The big news this week has been the escalation of conflict between Israel and Iran. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu even admitted he is open to assassinating Iran’s supreme leader.
Later in the week, even President Trump bragged about possibly killing Iran’s supreme leader. Then the president bragged about the United States now controlling the airspace over Iran.
As I write this post, President Trump is considering dropping one of the largest bombs in the world on Iran. Both leaders are obsessed with earthly power and control. It is clear neither leader is concerned about obeying God or seeking His will and ways:
- Power-hungry
- Deceptive
- Violent
Benjamin Netanyahu has been showing his violent nature since before Hamas brutally attacked Israel in October 2023. After serving in the IDF, Netanyahu later founded the Benjamin Institute, which sponsored terrorism conferences.
Prime Minister Netanyahu has neglected to follow the ways of God and chosen the corrupt, evil practices of this wicked world (Exodus 19:5-6, Deuteronomy 7:6-11, Psalm 103:7).
Both President Trump and Netanyahu are focused on an earthly kingdom that will not last. This fallen kingdom and Satan seek their own desires. They take what they want by force and violence (Proverbs 13:2, James 4:1-2).
What Is Violence
We live in a fallen world that lives for temporary happiness and greatness (Proverbs 14:12, Matthew 7:13-14). The sinful nature of man is greedy and violent, it will do whatever it takes to get what it wants (Micah 7:2-4, Romans 1:29-31).
Violence is defined as, “The use of physical force so to injure, abuse, damage, or destroy; outrage.” I am not saying we shouldn’t stand against evil and injustice, but that the ways we fight against them are not like this world (Romans 12:2). Our sinful nature causes us to act more like Satan than like God (Jeremiah 17:9, John 8:44).
As God’s people, we cannot live like or value what the world does (Romans 12:1-4, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20). That is why the Bible has a lot to say about violence and evil in this world (Psalm 11:5, 1 Timothy 3:3, Hebrews 10:30).
The world is selfish and seeks immediate happiness at all costs, many people will stop at nothing to get what they want in this life. As God’s representatives, we must put others first and do good, instead of evil (Romans 12:10, 1 Corinthians 2:3-4; 10:24, Galatians 5:19-21, 1 Peter
3:9). The apostles remembered their Jewish education about violence and force.
Ḥāmās
The Torah tells us that after the fall in the garden, death, and sin entered the world as it became corrupt (Genesis 3:14-24). Animals were killed for the benefit of mankind. It didn’t take long before men began killing each other to become great or happy (Genesis 4:8-15).
From there, the world will become more and more violent (Genesis 6:11). The Hebrew word for violent in the Old Testament is ḥāmās and it can also mean, “Wrong, cruelty, false, or injustice,” depending on the context it is used in.
God’s people are encouraged to pursue peace over violence because we serve a God of peace (Exodus 20:13, Psalm 11:5; 18:48; 34:14; 73:6; 140:1, Proverbs 3:31; 10:6-11, Isaiah 59:6, Hosea 4:2). Since we serve a God of peace, Israel used that as one of His names:
- Jehovah Shalom
- Jehovah Jireh
- Jehovah Tsidkenu
- Jehovah Shammah
- Jehovah Nissi
- Jehovah Rapha
- Jehovah Sabaoth
- El-Shaddai
- Yahweh
- Adonai
Jesus called for peace and spoke against the violence and evil rulers of this world (Matthew 5:21-22; 38-39; 26:52-54). Jesus emphasized peace and love over violence and hatred (Matthew 5:9, John 3:16-18).
Jesus and the New Testament writers describe the Kingdom of heaven as a peaceful Kingdom (Matthew 5:9-6:10, Luke 2:14, Romans 12:18; 14:17, Colossians 3:15, Hebrews 12:14). As God’s people, we are to be the peacemakers and not abuse authority and power to be violent like this fallen world (Luke 22:25-27).
Vance Boelter
In other big news this week, a Trump supporter was arrested for murdering and injuring Democratic lawmakers in Minnesota over the weekend. The shooter was captured earlier this week.
Unsurprisingly, MAGA and Trump supporters have yet to condemn the senseless violence, yet they are quick to condemn the slightest act of violence that occurs in protest to the Trump ministration. Of course, violence against No Kings protesters is somehow justified and good.
They have failed to realize that the Bible is clear people are fallen regardless of their political affiliation (Romans 3:23-24). It is unchristian and un-American to try to justify any acts of violence on the basis of political Association:
- Riots
- Car attacks
- Clinical attacks
- Political attacks
God’s people cannot pick and choose the violence they condone, no more than they can justify one sin over the other (Psalm 19:13, James 2:10, 1 John 5:17). God hates all sin regardless of the political angle (Leviticus 20:23, Hosea 9:15, Romans 3:23).
God’s people should always seek to pursue peace over violence because God’s kingdom is not of this world (Matthew 5: 9, James 3:18). Lest we forget we serve a God of peace, not ḥāmās!
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