicked things to provoke the LORD to anger: For they served idols, of which the LORD had said unto them, You shall not do this thing. Yet the LORD testified against Israel, and against Judah, by all the prophets, and by all the seers, saying, Turn you from your evil ways, and keep my commandments and my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the prophets. Notwithstanding they would not hear, but hardened their necks, like to the neck of their fathers, that did not believe in the LORD their God. And they rejected his statutes, and his covenant that he made with their fathers, and his testimonies which he testified against them; and they followed vanity, and became vain, and went after the heathen that were round about them, concerning whom the LORD had charged them, that they should not do like them. And they left all the commandments of the LORD their God, and made them molten images, even two calves, and made a grove, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served Baal. And they caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, and used divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger. Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel, and removed them out of his sight: there was none left but the tribe of Judah only. Also Judah kept not the commandments of the LORD their God, but walked in the statutes of Israel which they made. And the LORD rejected all the seed of Israel, and afflicted them, and delivered them into the hand of spoilers, until he had cast them out of his sight. For he tore Israel from the house of David; and they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king: and Jeroboam drove Israel from following the LORD, and made them sin a great sin. For the children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they departed not from them; Until the LORD removed Israel out of his sight, as he had said by all his servants the prophets. So was Israel carried away out of their own land to Assyria.” (2 Kings 17:5-23)

Christ and violence

Violence or no violence, there was no hope for humanity without the Messiah and His sacrifice. And that holy life, death, and resurrection needed to take place in an environment where all the necessary events could take place in order, be publicly observed, then globally proclaimed. The reporting of that Good News was the story upon which the planet’s destiny would be determined. Acceptance or rejection of the Gospel is the deciding factor in personal salvation and the last step in earth’s history.

Using no violence before the flood and measured violence afterwards, God orchestrated the free choice of humanity to bring about the birth of Jesus Christ “in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king.” Israel, as a nation-church, could have been the carriers of that message, but they rejected Him by crucifying Him.

Paul summarized all this when he told the Jews, “It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing you put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.” (Acts 13:46) A church, without any national power or territory, was organized to unite the people of God and carry forward the work of offering redemption to the world.

After almost 4000 years of delay, God now had a dedicated, organized group of people who would interact with the world in a non-violent way with pure faith, hope, and love. Though most church members followed leadership down the road of seeking earthly comfort and national power, the true church has always imitated the example of Christ.

When two of the disciples were offended that Jesus was rejected by a group of people, they asked Him if they should command fire from heaven to destroy them. “But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, You know not what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.” (Luke 9:55-56)

People are to be left entirely free, unmolested, and unpressured to accept or reject the truth about God.

In His sermon on the mount, the Lord said, “You have heard that it has been said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say unto you, 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 you may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he makes his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love them which love you, what reward have you? do not even the publicans the same? And if you salute your brethren only, what do you more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be you therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5:43-48)

God’s ideal of a family of faith, hope, and love never wavered. The Lamb, who would sacrifice Himself for us and provide for all of our needs, was calling us back to unselfish, unbounded, non-violent compassion.

Later, when teaching His disciples, He said, “If your brother shall trespass against you go and tell him his fault between you and him alone: if he shall hear you you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear you then take with you one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto you as a heathen man and a publican.” (Matthew 18:15-17)

There is no force. There is no violence. The church can expel the disruptive member so that they are outside with the heathen and publicans. Yet, they are still to love the outsiders as their enemies who receive the sun and rain of the Father. There is not a single precept or example in the New Testament of inflicting pain upon believers or unbelievers.

“Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.” (Romans 14:5) “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh; For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds.” (2 Corinthians 10:3-4)

The Jewish nation was replaced by the Christian church, so it does not have the power to war or use any form of violence against individuals or nations. Christianity has no territory to defend nor weapons to defend it. It is a movement and a message that transcends borders and embraces the power of poverty over riches and popularity. Not since ancient Israel has there been a so called, just war. The Crusades, the Inquisitions, the unions of church and state over the centuries have all been Satanicly inspired and condemned by God.

“For it is better, if the will of God be so, that you suffer for well doing, than for evil doing. For Christ also has once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but given life by the Spirit.” (1 Peter 3:17-18)

Christian exceptions?

Sometimes, two stories are offered as possible exceptions to the Christian rule of non-violence: Christ’s cleansing of the temple, and the slaying of Ananias.

