War

ONE FAMILY PLAN

WAR

"The LORD is a man of war; The LORD is His name." (Ex 15:3)

“The Lord shall go forth like a mighty man; HE SHALL STIR UP HIS ZEAL LIKE A MAN OF WAR. He shall cry out, yes, shout aloud; He shall prevail against His enemies.” (Isaiah 42:13)

In what kind of ‘war’ are we? It is a SPIRITUAL war NOT a PHYSICAL war!

“BE NOT OVERCOME OF EVIL, BUT OVERCOME EVIL WITH GOOD.” -Romans 12:21 (KJV)

The fulfillment of the Law is Love... We fight for LOVE!

“LOVE DOES NO HARM TO A NEIGHBOR. THEREFORE LOVE IS THE FULFILLMENT OF THE LAW.”

-Romans 13:10 (NIV)

“CARRY EACH OTHER’S BURDENS, AND IN THIS WAY YOU WILL FULFILL THE LAW OF CHRIST.” -Galatians 6:2 (NIV)

“Let no debt remain outstanding, except THE CONTINUING DEBT TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER, FOR WHOEVER LOVES OTHERS HAS FULFILLED THE LAW.” -Romans 13:8 (NIV)

“SO IN EVERYTHING, DO TO OTHERS WHAT YOU WOULD HAVE THEM DO TO YOU, FOR THIS SUMS UP THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS.” -Matthew 7:12 (NIV)

What kind of weapons will we use?

“For though we live in the world, WE DO NOT WAGE WAR AS THE WORLD DOES. THE WEAPONS WE FIGHT WITH ARE NOT THE WEAPONS OF THE WORLD. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.” -2 Corinthians 10:3-4 (NIV)

It's the New Covenant!!! Do NOT even think about killing! It is the ‘heart’ that will be refined! War... A shadow of things to come!!!

“YOU HAVE HEARD THAT IT WAS SAID TO THE PEOPLE LONG AGO, ‘YOU SHALL NOT MURDER, AND ANYONE WHO MURDERS WILL BE SUBJECT TO JUDGMENT.’ BUT I TELL YOU THAT ANYONE WHO IS ANGRY WITH A BROTHER OR SISTER WILL BE SUBJECT TO JUDGMENT…” (Matthew 5:21-22)

This is how Christ fought:

“Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, THAT YE RESIST NOT EVIL: BUT WHOSOEVER SHALL SMITE THEE ON THY RIGHT CHEEK, TURN TO HIM THE OTHER ALSO.” (Matthew 5:38-39, KJV)

“…IF SOMEONE TAKES YOUR COAT, DO NOT WITHHOLD YOUR SHIRT FROM THEM.” (Luke 6:

“And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. IF ANYONE FORCES YOU TO GO ONE MILE, GO WITH THEM TWO MILES.” (Matthew 5:40-41)

“But to you who are listening I say: LOVE YOUR ENEMIES, DO GOOD TO THOSE WHO HATE YOU, BLESS THOSE WHO CURSE YOU, PRAY FOR THOSE WHO MISTREAT YOU. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. GIVE TO EVERYONE WHO ASKS YOU, AND IF ANYONE TAKES WHAT BELONGS TO YOU, DO NOT DEMAND IT BACK. DO TO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD HAVE THEM DO TO YOU.” (Luke 6:27-31)

His Kingdom is NOT of this world!

“Jesus answered, ‘My kingdom is not of this world. IF MY KINGDOM WERE OF THIS WORLD, MY SERVANTS WOULD FIGHT, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.’” (John 18:36)

So we are NOT to ‘physically’ fight!? (We all do as we must, of course)

“When those around Him saw what was going to happen, they said to Him, ‘LORD, SHALL WE STRIKE WITH THE SWORD?’ And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear.” (Luke 22:49-50)

“But Jesus answered, ‘NO MORE OF THIS!’ And he touched the man’s ear and healed him.” (Luke 22:51, NIV)

It is the power of darkness…

“Then Jesus said to the chief priests, captains of the temple, and the elders who had come to Him, ‘HAVE YOU COME OUT, AS AGAINST A ROBBER, WITH SWORDS AND CLUBS? When I was with you daily in the temple, you did not try to seize Me. BUT THIS IS YOUR HOUR, AND THE POWER OF DARKNESS.’” (Luke 22:52-53)

The armor is SPIRITUAL ARMOR!

