Total Warfare

Summary

Today, I’m exploring the complexities of mercy and warfare, specifically in the context of Psalm 18. I’m looking at verses 37-50, which describe David’s dominion, a dominion I believe is a picture of the dominion of Jesus Christ. Though I read all those verses, I’m going to lay down some principles before examining those verses in detail. I’m looking at this Psalm verse by verse, and have previously seen David’s determination, his distress, his deliverer, his department (how to act to be delivered), his defense, and his designation of praise. Now I’m looking at his dominion, which I will say again, is a picture of the dominion of Jesus Christ.

I believe it’s important to understand some key principles before delving into these specific verses. The first principle I want to highlight is that there is a time for mercy and a time to show no mercy. Many people mistakenly believe we should always be merciful, and that God is always merciful. I disagree. While we should generally be merciful, as shown in the parable of the unmerciful servant in Matthew 18, where those who have received mercy should be merciful, there are times when mercy is not appropriate. God is not always merciful either. For example, the Bible says God was angry with Israel because there was no truth, mercy, or knowledge of God in the land. Even wicked kings of Israel were sometimes known for their mercy. However, sometimes God does not want mercy to be shown. As an example, Ahab showed mercy to Ben-hadad, when God wanted Ben-hadad dead. God then told Ahab through a prophet that because he let Ben-hadad live, Ahab’s life would be taken.

There are times when God demands that we not be merciful. For example, we are not to pity a premeditated murderer, but put them to death. God also commands that his people not show mercy to his enemies. God told the children of Israel not to make any covenant with, or show mercy to, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. Furthermore, God said that the Israelites should not seek the peace or prosperity of the Ammonites or Moabites. God is sovereign, and his mercy is his own. He has mercy on whom he will have mercy, and compassion on whom he will have compassion. He hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not have mercy on him, showing that God does not have mercy all of the time. God will by no means clear the guilty, and he destroys his enemies. For example, God said he would no longer have mercy on Israel. He also said that he would not have mercy on the people of Jerusalem and would destroy them. Scripture doesn’t demand that Christians be merciful to everyone. For example, if someone doesn’t work, neither should they eat.

The second principle I want to emphasize is that there are times when total warfare, the complete annihilation of one’s enemies, is lawful and right. While we do not generally harm women and children in warfare, or fight against civilians, there are exceptions to this principle. God has, at times, told his people to destroy men, women, children, and even animals. I emphasize that such total warfare must be regulated and commanded by God himself. For instance, God commanded the Israelites to utterly destroy their enemies. In Deuteronomy, the Israelites utterly destroyed Sihon, his sons, and all of his people, as well as the men, women, and children of every city. They also utterly destroyed Og, and all of his people, including men, women, and children. In 1 Samuel, God told Saul to utterly destroy the Amalekites, including men, women, infants, sucklings, oxen, sheep, camels, and donkeys. The fact that Saul disobeyed, and allowed some to live, is why God took the kingdom away from him. In Psalm 137, the Psalmist says that those who dash the babies of Babylon against the rocks are happy. Commentators like John Gill and Charles Spurgeon state that this was a just retaliation against the Babylonians for their actions.

The third principle is that this passage, Psalm 18, is directly applied to Jesus Christ. This means that when Jesus returns, he will show no mercy to his enemies and will wage total warfare against them. Psalm 18:2 is referenced in Hebrews 2:13 as referring to Christ. Verses such as 18:49 are referenced in the New Testament as referring to Jesus. The Bible speaks of Christ’s dominion over the heathen, which is spoken of in Psalm 18. John Calvin’s commentary on this Psalm shows that David represents Christ, and that Christ will break those who resist him with an iron rod. Calvin also notes that Christ will only obtain a tranquil kingdom by fighting. When Christ returns, he will come back in flaming fire, taking vengeance on those who know not God and obey not the gospel. Revelation 19 speaks of the second coming and the war that Christ will wage against his enemies. The dominion that David had was a picture of the final dominion that Christ will have.

Since God is not obligated to be merciful, and is not merciful to everyone, we who have received his mercy should be thankful. We should also be motivated to warn others, because Christ will return in flaming fire and wage total war against his enemies. We must seek him now, while he may be found, because there will be no mercy for those who refuse to turn to him when he returns.

