The Israelites Way Back Use to Fight Wars​—⁠But Why We Can’t Fight War Today?

ONE NAZI officer yell at one group of Jehovah Witnesses during World War II. He said “If any one you refuse to fight against France or England, all of yor will die!” None of our brother them agree even though the Nazi soldier them were around the area. They were really brave! That good example here that show how Jehovah Witnesses feel about war. We can’t fight in any kind na war. Even when people say they will kill us if we not fight, we can still remain neutral.

1. ALL GOD PEOPLE USE TO BE PART OF ONE NATION

Way back, Jehovah choose the nation of Israel to be his people. He use to call the Israelites his “special property out of all peoples.” (Ex. 19:5) God also give them special land. So when God use to tell the Israelites to go fight war against other nations, they not use to fight or kill other people who were worshiping Jehovah.a

Today, God people coming from “all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues.” (Rev. 7:9) If God people were going to take part in war, they were going to be fighting against and even killing other people who worshiping Jehovah.

2. JEHOVAH TOLD THE ISRAELITES TO GO FIGHT WAR

Way back, that Jehovah use to decide when and why the Israelites must go fight war. For example, God told the Israelites to go fight for him against the Canaanites for worshiping demons, committing sexual immorality and even sacrificing their children. Jehovah told the Israelites to destroy these wicked people so they can’t follow their bad example. (Lev. 18:​24, 25) God use to tell the Israelites to fight war sometimes to defend their self in the promise land. (2 Sam. 5:​17-25) But, Jehovah never allow the Israelites to decide for their self when to go fight war. When they decide to fight war by their self, it was always bad for them.​—Num. 14:​41-45; 2 Chron. 35:​20-24

Today, Jehovah can’t tell anybody to go fight war. People fighting war today because of what they want and not because they want satisfy God. They can fight war because they want more land, more money or to promote politics. But how about those who can fight war because they say they want protect their belief or they want kill God enemies? Jehovah will protect those who really worshiping him and destroy his enemies in the future during Armageddon. (Rev. 16:​14, 16) During that war, only spirit creatures will fight and not human being that serving him.​—Rev. 19:​11-15.

3. THE ISRAELITES NEVER KILL THOSE WHO SHOW FAITH

Way back, the Israelite soldiers use to show mercy to those who show faith in God and only kill people who Jehovah say they must kill. Let see two examples. Even though Jehovah told them to destroy Jericho, the Israelites show mercy to Rahab and her family because of her faith. (Josh. 2:​9-16; 6:​16, 17) Another time, the Israelites show mercy to the whole city of Gibeon because the Gibeonites show respect for God.​—Josh. 9:​3-9, 17-19.

Today, when people fighting war, they can’t show mercy to those who having faith. And Sometime, they can even kill innocent people.

4. THE ISRAELITES WERE SUPPOSE TO FOLLOW ALL GOD LAWS ABOUT WAR

Way back, Jehovah expected the Israelites soldiers to follow all his instructions about war. For example, God use to ask them to make ‘peace under certain conditions’ with some nations that was fighting against them. (Deut. 20:10) Jehovah also expected the Israelites soldiers to keep their self and their camp clean and follow Jehovah laws. (Deut. 23:​9-14) The soldiers from other nations use to rape women in the cities they will capture, but Jehovah told the Israelites soldiers to not do it. In fact, he told them to not marry any woman they capture until one month pass.​—Deut. 21:​10-13.

Today, plenty countries na agree to fight wars according to certain laws. Even though they make this agreement because they want protect their citizens, sad to say, they can still break the laws.

5. GOD FOUGHT FOR HIS NATION

Way back, Jehovah use to fight for the Israelites, and perform miracle for them to win the war. For example, how Jehovah help the Israelites to defeat the city of Jericho? When Jehovah gave the direction, and the Israelites “shouted a great war cry, the wall fell down flat,” and it made it very easy for them to capture the city. (Josh. 6:20) And how they manage to win the war against the Amorites? “Jehovah hurled great hailstones from the sky on them. . . In fact, more died from the hail than from the sword of the Israelites.”​—Josh. 10:​6-11.

TRUE CHRISTIANS THAT PEACEMAKERS

We na see how our situation today different from the Israelites way back. But that not the only reason we get for not fighting war, we get other reasons. For example, God said that in the last days, those who he teaching will not “learn war anymore.” That mean they will not even take part in it (Isa. 2:​2-4) Jesus also said that his disciples will be “no part of the world”; they can remain neutral.​—John 15:19.

Jesus encourage his followers to do more than that one. He told them to avoid anything that will make them to keep grudge, get vex bad way and to fight war. (Matt. 5:​21, 22) Then he told his disciples to be “peacemakers” and to love their enemies.​—Matt. 5:​9, 44.

How each of us can do this one? Maybe, we will not want fight any war. But we get something in our heart for any brother or sister that could cause division in the congregation? Let continue trying our best to take that kind na feeling from our heart.​—Jas. 4:​1, 11.

We can’t put our hand in any war business, but we must work hard for peace and love to be among us. (John 13:​34, 35) Let continue to do our best to remain neutral until Jehovah end wars forever.​—Ps. 46:9.