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” (Ephesians 6:11, NKJV)

We are NOT fighting flesh and blood!

“FOR WE WRESTLE NOT AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, AGAINST SPIRITUAL WICKEDNESS IN HIGH PLACES.” (Ephesians 6:12, KJV)

“THEREFORE TAKE UP THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” (Ephesians 6:13, NKJV)

“Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking THE SHIELD OF FAITH, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT, which is the word of God…” (Ephesians 6:14-17, KJV)

“But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on THE BREASTPLATE OF FAITH AND LOVE; AND FOR AN HELMET, THE HOPE OF SALVATION.” (1 Thessalonians 5:8) “By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, By the word of truth, by the power of God, BY THE ARMOUR OF RIGHTEOUSNESS on the right hand and on the left…” -2 Corinthians 6:6-7 (KJV)

Cast off the works of darkness! Put on the ARMOR OF LIGHT! “The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and LET US PUT ON THE ARMOUR OF LIGHT.” (Rom 13:12)

Through faith in Christ, in LOVE, we win this war! “Who THROUGH FAITH subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions…” (Heb 11:33)

Through Him that LOVED! “Nay, IN ALL THESE THINGS WE ARE MORE THAN CONQUERORS THROUGH HIM THAT LOVED US.” (Rom 8:37) “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)” -2 Corinthians 10:3-4 (KJV)

Imaginations are the IMAGES of the BEAST… “CASTING DOWN IMAGINATIONS, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ…” -2 Corinthians 10:5 (KJV)

These are the murders of the heart, the hate, and the accusing of our brethren! THIS IS WAR!

“Thou hast seen all their vengeance and ALL THEIR IMAGINATIONS AGAINST ME. Thou hast heard their reproach, O LORD, and ALL THEIR IMAGINATIONS AGAINST ME; THE LIPS OF THOSE THAT ROSE UP AGAINST ME, AND THEIR DEVICE AGAINST ME ALL THE DAY. BEHOLD THEIR SITTING DOWN, AND THEIR RISING UP; I AM THEIR MUSICK.” (Lam 3:60-63)

What will God do?

“Render unto them a recompence, O LORD, according to the work of their hands. GIVE THEM SORROW OF HEART, THY CURSE UNTO THEM. PERSECUTE AND DESTROY THEM IN ANGER FROM UNDER THE HEAVENS OF THE LORD.” (Lam 3:64-66)

How will he do this? THE FIRE OF GOD!!

The refining of gold, the refining of silver – the furnace of affliction… these are all references to the refining of the heart…

"And the words of the Lord are flawless, like silver purified in a crucible, like gold refined seven times." -Psalms 12:6 (NIV) “See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in THE FURNACE OF AFFLICTION.” (Isaiah 48:10 NIV) “The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but THE LORD TESTS THE HEART.” (Proverbs 17:3 NIV)

What is a good soldier to do?

“DO NOT TAKE REVENGE, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord. On the contrary: ‘IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM; IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM SOMETHING TO DRINK. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” -Romans 12:19-21 (NIV)

“If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. IN DOING THIS, YOU WILL HEAP BURNING COALS ON HIS HEAD, and the Lord will reward you.” -Proverbs 25:21-22 (NIV)

This is NOT a physical war!

“FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.” (1 Tim 6:12) “And the dragon was wroth with the woman, AND WENT TO MAKE WAR WITH THE REMNANT of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” (Rev 12:17) The enemy is WE, the devil - our man of sin! “Be sober, be vigilant; because YOUR ADVERSARY THE DEVIL, AS A ROARING LION, WALKETH ABOUT, SEEKING WHOM HE MAY DEVOUR…” (1 Pet 5:8)

“FOR THE FLESH LUSTETH AGAINST THE SPIRIT, AND THE SPIRIT AGAINST THE FLESH: AND THESE ARE CONTRARY THE ONE TO THE OTHER: SO THAT YE CANNOT DO THE THINGS THAT YE WOULD.” (Gal 5:17) “Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, ABSTAIN FROM FLESHLY LUSTS, WHICH WAR AGAINST THE SOUL…” (1 Peter 2:11)

We are soldiers!