 

FAQ

Okay, here’s an FAQ based on the source material, written in the first person, as requested:

Q: What is the main topic of this discussion? A: I’m exploring the concepts of mercy and warfare, particularly as they relate to Psalm 18, with a focus on verses 37-50, which depict David’s dominion and are a picture of Jesus Christ’s dominion.

Q: What are the three key principles that are being discussed? A: The three main principles are:

• There is a time for mercy and a time to show no mercy.
• There are times when total warfare, the complete annihilation of one’s enemies, is lawful and right.
• The passage in Psalm 18 is directly applicable to Jesus Christ.

Q: Should Christians always be merciful? A: No, Christians are not always meant to be merciful. While we should generally be merciful, there are times when showing mercy is not appropriate. The Bible provides examples of when God did not show mercy.

Q: Is God always merciful? A: No, God is not always merciful. God is sovereign and shows mercy to whomever he chooses. There are instances in the Bible where God withholds mercy and even actively destroys his enemies.

Q: What is meant by “total warfare”? A: Total warfare refers to the complete annihilation of one’s enemies. This can include the destruction of men, women, children, and even animals. It is important to note that this is to be regulated and controlled by God himself.

Q: Is total warfare ever justified? A: Yes, there are times when God commands total warfare against certain groups of people. The Bible gives examples where God ordered the complete destruction of the enemy, including men, women and children.

Q: How does Psalm 18 relate to Jesus Christ? A: Psalm 18 is directly applied to Jesus Christ. The dominion that David achieved is a picture of the dominion that Jesus Christ will have. When Jesus returns, he will show no mercy to his enemies and will wage total warfare against them. Verses from Psalm 18 are used in the New Testament to refer to Jesus.

Q: How will Jesus Christ return? A: Jesus will return in flaming fire, taking vengeance on those who do not know God or obey the gospel. He will come as a lion, not as a lamb. He will wage total war against his enemies.

Q: What should be the response of those who have received God’s mercy? A: Those who have received God’s mercy should be eternally grateful and give him honor and praise. They should also warn others about the coming wrath and encourage them to seek God now, while he may be found.

Q: What does the Bible say about those who refuse to turn to God? A: The Bible says that there will be no mercy, only wrath, for those who refuse to turn to God. It is important to seek him while he is near, because when he returns, he will come in anger and wrath.

Q: How do the commentators John Gill and Charles Spurgeon interpret Psalm 137? A: Both John Gill and Charles Spurgeon saw the actions in Psalm 137, specifically the dashing of babies against rocks, as a just retribution against the Babylonians for their cruelty. They believed that such actions were to root out a cruel and wicked generation.

Q: What is meant by the “spiritual Babylon”? A: The “spiritual Babylon” refers to a wicked empire or system that is characterized by tyranny and oppression. The commentators viewed the destruction of this spiritual Babylon as a righteous act, that would bring liberation.

 

Bible Verses

Okay, here are the Bible verses quoted and the comments made about them, written in the first person, as requested.

