THE HISTORY OF VIOLENCE

By Jon Kauffman

CREATION

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1

There was war in heaven and Satan was thrown from heaven.

Many scientists tell us the universe is 13.7 billion years old. What if Satan was thrown from heaven 13.7 billion years ago? Did Satan’s fall from heaven cause the universe to begin dying, as the universe expands it grows colder. The beginning of violence?

Scientists tell us that the earth is 4.5 billion years old. What if as God created animal life at each step of what scientist call evolution. Satan interfered and introduced death and violence each step of the way. Dinosaurs killed dinosaurs.

Peace Dove

THE FALL OF MAN

Then God created Adam and Eve. They lived in the Garden of Eden as equals. They sinned and because of man’s stronger physic, man protected woman from the dangerous animals and evil men and used his greater strength to provide food and shelter. Man abused his strength and power over women.

Cain killed Abel. God protected Cain from revenge, but Cain and his descendants created cities and government and used the power of violence to protect thenselves. The sin of men brought about great violence.

THE FLOOD

God repented of creating man because of their violence. He started over with Noah and promised never to wipe out mankind again. God would find a way to overcome the sinfulness and violence of man without using a flood.

Man built violent and evil empires such as Sumer, Egypt and the Akkadian Empire. These empires used war and violence to control and enslave people.

GOD REVEALS HIMSELF

God began revealing himself to man and bringing about the salvation of man by becoming a friend to Abraham.

God sent Joseph to Egypt to save his family and Egypt. Joseph became vizier of Egypt during the reign of Amenemhat III. ^1,2 Pharoah gave Joseph and his family a home in city of Avaris in the land of Goshen.

God blessed the Israelites, they had many children and there was a great multiplication of their numbers.

A pharaoh (Sobekhotep III)^1. who did not know Joseph, enslaved the Israelites.

Then Dedumose II^1,2 is confronted by Moses. God through many miracles convinces pharaoh to let his people go. 600,000 men, their wives and children leave Egypt. The pharaoh changes his mind and pursues the Children of Israel to the Red Sea. God fights for Israel and defeats Egypt, casting the pharaoh’s army into the sea.

God is leading his people to a way of nonviolence and love of enemy as he protects his people in weakness and they win a great victory.

God fights for Israel and they defeat Jericho and many other fortified cities. God is the protection of Israel.

THE TIME OF THE JUDGES

Often the Children of Israel refuse to depend on God and take their defense into their own hands. Sometimes they depend on God and win great victories in weakness, such as in the time of Gideon.

Through the law of Moses and the prophets, God teaches his people that he wants them to care for the widow and orphan, the poor and the helpless and to show compassion to the foreigner. God wants his people to trust him for protection.

FALLING INTO VIOLENCE LIKE THE NATIONS

In Deuteronomy 17: 14-20 Moses gives guidelines for a King.

Often the people take detours and do not depend on God for protection.^3.

The people take a major detour and against the advice of Samuel crown Saul King.

The Kings do not follow the guidelines set by Moses.

Saul begins to depend on his own strength like the nations and loses his Kingdom to David.

David, a man after God’s own heart, defeats Goliath.

For hundreds of years during the time of the Judges, Israel did not maintain a standing army. The Israelites did not know war.

David, as King becomes a man of great violence. He depends on his own strength. Instead of depending on God, David hired foreign mercenaries to fight for Israel and to train soldiers for Israel.

David displays the sword of Goliath. Was he displaying his own great military prowess?

Because of his great violence, God does not allow David to build the Temple.

Solomon builds the temple. He also does not follow the guidelines set by Moses for a King. Solomon worships idols and has many wives. Solomon accumulates great wealth.

The Kingdom divides after the death of Solomon, some Kings allow God to fight for them and they are successful. Some Kings depend on themselves and end in defeat.

GOD PUNISHES ISRAEL

With the Babylonian capture of Judah, the King experiment ends.

God is showing his people that they will live in the nations and be a blessing to the nations.