“NO MAN THAT WARRETH ENTANGLETH HIMSELF WITH THE AFFAIRS OF THIS LIFE; THAT HE MAY PLEASE HIM WHO HATH CHOSEN HIM TO BE A SOLDIER.” (2 Tim 2:4) “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because GREATER IS HE THAT IS IN YOU, THAN HE THAT IS IN THE WORLD.” (1 John 4:4) “THOU THEREFORE ENDURE HARDNESS, AS A GOOD SOLDIER OF JESUS CHRIST.” (2 Tim 2:3) “The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but THE RIGHTEOUS ARE BOLD AS A LION.” (Prov 28:1)

A brief history… Violence…

“So God said to Noah, ‘I AM GOING TO PUT AN END TO ALL PEOPLE, FOR THE EARTH IS FILLED WITH VIOLENCE because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth.’” -Genesis 6:13 (NIV)

“This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘I WILL PUNISH THE AMALEKITES FOR WHAT THEY DID TO ISRAEL WHEN THEY WAYLAID THEM AS THEY CAME UP FROM EGYPT. Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy all that belongs to them. DO NOT SPARE THEM; PUT TO DEATH MEN AND WOMEN, CHILDREN AND INFANTS, CATTLE AND SHEEP, CAMELS AND DONKEYS.’” -1 Samuel 15:2-3 (NIV)

“Remember what the Amalekites did to you along the way when you came out of Egypt. WHEN YOU WERE WEARY AND WORN OUT, THEY MET YOU ON YOUR JOURNEY AND CUT OFF ALL WHO WERE LAGGING BEHIND; THEY HAD NO FEAR OF GOD. When the LORD your God gives you rest from all the enemies around you in the land he is giving you to possess as an inheritance, you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven. Do not forget!” (Deut 25:17-19).

Prior to the attack, the innocent are told to ‘go away’ –

“Saul went to the city of Amalek and set an ambush in the ravine. Then he said to the Kenites, ‘GO AWAY, LEAVE THE AMALEKITES SO THAT I DO NOT DESTROY YOU ALONG WITH THEM; FOR YOU SHOWED KINDNESS TO ALL THE ISRAELITES WHEN THEY CAME UP OUT OF EGYPT.’ So the Kenites moved away from the Amalekites.” -1 Samuel 15:5-6 (NIV)

Jonah’s warning…

“The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth. WHEN JONAH’S WARNING REACHED THE KING OF NINEVEH, HE ROSE FROM HIS THRONE, TOOK OFF HIS ROYAL ROBES, COVERED HIMSELF WITH SACKCLOTH AND SAT DOWN IN THE DUST. This is the proclamation he issued in Nineveh:“By the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let people or animals, herds or flocks, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. But let people and animals be covered with sackcloth. LET EVERYONE CALL URGENTLY ON GOD. LET THEM GIVE UP THEIR EVIL WAYS AND THEIR VIOLENCE.” -Jonah 3:5-8 (NIV)

They were to give up their ‘violence’ -

“…Let them give up their evil ways and their VIOLENCE.” -Jonah 3:8 (NIV)

“Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish.” -Jonah 3:9 (NIV)

“WHEN GOD SAW WHAT THEY DID AND HOW THEY TURNED FROM THEIR EVIL WAYS, HE RELENTED and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.” -Jonah 3:10 (NIV)

Driven out...

“After the Lord your God has driven them out before you, DO NOT SAY TO YOURSELF, ‘THE LORD HAS BROUGHT ME HERE TO TAKE POSSESSION OF THIS LAND BECAUSE OF MY RIGHTEOUSNESS.’ NO, IT IS ON ACCOUNT OF THE WICKEDNESS OF THESE NATIONS THAT THE LORD IS GOING TO DRIVE THEM OUT BEFORE YOU.” -Deuteronomy 9:4 (NIV)

“Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD, and BECAUSE OF THESE DETESTABLE PRACTICES THE LORD YOUR GOD WILL DRIVE OUT THOSE NATIONS before you.” (Deut 18:12)

“Do not defile yourselves in any of these ways, because THIS IS HOW THE NATIONS THAT I AM GOING TO DRIVE OUT BEFORE YOU BECAME DEFILED. EVEN THE LAND WAS DEFILED; so I punished it for its sin, and THE LAND VOMITED OUT ITS INHABITANTS.” (Lev 18:24-25)

“Keep my requirements and DO NOT FOLLOW ANY OF THE DETESTABLE CUSTOMS THAT WERE PRACTICED before you came and do not defile yourselves with them. I am the Lord your God.”