“And the Jews‘ passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables; And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things from here, make not my Father’s house a house of merchandise.” (John 2:13-16)

An unassuming, supposedly illegitemate carpenter from Nazareth did not drive hundreds of people from the temple with a few small cords. However, the divine Son of God shining into guilty consciences could easily do it.

“Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the LORD, whom you seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom you delight in: behold, he shall come, says the LORD of hosts. But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appears for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers‘ soap: And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.” (Malachi 3:1-3)

“And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, says the LORD of hosts.” (Haggai 2:7)

The world, and immature church members and leaders, still have an affinity to violence and respond to it. God deals with them from the divine perspective, knowing the future and the heart. “Vengeance is mine, says the Lord.” Only He is able to handle the surgeon’s knife of violence correctly. We see this in the other story.

“But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, And kept back part of the price, his wife also knowing it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles‘ feet. But Peter said, Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? While it remained, was it not your own? and after it was sold, was it not in your own power? why have you conceived this thing in your heart? you have not lied unto men, but unto God. And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.” (Acts 5:1-5)

Peter did not kill the hypocrite. Peter did no violence to the liar. He only talked and ascertained the truth. God took the whole situation into His own hands. He killed Ananias and later his wife, but then did nothing to all the many other liars in the church. Why not? We don’t know. It is Infinite Wisdom’s prerogative alone to use violence.

Modern times

With all of our supposed enlightenment and technology, today’s world is no closer to harmony with God’s principles of faith, hope, and love then were the ancients. Wars are incessant and non-stop. World wars that dwarf the battles of old fill our recent history. Social and verbal violence grow in justification at exponential rates. As in the days of Noah, every one’s thoughts are only evil continually. The internet not only popularizes stories of abuse and wickedness more than in the “good old days,” but there are more stories to be published.

True Christianity is under attack, not only from the world but more so from the church. And that same church wants to rule the nations with its supposed morality! Any careful student of history can see that we are following the same trajectory as ancient Israel and the church of the middle ages. The greatest persecution of the remnant of the faithful will come from within more than from without.

This is why the remnant must give up on their mission to spread the gospel “to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people."

“And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall grow cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” (Matthew 24:12-14)

And where are the faithful children of God told to look in the final days?

“When you therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, whoever reads let him understand.” (Matthew 24:15)

The mainstream church is married to violence and so the nations are encouraged to live and die by the sword, the gun, and the bomb. After all have made their decisions, God must in one great last act of violence and fire sweep the world clean. Thus, the world born in glory will be restored to glory.

Nothing good ever comes of violence. — Martin Luther

It is better to be violent, if there is violence in our hearts, than to put on the cloak of nonviolence to cover impotence. — Mahatma Gandhi

Two revolutionary leaders at odds with each other! Can their statements be at all reconciled?

There is no life to be found in violence. Every act of violence brings us closer to death. Whether it’s the mundane violence we do to our bodies by overeating toxic food or drink or the extreme violence of child abuse, domestic warfare, life-threatening poverty, addiction, or state terrorism. — bell hooks

Peace is not the absence of conflict but the presence of creative alternatives for responding to conflict - alternatives to passive or aggressive responses, alternatives to violence. — Dorothy Thompson

We sleep safe in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm. — George Orwell

An eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind. — Mahatma Gandhi

I object to violence because when it appears to do good, the good is only temporary; the evil it does is permanent. — Mahatma Gandhi

How can these previous two quotes be reconciled to his earlier one?

Justice consists not in being neutral between right and wrong, but finding out the right and upholding it, wherever found, against the wrong. — Theodore Roosevelt

True peace is not merely the absence of tension: it is the presence of justice. — Martin Luther King, Jr.

Revenge is an act of passion; vengeance of justice. Injuries are revenged; crimes are avenged. — Samuel Johnson

I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that his justice cannot sleep forever. — Thomas Jefferson

Peace and justice are two sides of the same coin. — Dwight D. Eisenhower

Each time a man stands up for an ideal or acts to improve the lot of others or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope. — Robert Kennedy

If race A is trying to eliminate race B, is genocide against A justified?

Are all of God’s feelings good?

Is it just to use violence to execute violent people?

God clearly used violence in the Bible. Why is it called His “strange act"?

What are the pros and cons of governments and churches using violence?

Why are so many of God’s feelings negative? To whom are they addressed?