With Ezra and Nehemiah, the people return to Israel so that the messiah can be born in Bethlehem and die and raise from the dead in Jerusalem in fulfillment of prophecy.

Alexander the Great conquers Jerusalem in 332 BC.

The Jews rebel in violence.

In 63 BC Pompey conquers Jerusalem for Rome.

The Jews rebel in violence.

God does not allow the Jews to win against their oppressors. God is leading them to be a blessing to all the nations and to live out among the nations, he does not allow the return to the rule of earthly kings of Israel.

JESUS, KING OF PEACE

Jesus is born.

He is tempted in the desert by the devil to take political power. The Kingdom of God on earth is not an earthly kingdom, but a Kingdom with members living in every nation.

Jesus preaches the Kingdom of God. He teaches us to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, visit the prisoner to love our brother and sister and to love our enemy so that they can become our brother and sister.

Jesus sent out his 72 disciples representing the 72 nations of the earth as mentioned in Genesis. Jesus sees Satan fall like lightening from heaven. See Luke 10.

The zealots wanted to fight violently for freedom. Simon the zealot is Jesus disciple. But Jesus teaches peace.

Jesus died without resistance to conquer his enemies when he had 12 legions of angels at his disposal.

⁵⁰ Jesus replied, “Do what you came for, friend. Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him. ⁵¹ With that, one of Jesus’ companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. ⁵² “Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. ⁵³ Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? ⁵⁴ But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?” Matthew 26:50-54

After the resurrection Jesus sends his people to preach to every nation. His Kingdom is a part of every nation. Jesus allows persecution in Jerusalem to push the Christians into all the world.

Even when Jesus ascended to heaven, the disciples were asking when he would restore the earthly kingdom of Israel:

⁶ Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” ⁷ He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. ⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1 6-8.

Jesus said we must be willing to die in the same way:

Jesus said: ²⁷ And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:27

Paul continues the idea of a Kingdom of God that does not include a earthly kingdom. Paul tells us Christians do not fight with weapons of the world such as guns and knives and swords, but put on the armor of God. Ephesians 6.

¹¹ Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. ¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 6: 11,12

The Ephesians passage is reminiscent of Luke 10. Demons rule the nations.

The Jews rebel violently against Rome and suffer great defeat in 70 AD, just as Jesus predicts.

The church depends on God for protection.

Prostitutes, tax collectors and soldiers become followers of Jesus.

CHRISTIANS TURN TO VIOLENCE

Most Christians were pacifist but as time passed soldiers began to remain in the military. In 170 AD, the first soldiers to become Christian and to remain in the military are confirmed historically.

Then St. Ambrose, a master politician, was made bishop by popular demand. Ambrose called for the killing of pagans by Christians. The preaching of the gospel was put on hold and earthly power was grasped by Christians. Romans and Christians discriminated against pagans.

Soon only Christians could become soldiers in the Roman Army.

The military was used to force people to become “Christian.” Instead of preaching the gospel and teaching people to choose Kingdom of God through love, Christians turn to the violence of the world.

St. Augustine wrote about just war. Even his watered-down teachings concerning violence were twisted and ignored.

Christians fought for land and power and safety and did not trust God for protection.

THE CRUSADES

Christians fought the Crusades to conquer Jerusalem and kill the Muslims. Christians are not loving their enemies and preaching the gospel to Muslims, they are killing their enemies like the nations of the earth.

EUROPEAN VIOLENCE

Christian governments prove they are no better at peace than were the Empires of Rome and Egypt. The Holy Roman Empire, France and England fought constantly, Christian slaughtering Christian.

Thomas Aquinas refines the Just War theory.

Nations continue to ignore the teachings of Jesus. Nations and Christians alike refuse to follow Aquinas’ Just War theory.

Protestants and Catholics fought and killed each other. In the 30-year war 1/3 of the population of Europe died as this religious and political conflict raged. Were Christians becoming more violent than the world?