-Leviticus 18:30 (NIV)

“The Lord said to Moses, ‘Say to the Israelites: “ANY ISRAELITE OR ANY FOREIGNER RESIDING IN ISRAEL WHO SACRIFICES ANY OF HIS CHILDREN TO MOLEK IS TO BE PUT TO DEATH. The members of the community are to stone him. I myself will set my face against him and will cut him off from his people; for by sacrificing his children to Molek, he has defiled my sanctuary and profaned my holy name. IF THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY CLOSE THEIR EYES WHEN THAT MAN SACRIFICES ONE OF HIS CHILDREN TO MOLEK AND IF THEY FAIL TO PUT HIM TO DEATH, I MYSELF WILL SET MY FACE AGAINST HIM AND HIS FAMILY AND WILL CUT THEM OFF FROM THEIR PEOPLE together with all who follow him in prostituting themselves to Molek.”’” -Leviticus 20:1-5 (NIV)

Still worshipping the Lord?!

“YOU MUST NOT WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD IN THEIR WAY, because in worshiping their gods, they do all kinds of detestable things the Lord hates. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire as sacrifices to their gods.” -Deuteronomy 12:31 (NIV)

“Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire…” (Deut 18:10)

“They shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was desecrated by their blood.” (Ps 106:38--about Israel!)

They knew...

“and said to them, ‘I KNOW THAT THE LORD HAS GIVEN YOU THIS LAND AND THAT A GREAT FEAR OF YOU HAS FALLEN ON US, SO THAT ALL WHO LIVE IN THIS COUNTRY ARE MELTING IN FEAR BECAUSE OF YOU. We have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed. When we heard of it, our hearts melted in fear and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.’” -Joshua 2:9-11 (NIV)

Israel was NOT to destroy the cities and buildings…

“When the Lord your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you—A LAND WITH LARGE, FLOURISHING CITIES YOU DID NOT BUILD,

houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant—then WHEN YOU EAT AND ARE SATISFIED, BE CAREFUL THAT YOU DO NOT FORGET THE LORD, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.” -Deuteronomy 6:10-12 (NIV)

Exception: Hazor…

“At that time Joshua turned back and captured Hazor and put its king to the sword. (Hazor had been the head of all these kingdoms.) Everyone in it they put to the sword. They totally destroyed them, not sparing anyone that breathed, AND HE BURNED HAZOR ITSELF.”

-Joshua 11:10-11 (NIV)

NOT to destroy vegetation and the trees…

“When you lay siege to a city for a long time, fighting against it to capture it, DO NOT DESTROY ITS TREES by putting an ax to them, because you can eat their fruit. Do not cut them down. Are the trees people, that you should besiege them?” -Deuteronomy 20:19 (NIV)

NOT to attack Esau's land

“DO NOT PROVOKE THEM TO WAR, for I will not give you any of their land, not even enough to put your foot on. I have given Esau the hill country of Seir as his own.” -Deuteronomy 2:5 (NIV)

NOT to harass Moab (Lot's descendants)--

“Then the Lord said to me, ‘DO NOT HARASS THE MOABITES OR PROVOKE THEM TO WAR, for I will not give you any part of their land. I have given Ar to the descendants of Lot as a possession.’” -Deuteronomy 2:9 (NIV)

NOT to harass Ammon (Lot's descendants)--

“When you come to the Ammonites, DO NOT HARASS THEM OR PROVOKE THEM TO WAR, for I will not give you possession of any land belonging to the Ammonites. I have given it as a possession to the descendants of Lot.” -Deuteronomy 2:19 (NIV)

