Tremper Longman, professor at Westmont in Santa Barbara has written many books on the OT. He is quite prolific. But one book that has intrigued me and on which I have been meditating is entitled "God is a Warrior". God is a Warrior? I have heard him called many things, but not that. Exodus 15:3 says that "God is a man of war". His action certainly merit that distinction in the OT. In fact many Christians and non Christians alike have trouble with the idea that God waged war in the OT. I am often asked if it is the same God as in the NT. Early on in Church History this feeling was put forth by one of our Church Fathers, Origen of Alexandra. He thought the God of the OT was not the same God as that of the NT. The whole thing of war and killing is difficult.
It was difficult for John the Baptist. He proclaimed Jesus as the Christ, but then had second thoughts. The story is told to us by Matthew. It is found in the 11th chapter. John from prison sent two of his disciples to Jesus to ask if "are you he or should we look for another"(Matt.11:3). Side Bar - What does it say about the Baptist that he did not send all his disciples to be with Jesus early on? Did he always have doubts? Was it a wait and see game? Anyway something about Jesus was causing doubts. I personally think John the radical Baptist was looking for a physical takeover by the King of Kings, the Anointed one, the Big Bambino, the king of everything. But since he was in prison and Jesus hadn't made his move, he was getting nervous. He wasn't sure that Jesus was the Messiah.
Christ's answer was simple. Look John, I am doing violence against the spirit realm where the enemy really is. Paul tells us that in Ephesian 6. "We wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against rulers of this world darkness..." Yeah go tell him I am healing the sick, curing the blind, raising the dead I am up to my armpits in a fight out here. The old joke of "when your up to your armpits in allegators it is easy to forget the vision was to drain the swamp." Jesus was out there fighting. The fight was just on another plane than what John was used to. It is no accident that just a few verses down Jesus says " the Kingdom of heaven suffers violence and the violent (person) takes it by force." Wow. Yes the kingdom of heaven is under attack. Jesus could have said "My father is a man of war and so I continue the battle".
There is a story in Daniel that anticipates this focus. Daniel (chapter 10) is fasting and praying. This angel shows up twenty-one days after he started. 21 days. The angel had heard him from the first day. He was battling through the enemy to get to Daniel. It took 21 days! Michael showed up and helped him make it through. Where was the angel going after he left Daniel? He was going to deal with some other principalities in Greece and Persia. There are enemy powers that are preventing things from happening. Christ mission was to do violence to them through the Cross. Don't tell me he was not a violent man. Don't tell me you are not going to face the same violence as Paul spoke about in the heavenlies. If you are going down stream with the rest of the world you won't feel the resistance of the current. But stand up and turn toward God and the god of this world darkness will take exception with you. You will feel the current against you.
In Luke the 16th chapter 16th verse, Christ said the "kingdom of God is preached and every man presses into it." Does that sound like a crowd getting on a train or into a store on a sale day? It should sound worse. The word used here for "press" is the exact Greek word used in Matthew 11:12. This word is biazetai. It means violence, not press. This verse should be more violently translated than, press. Like pressing your pants! It should be something like "the kingdom of God is preached and every man does violence to get into it!" A.T. Roberston in his "Word Pictures of the New Testament", an old schooler, makes this great commit about the translation of this word. "spiritual passion and energy that some today affect to despise." In other words Christians are a little afraid to put the force behind this word that is really there, tempered by the idea that Jesus was not a violent man. The cleansing of the temple, casting out demons, his coming to earth, sweat drops of blood,the CROSS, being raised from the dead... not violent? What book are these Christians reading? To me Christ is the ultimate violent warrior in whom His dad is well pleased.
Questions:
1. Do you believe that Jesus is a violent person?
2. Look up the story of the Jesus cleansing the temple. Do you think Jesus was acting out of character the way he "drove" out the money changers?
3. Do you feel the kingdom of heaven is suffering violence? Explain.
4. Are you suffering violence as a believer? Explain.
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