VIOLENTLY CONQUERING THE WORLD

Pope Alexander VI issued the Papal Bull ‘Inter Caetera,” on May 4, 1493. This came to be called the “Doctrine of Discovery” used by “Christian” European Empires such as Spain, England and France to conquer foreign lands in North and South America, Africa, Australia and India for profit. The Doctrine of Discovery allowed the United States to legally and with the blessing of the church steal land from the Native Americans.

AMERICAN VIOLENCE

The Unites States has fought many wars with Christian nations. Fighting for land, resources and power.

The United States became a nation as a result of the Revolutionary War in direct disobedience to Paul:

² Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. Romans 13:2

Today many of the most vocal war mongers in America call themselves Christian.

In 1918 after Germany signed the peace treaty, Germans were starving. The US Congress voted not to send wheat to Germany. Nearly 1,000,000 Germans starved to death as a result. Because to the starvation Germans elected Hitler. If we had feed the hungry as instructed by Jesus could we have prevented World War II? And with that one act perhaps we could have prevented the Cold War? And the Korean and Vietnam Wars? See What about Hitler.

Jimmy Carter submerged the US in endless war in the Middle East to ensure large quantities of cheap oil for America. Military contractors make huge profits from the war in the Middle East. Soldiers protect oil wells to ensure profits of oil companies and the war continues. See “America’s War for the Greater Middle East.”

Can we in America be saved from God’s judgment for our violence?

SLAVERY

Europe and America brought slaves from Africa. America fought the Civil War in direct disobedience to the teachings of Jesus. Christian brother killing Christian brother. This war was about power and greed. The south rebelling against unfair taxes and refusing to free their slaves. The North demanding taxes and politicians using the end of slavery as a means to gain political support. Great Britain ended slavery without war. Why not America?

We can see through history how true are the words of Jesus: Live by the sword die by the sword. America’s war and death continues in the Middle East as Christians fail to follow Jesus’ words of peace.

HAS SATAN WON?

Today Satan still seems to rule the Christian nations, as Christians fail to resist the temptation to rule through worldly politics. The same temptation Jesus overcame in Matthew 4: 8-10.

⁸ Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. ⁹ “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” ¹⁰ Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.” Matthew 4: 8-10. NIV

Jesus and Paul gave us a way to defeat Satan if we only take it. See Luke 10 and Ephesians 6.

Today Jesus still calls us to love our enemies and preach the gospel to all creation. Our brothers and sisters, our fellow members of the Kingdom of God live in every nation.

How can we feed the hungry, house the homeless and give water to the thirsty when we join the military and kill the hungry and thirsty? Or join the military make more people hungry and thirsty? How can we love our brothers and sisters in Christ if we join the military and kill them? How can we love our enemies when we join the military and kill them?

Jesus will continue to build his Kingdom even when Christians do not follow his gospel of peace.

Remember that Jesus saw Satan falling when he sent out the 72. Jesus defeated evil on the cross and has won the victory even if Christians do not follow his teaching. Whatever our sin, we can all expect Jesus to work in our lives as he teaches each of us to become more like him.

Jesus will have the victory.

Coming soon: A new heavens and a new earth without death and violence.

Notes:

1. Pharaohs and Kings: A Biblical Quest by David Rohl.
2. Patterns of Evidence, The Exodus, Documentary by Tim Mahoney
3. The Politics of Yahweh, by John Nugent

Edited 6/25/2020

Copyright © 2020 by Jon Kauffman. Permission to reprint in whole or in part is gladly granted when used to further the Kingdom of God. Permission is gladly given to re-blog this post.

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How Jesus Fights Wars.

By Jon Kauffman

Spiritual Warfare

Ephesians 6 discusses spiritual warfare. In the spiritual war we Christians are called to fight, our spiritual battles make the physical warfare of World War II and the Cold War look like insignificant skirmishes.

Jesus used nonviolent warfare to defeat sin, disease and death on the cross. He asks us to take up our cross and follow him.

How did Jesus fight? Jesus used spiritual warfare.