NOT to take ‘images’ of their gods with the precious silver and gold…

“The images of their gods you are to burn in the fire. DO NOT COVET THE SILVER AND GOLD ON THEM, and do not take it for yourselves, or you will be ensnared by it, for it is detestable to the Lord your God.” -Deuteronomy 7:25 (NIV)

REQUIRED to offer peace to nations at a distance--

“WHEN YOU MARCH UP TO ATTACK A CITY, MAKE ITS PEOPLE AN OFFER OF PEACE. If they accept and open their gates, all the people in it shall be subject to forced labor and shall work for you. If they refuse to make peace and they engage you in battle, lay siege to that city. When the Lord your God delivers it into your hand, put to the sword all the men in it. As for the women, the children, the livestock and everything else in the city, you may take these as plunder for yourselves. And you may use the plunder the Lord your God gives you from your enemies. This is how you are to treat all the cities that are at a distance from you and do not belong to the nations nearby.” -Deuteronomy 20:10-15 (NIV)

What are they to do to these nations?

"wipe them out" (e.g. Ex 23.23)

"throw them into confusion" (e.g. Ex 23.27)

"make them turn their backs and run" (e.g. Ex 23.27)

"drive them out of your way" (e.g. Ex 23.28)

"struck down" (e.g. Ps 135.10)

"dispossessed" (e.g. Num 21.32)

"drive out" (e.g. Num 33.52)

"thrust out" (e.g. Deut 6.19)

"destroy them" (e.g. Deut 9.3)

"subdue them before you" (e.g. Deut 9.3)

"annihilate" (e.g. Deut 9.3)

"delivered them over to you" (e.g. Deut 7.2)

"defeated them" (e.g. Deut 7.2)

"perish" (e.g. Deut 7.20)

"give kings into your hands" (e.g. Deut 7.24)

"wipe out their names from under heaven" (e.g. Deut 7.24)

"Dispossession" includes drive out, dispossess, take over possession of, thrust out, send away (33 occurrences). In other words, they leave prior to any encounter with the Israelites.

"Destruction" includes annihilate, destroy, perish, and eliminate (11 occurrences). These are the consequences of those who stay behind.

“The Lord your God will cut off before you THE NATIONS YOU ARE ABOUT TO INVADE AND DISPOSSESS. But when you have driven them out and settled in their land, and after they have been destroyed before you, be careful not to be ensnared by inquiring about their gods, saying, ‘How do these nations serve their gods? We will do the same.’” -Deuteronomy 12:29-30 (NIV)

Let's look at a few examples of the "dispossession" words...

“I will send the hornet ahead of you to drive the Hivites, Canaanites and Hittites out of your way... But I will not drive them out in a single year... LITTLE BY LITTLE I WILL DRIVE THEM OUT before you…” (Ex 23:28-30)

“I will hand over to you the people who live in the land and YOU WILL DRIVE THEM OUT before you. Do not make a covenant with them or with their gods. Do not let them live in your land…” (Ex 23:31-33) “I WILL SEND AN ANGEL BEFORE YOU AND DRIVE OUT THE CANAANITES...” (Ex 33:2) “He will drive out your enemy before you, saying, ‘Destroy him!’” (Deu 33:27)

Pharaoh 'driving out' the Israelites, NOT annihilating them!

“Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh: Because of my mighty hand he will let them go; because of my mighty hand HE WILL DRIVE THEM OUT of his country.’”-Exodus 6:1 (NIV)

The yarasl group ("dispossess"):

“I WILL DRIVE OUT NATIONS BEFORE YOU and enlarge your territory…” (Ex 24:34) “…DRIVE OUT ALL THE INHABITANTS OF THE LAND before you. Destroy all their carved images and their cast idols, and demolish all their high places. Take possession of the land and settle in it…” (Num 33:52-53) “…TO DRIVE OUT BEFORE YOU NATIONS GREATER AND STRONGER THAN YOU and to bring you into their land to give it to you for your inheritance, as it is today.” (Deut 4:38)

