Dear friends, since the fall of man, war and violence have plagued humanity. Evil forces and the sinful nature stir up conflict between people and nations. Wars bring destruction, death and unspeakable suffering.
Though earthly rulers may wage war for greed, land or power, followers of Christ must promote peace. We cannot overcome evil with more evil. Revenge only perpetuates the cycle, while forgiveness breaks it. As ambassadors for God’s kingdom, we must love our enemies, do good to those who wrong us, and overcome evil with good.
In these troubled times, we must pray for peace and pursue it. Seek reconciliation where there is strife and misunderstanding. Care for the displaced, orphaned or widowed due to wars. Help meet their practical needs in Christ’s name. Cry out for God’s mercy and healing on war-torn regions.
Dear friends, now let’s look at the Bible scriptures below that talk about war on earth.
Matthew 24:6
“And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet”
2 Chronicles 20:15
“And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the Lord unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s”
2 Chronicles 32:8
“With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah”
1 Samuel 17:47
“And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord ‘s, and he will give you into our hands”
2 Samuel 22:35
“He teacheth my hands to war; so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms”
Psalm 18:34
“He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms”
Psalm 144:1
“Blessed be the Lord my strength which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight”
Proverbs 20:18
“Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war”
Proverbs 21:31
“The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the Lord”
Proverbs 24:6
“For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety”
Ecclesiastes 3:8
“A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace”
Ecclesiastes 9:18
“Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good”
Isaiah 2:4
“And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more”
Isaiah 31:1
“Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the Lord”
Jeremiah 51:20
“Thou art my battle axe and weapons of war: for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms”
Ezekiel 38:8
“After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them”
Joel 3:9
“Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up”
Micah 4:3
“And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more”
Zechariah 14:3
“Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle”
1 Corinthians 14:8
“For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?”
2 Corinthians 10:3
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh”
Ephesians 6:12
“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”
1 Timothy 1:18
“This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare”
2 Timothy 2:3
“Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ”
Hebrews 11:34
“Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens”
James 4:1
“From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?”
1 Peter 2:11
“Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul”
1 John 2:16
“For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world”
1 John 3:8
“He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil”
1 John 5:4
“For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith”
Exodus 15:3
“The Lord is a man of war: the Lord is his name”
Deuteronomy 20:1
“When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the Lord thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt”
Deuteronomy 20:4
“For the Lord your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you”
Joshua 10:25
“And Joshua said unto them, Fear not, nor be dismayed, be strong and of good courage: for thus shall the Lord do to all your enemies against whom ye fight”
Judges 5:8
“They chose new gods; then was war in the gates: was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?”
Judges 7:20
“And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the Lord , and of Gideon”
Numbers 31:3
“And Moses spake unto the people, saying, Arm some of yourselves unto the war, and let them go against the Midianites, and avenge the Lord of Midian”
Numbers 31:14
“And Moses was wroth with the officers of the host, with the captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, which came from the battle”
Numbers 32:6
“And Moses said unto the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben, Shall your brethren go to war, and shall ye sit here?”
Numbers 32:20
“And Moses said unto them, If ye will do this thing, if ye will go armed before the Lord to war”
Numbers 32:27
“But thy servants will pass over, every man armed for war, before the Lord to battle, as my lord saith”
