One of the most confronting parts of reading the Old Testament is the concept of holy war. It comes to the forefront in the book of Joshua, our current reading plan focus.
Where is the God of compassion? How can such barbarity be squared with a God of love? Why does God not just permit it but command it? They are the questions that hit today’s readers hard.
They are great questions for us to ask, and it is important to wrestle with them. I don’t think there are simple answers, but I would give the following brief thoughts:
1. Most of us underplay the depth of sin in the world. Outside the Christian community it virtually is non-existent. Inside we tend to think of it as doing something wrong. Sin is deep-set in the fabric of existence and God’s rescue mission involves exposing, judging and ultimately eliminating sin.
2. In the book of Joshua this plan of salvation is advanced as the people take – or as it turns out – partially take, the land from the Canaanites. The context, as Eugene Peterson points out, is a Canaanite culture which is “a snake pit of child sacrifice and sacred prostitution, practices ruthlessly devoted to using the most innocent and vulnerable members of the community”.
3. Sin is serious and God’s judgment is real.
4. Sin is not just personal but corporate – when one sin’s, others are caught up with it and suffer because of it, even innocently (Achan’s sin – Joshua 7).
5. Consider the goal here. The goal is to establish a nation to be a blessing to all other nations (Genesis 12). If that nation just becomes like the other nations, the rescue plan is lost. The goal is to establish a people who will bring salvation and peace to the earth (see prophetic vision – eg Isaiah 11).
6. Read through the lens of the New Testament. Jesus is our peace with God. Jesus deals with sin. Jesus brokers peace and forgiveness in a world where sin and unholy war still reign.
7. Let holy war remind you of the spiritual battle still raging today (Ephesians 6:10-20). That was Jesus battle from desert to destiny. Let us all the more be clothed with God’s armour, be people of peace and reconciliation, and bring God’s hope to our community, God’s rescue plan for all creation. That’s Easter hope.