“And you will drive them out and annihilate them quickly... AFTER THE LORD YOUR GOD HAS DRIVEN THEM OUT before you... the LORD your God WILL DRIVE THEM OUT before you…” (Deu 9:3,4,5) “…then THE LORD WILL DRIVE OUT ALL THESE NATIONS BEFORE YOU, and you will dispossess nations larger and stronger than you.” (Deu 11:23) “because of these detestable practices THE LORD YOUR GOD WILL DRIVE OUT THOSE NATIONS BEFORE YOU.” (Deu 18:12)

The salah group ("send away")

“…because this is how THE NATIONS THAT I AM GOING TO DRIVE OUT BEFORE YOU became defiled. Even the land was defiled; so I punished it for its sin, and the land vomited out its inhabitants.” (Lev 18:24-25) “You must not live according to the customs of THE NATIONS I AM GOING TO DRIVE OUT BEFORE YOU.” (Lev 20:23)

It is the ‘moving’ of a nation, NOT the ‘destroying (annihilation)’ of a people!

“…the Israelites captured its surrounding settlements and drove out the Amorites who were there.” (Num 21:32)

The royal bloodline and the national army were destroyed…

“So they struck him down, together with his sons and his whole army, leaving them no survivors. And they took possession of his land.” (Num 21:35)

It is the total expulsion of ‘detestable things’ from the land!! – a foretelling of the need to expel the ‘detestable things’ from the spiritual land…

“OTHERWISE, THEY WILL TEACH YOU TO FOLLOW ALL THE DETESTABLE THINGS they do in worshiping their gods, and you will sin against the Lord your God.” -Deuteronomy 20:18 (NIV)

Israel is held to the SAME STANDARD!!!

“AND IF YOU DEFILE THE LAND, IT WILL VOMIT YOU OUT AS IT VOMITED OUT THE NATIONS THAT WERE BEFORE YOU. Everyone who does any of these detestable things—such persons must be cut off from their people.” -Leviticus 18:28-29 (NIV)

He warned of 'expulsion (vomit) from the Land' in the SAME WAY He did the Canaanites! When the same cruel, destructive Canaanite practices were found in Israel, i.e. child sacrifice (Is 57:5; 2 Kgs 17:17), ritual prostitution (Jer 13:27), cultic homosexual prostitutes (I Kgs 15:12; 22:46; 2 Kgs 23:7), and widespread social violence (cf. Ezek 45:9; Is 59:6-10)-- He sent the Babylonians to 'drive/expel/vomit them out'. They were to be exiled -- to surrender to 'dispossession' to AVOID BEING KILLED!

“Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, ‘This is what the Lord God Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “IF YOU SURRENDER TO THE OFFICERS OF THE KING OF BABYLON, YOUR LIFE WILL BE SPARED AND THIS CITY WILL NOT BE BURNED DOWN; YOU AND YOUR FAMILY WILL LIVE. But IF YOU WILL NOT SURRENDER TO THE OFFICERS OF THE KING OF BABYLON, THIS CITY WILL BE GIVEN INTO THE HANDS OF THE BABYLONIANS AND THEY WILL BURN IT DOWN; YOU YOURSELF WILL NOT ESCAPE FROM THEM.”’” -Jeremiah 38:17-18 (NIV)

“This is what the Lord says: ‘WHOEVER STAYS IN THIS CITY WILL DIE BY THE SWORD, FAMINE OR PLAGUE, BUT WHOEVER GOES OVER TO THE BABYLONIANS WILL LIVE. They will escape with their lives; they will live.’ And this is what the Lord says: ‘This city will certainly be given into the hands of the army of the king of Babylon, who will capture it.’” -Jeremiah 38:2-3 (NIV)

“Furthermore, tell the people, ‘This is what the Lord says: See, I AM SETTING BEFORE YOU THE WAY OF LIFE AND THE WAY OF DEATH. WHOEVER STAYS IN THIS CITY WILL DIE BY THE SWORD, FAMINE OR PLAGUE. BUT WHOEVER GOES OUT AND SURRENDERS TO THE BABYLONIANS WHO ARE BESIEGING YOU WILL LIVE; they will escape with their lives. I have determined to do this city harm and not good, declares the Lord. It will be given into the hands of the king of Babylon, and he will destroy it with fire.’” -Jeremiah 21:8-10 (NIV)