Yes, Jesus fought spiritual warfare by healing the sick, feeding the hungry and preaching the coming of the Kingdom of God. But Jesus also taught that through spiritual warfare we fight earthly violence and injustice through nonviolence by turning the other check.

Nonviolent Action

Ron Sider has shown that nonviolent action can defeat great armies, brutal dictators, and unjust governments. His book is “Nonviolent Action, What Christian Ethics Demands but Most Christians Have Never Really Tried” By Ronald J. Sider, Brazo Books, 2015

Jesus witnessed nonviolent action defeating evil. Shortly before his ministry began Jesus saw Jews defeating Pilate nonviolently. Jesus certainly heard of this incident. It is possible that he witnessed the incident or perhaps he also participated.

Dr. Sider says, “In AD 26, Pontius Pilate, the new Roman governor of Judea, outraged the Jews by bringing into Jerusalem military standards emblazoned with the emperor’s image. Since the military standards with Caesar’s image violated Jewish teaching, the religious leaders begged Pilate to remove the ensigns from the holy city. What happened is best told by the first-century Jewish historian Josephus:

‘Hastening after Pilate to Caesarea, the Jews implored him to remove the standards from Jerusalem and to uphold the laws of their ancestors. When Pilate refused, they fell prostrate around his house and for five whole days and nights in the great stadium, and summoning the multitude, with apparent intention of answering them, gave the arranged signal to his armed soldiers to surround the Jews. Finding themselves in a ring of troops, three deep, the Jews were struck dumb at this unexpected sight. Pilate after threatening to cut them down, if they refused to admit Caesar’s images, signaled to the soldiers to draw their swords. Thereupon the Jews, as by concerted action, flung themselves in a body on the ground, extended their necks, and exclaimed that they were ready rather to die than to transgress the law. Overcome with astonishment at such intense religious zeal, Pilate gave orders for the immediate removal of the standards from Jerusalem.’” Sider, Page 4.

Examples of Nonviolent Action

Ron Sider gives example after example of nonviolence resistance defeating evil and tyranny.

One of the earliest examples of nonviolent resistance occurred in Egypt 3000 years ago. When pharaoh demanded the death of all baby boys, the midwives refused to follow orders.

According to Edward Gibbon, Pope Leo the 1^st confronted and defeated Attila the Hun. Leo the Great was involved in successful nonviolent negotiations with Attila the Hun.

Before a single shot was fired in the Revolutionary War, nine of the colonies had already won de facto independence by nonviolent means.

In 1861, after a successful nonviolent campaign of Hungarian citizens against Austria, the London Times said, “Passive resistance can be so organized as to become more troublesome than armed rebellion.”

Leaders of nonviolent resistance include America’s Martin Luther King, Jr, India’s Mahatma Gandhi, Poland’s Lech Walesa, Philippines’ Cory Aquino, and Brazil’s Colonel Candido Rondon.

Professor Sider reviews the nonviolent revolution in India the changed the attitude of the people of India and 16 years later lead to the end of British rule in India.

“The aftermath of nonviolence is the creation of the beloved community, while the aftermath of violence is tragic bitterness.” Martin Luther King Jr.

Dr. Sider discusses how Martin Luther King fought racism and bigotry to fight segregation, Jim Crow and injustice against the black community in America.

Many wanted to rebel violently but King continually preached nonviolence. When discussing the oppressed use of violence King said, ”The shores of History are white with the bleached bones of nations and communities that chose violence.”

Rosa Parks with Martin Luther King

During World War II Norway, Sweden and Denmark used nonviolent resistance against Hitler.

Nonviolence toppled two dictators in Central America in 1944.

Mahatma Gandhi used nonviolence resistance over 15 years to give independence to India from Great Britain.

Witness for Peace Teams (WFP) accompanied poor Nicaraguans and reported torture and atrocities committed by the Contras in 1985. WFP volunteers worked attempting to bring about a peaceful resolution between Contras and Sandinistas and to stop the flow of arms to the country. WFP volunteers stayed in villages where the Contras were using American weopons to attack and torture citizens. The Contras would not attack when Americans were present for fear of losing the supply of weapons from the United States. When the Contras changed their strategy and began murdering farmers living in the countryside, WFP volunteers visited the sites, documented the violence, and sent reports to the American media.