• Psalm 18:37-50: I read these verses, which speak of David’s dominion over his enemies, but I noted that I would not be covering them in detail today. I believe David’s dominion is a picture of the dominion of Jesus Christ.
• Matthew 5:7: I mentioned that in this verse, it says, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy,” to show that we should generally be merciful.
• James 2:13: I noted that this verse says, “For he shall have judgment without mercy that showed no mercy, and mercy rejoiceth against judgment,” to further emphasize that we should be merciful people.
• Matthew 18:23-35: I used this passage, which tells the parable of the unmerciful servant, to illustrate the general principle that we who have received mercy should also show mercy. I think this is a very easy principle to grasp.
• Hosea 4:1: I pointed out that this verse says, “Hear the word of the Lord, ye children of Israel: for the Lord hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land,” showing that God is angered by a lack of mercy.
• Luke 10:37: I quoted Jesus as saying, “He that showed mercy on him,” and then, “Go and do thou likewise,” to emphasize that we are to be merciful individuals.
• 1 Kings 20:29-30: I referenced the story of Ahab and Ben-hadad, noting that after Israel defeated the Syrian army, Ben-hadad’s servants said, “Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings”.
• 1 Kings 20:34: I mentioned that Ahab made a covenant with Ben-hadad and sent him away, showing mercy when God wanted him dead.
• 1 Kings 20:35-42: I used this passage to show that because Ahab spared Ben-hadad, God said, “thy life shall go for his life, and thy people for his people”, showing that there are times when God demands that we not be merciful and have no pity.
• Deuteronomy 19:13: I noted that God said concerning a premeditated murderer, “Thine eye shall not pity him, but thou shalt put away the guilt of innocent blood from Israel, that it may go well with thee,” demonstrating that there are times we are not to show pity.
• Deuteronomy 19:21: I quoted God as saying “thine eye shall not pity: but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,” to emphasize that we are not to have pity on those who deserve death.
• Deuteronomy 7:1-2: I highlighted God’s command to the Israelites when they entered the promised land, stating, “thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them,” showing that there are times we are not to show mercy.
• Deuteronomy 23:6: I quoted God as saying, “Thou shalt not seek their peace nor their prosperity all thy days for ever,” in reference to the Ammonites and Moabites, to show another instance where God commands no mercy.
• Romans 9:15: I referenced this verse, where God says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion,” to show that God’s mercy is His own.
• Romans 9:17-18: I quoted scripture saying, “For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth,” to demonstrate that God hardens some hearts and does not have mercy on everyone.
• Exodus 34:6-7: I quoted this passage, noting that God is “merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,” but also that he “will by no means clear the guilty,” demonstrating that God is not always merciful.
• Hosea 1:6: I referenced this verse where God says, “For I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel; but I will utterly take them away,” as an example of God withholding mercy.
• Jeremiah 13:14: I quoted God as saying, “And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, saith the Lord: I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy them,” to illustrate that God does not always show mercy.
• Jeremiah 21:7: I referenced this verse, in which God says that Nebuchadnezzar “shall not spare them, neither have pity, nor have mercy,” to show that God does not always have mercy, even when his enemies are doing the destroying.
• Zechariah 1:12: I mentioned this verse, where the angel asks, “O Lord of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years?” to demonstrate that God did not have mercy on Jerusalem for 70 years.
• 2 Thessalonians 3:10: I used this verse, “if any would not work, neither should he eat,” as an example of when we should not show mercy.
• Deuteronomy 7:2: I reiterated God’s command to the Israelites, “thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them,” to show that total warfare is sometimes mandated by God.
• Deuteronomy 2:30-35: I used this passage to illustrate that God hardened Sihon’s heart and that the Israelites utterly destroyed Sihon and his people, including men, women, and children.
• Deuteronomy 3:3-6: I quoted this passage, to highlight that the Israelites utterly destroyed Og and his people, including men, women, and children, as commanded by God.
• 1 Samuel 15:1-3: I quoted God’s command to Saul, “Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass,” as an example of God commanding total warfare.
• Psalm 137:7-9: I referenced this passage to show where the psalmist says, “Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones,” noting that it describes a violent action and God says those who do it will be “happy”.
• Hebrews 2:13: I pointed out that this verse quotes Psalm 18:2, and in the context, is talking about Jesus Christ.
• Romans 15:9: I noted that this verse quotes Psalm 18:49, and is referring to Jesus Christ.
• Psalm 18:40: I quoted, “Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies; that I might destroy them that hate me”, noting it is speaking of the dominion of Jesus Christ.
• Psalm 18:43: I quoted “Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people; and thou hast made me the head of the heathen: a people whom I have not known shall serve me.”, noting it is speaking of the dominion of Jesus Christ.
• 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9: I used this passage to show that when Jesus returns, he will come “in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel,” showing that Christ will wage total war against his enemies.
• Revelation 19:11-16: I quoted this passage to describe Jesus’ second coming, where he will judge and make war, noting that it says “out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations,” and that he will rule with a rod of iron. This shows that Christ will come back in total war against his enemies.
• 2 Corinthians 6:2: I quoted “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation,” as a reminder to seek God while he may be found.

I think it’s important to remember that while there is a time for mercy, there is also a time for God to show no mercy and to wage total war, and this will happen when Christ returns.