“Now go and attack ‘Amalek, and completely destroy everything they have. Don’t spare them, but kill men and women, children and babies, cows and sheep, camels and donkeys.’”-1 Samuel 15:3
Following on the heels of yesterday’s discussion concerning Holy War, I explained that according to the principle of HEREM (the ban), all the spoils of war are to go to the Commander-in-Chief which in Israel’s case is God Himself.
However, we have a problem here.
God is not a man.
He is a spiritual being.
He has no need for material goods of any kind.
He doesn’t need silver or gold, or storehouses for grain, fine clothing, wine, and olive oil.
He also has no need for food in the form of cattle, sheep, or goats.
So if that’s the case, how are the spoils of war turned over to the Lord?
In one word, the answer to that question is DESTRUCTION…usually by fire.
Destroying the war booty accomplishes two things.
First, it stops God’s people from using and gaining any benefit from the spoils.
Second, when the plundered riches are burned up, it all turns into ashes.
So they go back to their original elements of creation, which is the same as returning them to God Himself.
Are you with me here?
It’s important to understand this because the holy war principle of Herem clearly answers the difficult question concerning the following command that most scholars (both Jewish and Christian) have difficulty accepting due to moral reasons of their own human inclinations.
“…kill men and women, children and babies,
cows and sheep, camels and donkeys…”
There’s no getting around it folks.
God is ordering the utter annihilation of an enemy people including women, children, and even infants.
A lot of folks will waste their time in futile discussions about what happens to babies or tiny kids before they have a chance to “make a decision for Christ”.
They’re completely missing the point.
This is a Holy War.
It’s not a geo-political war…
And it’s not a religious war like how most people understand it.
A religious war is about spreading a religion by force.
At this stage in Israel’s history, God didn’t care about that.
His sole concern was separating and protecting His People from the religion and ways of the Gentiles within the physical territory of the Kingdom of God which was the land of Canaan (now Israel).
That’s always been His concern and that consideration continues to this very day.
In the current war Israel is involved in (today is November 21st, 2023), there’s all this talk in the media about how the Israeli army is doing its best to avoid targeting civilians including “innocent” women and children in its attacks against Hamas.
However, here’s the challenging issue we need to face.
If the current battle involves territory that God clearly says belongs to Israel, then is not this conflict a Holy War?
And if it’s a Holy War, then don’t the protocols of Holy War as outlined in God’s Torah apply?
Protocols such as this one:
“kill men and women,
children and babies”.
Remember, an Amalekite baby would in due time grow up to become an Amalekite adult who would terrorize Israel…
Now couldn’t the same thing be said about a Palestinian baby?
Let’s face it, every one of those evil bastards who murdered and burned members of God’s chosen people on October 7th were at one time babies born from the wombs of women.
Heck, even Hitler himself, the epitome of anti-Semites, was at one time a cute little baby who was born from the womb of a woman.
When you think about it from that perspective, it might give you pause for reflection, and make you realize that God really knew what He was doing when He commanded:
“kill men and women,
children and babies”.
Not an easy topic to discuss for sure…
But yet again, I remind you that God says…
“’For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,’
declares the Lord.
‘As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.'”
Finally, I should add this caveat.
Not any war that Israel gets involved in is Holy War.
It has to involve the land of Canaan, and it has to be ordered by God…
Only then is it a true and legitimate war according to Scripture…
And only then does the Law of Herem apply.
Ya feel me?
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