Dr. Sider discusses many cases of nonviolent resistance by the citizens of Eastern Europe; Poland and East Germany, that helped bring about the downfall of the Soviet Union.

In Liberia the women of the country used nonviolent resistance to bring about the fall of a brutal dictator and bring an end to years of fighting.

Even Muslims know true followers of Jesus fight nonviolently. Christian nonviolent protesters fought side by side with Muslim nonviolent protesters in Egypt during the Arab Spring.

“The Muslim Brotherhood’s well-disciplined members and organizational structure helped to sustain the revolution. The most inspiring show of cooperation and national solidarity occurred between Christians and Muslims, who often have clashed in lethal violence. When security forces attacked Muslims with water cannons during prayer, Christians encircled them to protect them. An imam is reported as saying, ‘Look around you; do you see it is the Christians who are protecting us: Do you know why they do this? They are following the teaching of Jesus. It is because they have Jesus in their hearts.’ Muslims also protected Christians as they celebrated Mass in the square.” Sider, Page 137.

Fighting non-violently is not for fools or cowards. It can be very dangerous and many have died through non-violent resistance.

Several colleges are teaching tactics to win nonviolent battles. This education needs to greatly increase.

Peace Teams

Several organizations are sending out volunteers to fight nonviolently today.

Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) is currently sending teams to Columbia accompanying farmers and miners caught in the crossfire of decades of war.

In Iraqi Kurdistan CPT is partnering with mountain village and shepherd communities that peacefully resist displacement and destruction caused by cross-border military operations.

CPT volunteers are supporting Palestinian-led, nonviolent, grassroots resistance to the Israeli occupation and the unjust structures that uphold it. Documenting human rights violations in occupied Palestine. Partnering with local Palestinian and Israeli peacemakers and educating the international community to help create a space for justice and peace.

Peace Brigades International is currently maintaining a presence of volunteers in Columbia, Guatemala, Honduras, Kenya, Mexico, Indonesia and Nepal.

Witness for Peace (WFP) works primarily in Latin America and the Caribbean countries with a mission to support peace, justice and sustainable economies in the Americas.

Muslim Peacemaker Teams (MPT) is a Muslim organized using Christian Peacemaker Teams as an example. They work especially in Iraq and seek to demonstrate nonviolence in practice by doing such things as physically interposing themselves between warring parties, but also by acting as intermediates and negotiators.

What if thousands nonviolent Christian volunteers showed up whenever violence and injustice take place?  What if 10,000,000 Christian volunteers were willing to go anywhere in the world and fight as Jesus fights? Anyone can use nonviolence to fight injustice. 10 year old children and 90 year old men can participate.

These peacemaking organisations are looking for volunteers to participate in peacemaking activities.

Christians, Muslims and Hindus can all work together to bring about peace and justice nonviolently.

Why would Christians use Violence?

Why would any Christian fight in a US military that killed 1.2 million innocent Japanese in World War II and used drones to kill children in Pakistan during the war on terror? Especially when nonviolent battle to bring about peace and justice is much more effective and much less expensive in life and coin?

Why would Christians use the world’s violent ways when Jesus taught a way of peace and nonviolence?

Jesus said, “Put your sword back in its place, for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.” Matthew 26:25 and “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” Matthew 5:9.

Purchase Ron Sider’s Book, “Nonviolent Action: What Christian Ethics Demands but Most Christians Have Never Really Tried.

What About Hitler?

Hiroshima and Mass Murder?

“Neutering Male Courage.”

See reasons that others have given to support violence by Christians: Reasons Christians Give to Say Violence by Christians is Legitimate

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Copyright © 2020 by Jon Kauffman. Permission to reprint in whole or in part is gladly granted when used to further the Kingdom of God. Permission is gladly given to re-blog this post.