Christ and Violence

Grab your Bibles, turn to the book of Joshua, and then get your fingers ready because we're going to be all over this morning.

Topics that affect us, topics we are living in and around.

We've talked about work. We've talked about homosexuality or sexuality.

We've talked about marriage and family.

And so this morning, the topic this morning is violence.

And it's one of those topics where you could just go in a hundred different directions on it.

I could preach about how violent our world is, or I could preach about how we should be pacifists.

Okay, not really, but that could come out.

I can talk about so many different things.

And I was surprised at where I was led in my studying this week.

Before we get to the book of Joshua,

there is reason to be concerned about our lives and how much we subject ourselves to violence.

We fill our brains with so much needless violence,

like video games and TV and movies,

that we have become numb to many types of violence.

For example, in Syria, since March of last year,

at least 17,000 people have died.

At least 17,000 people.

That's at least 100 people a month have died

during what the Red Cross is calling a civil war.

Refugees are fleeing the violence by thousands.

Now, there's a little bit of numbness there for me,

and I would imagine a lot of you in this room.

One, because, well, that's the other side of the world.

That doesn't really affect us.

That's kind of a bummer.

But two, because people dying, we see all the time.

We see it on a TV show.

We see it not just on primetime.

Kids watching TV shows where people are dying,

and it affects our lives.

People around the world are fleeing violence.

They're fleeing this danger.

But here in America, we're buying it up.

In 2010, Call of Duty Black Ops sold $360 million worth of video games

in the first 24 hours.

In less than a month, they sold over a billion dollars.

If you don't know what this game is,

it's a first-person shooter game.

You blow people's heads off.

You walk through, and it's war.

Well, we're playing these games.

At the movies this summer,

saw a trailer for a new video game coming out.

I think the new Call of Duty game coming out this fall.

It's all around us.

Big, big money.

And it's causing a numbness in us and in our future generations.

Next thing you know,

theater shootings will happen in Colorado

will happen on a more regular basis.

Now, you think that's kind of extreme,

but follow down the rabbit hole,

you see where you end up.

This numbness that we all have,

some level of numbness,

affects even our theology as we sit here this morning.

Affects what we think we know about God,

what we believe about God.

It can affect how and what we preach,

what we teach,

what we read.

Are the stories true?

Did God really do that?

Did those people really get wiped out just like that?

We question things.

It affects what we share with people.

Now, these stories, that's a little outrageous.

I'm not going to share that.

It can affect what we believe about God.

God is a God.

He's a loving God.

He's not a killer of innocent people.

This numbness to violence

gives reason to be concerned

for all of us in this room,

not just me standing up here

as I've thought through this this week.

So this morning,

I want for all of us to see

how God uses violence in the Bible.

Now, I can't show every story.

We're just going to hit four or five of them.

And to see for what purpose

He uses violence.

Familiar stories and not so familiar stories.

And then I want to look to Jesus,

our Savior,

and see how He endured

the greatest of all acts of violence.

And look at it with hopefully

a much less numbness.

Look at it with new eyes

to see the violence that He endured.

So let me pray for us.

You got your fingers in Joshua.

That's where we'll start.

Let me pray.

Heavenly Father,

gracious Lord,

God,

help us this morning

to hear from You.

Help us to see Your Word

alive.

Help us to see how You work,

even through violence,

and You use it

for Your kingdom.

God,

help us to see

with

new eyes,

with

just new perspective,

the cross

and what Jesus,

our Savior,

endured for us.

God,

I want to make

the truth known,

Your Word proclaimed.

Use me this morning.

Let me not lean on

my own understanding,

but let me lean on You

and trust in You

this morning.

Speak through me.

Let us all hear

a word from You.

Be gracious to us

in that

and let our hearing

lead to action.

Let our hearing

lead

to a greater perspective

on violence itself,

but on Christ

and what He has

done

and endured

for us.

I pray this

in the great,

wonderful,

and mighty name

of Jesus.

Amen.

In the book of Joshua,

we have a story

that is familiar

to all of us,

I would imagine.

The story of Jericho.

And if you don't know

the story,

we'll just read

the first seven verses

of chapter 6.

So Joshua chapter 6,

Joshua 6 · chapter mention

we'll read through.

It kind of gives us

a setup of what

will occur

and then we'll turn

to the end

of the chapter.

Joshua chapter 6,

Joshua 6:1

verse 1.

Now Jericho

was shut up inside

and outside

because of the people

of Israel.

None went out

and none came in.

And the Lord

said to Joshua,

See,

I have given

Jericho into your hand

with its king

and mighty men

of valor.

You shall march

around the city,

all the men of war

going around the city

once.

Thus shall you do

for six days.

Seven priests

shall bear seven trumpets

of a ram's horns

before the ark.

On the seventh day

you shall march

around the city

seven times

and the priests

shall blow the trumpets

and then when they

make a long blast

with the ram's horn,

when you hear

the sound of the trumpet,

then all the people

shall shout

with a great shout

and the wall of the city

will fall down flat

and the people

shall go up,

everyone straight

before him.

So Joshua,

the son of Nun,

called the priests

and said to them,

Take up the ark

of the covenant

and let seven priests

bear seven trumpets

of ram's horns

before the ark

of the Lord.

And he said to the people,

Go forward,

march around the city

and let the armed men

pass on before

the ark of the Lord.

So the Lord

commanded them

to march around

the city of Jericho

seven times.

Six days,

seventh day,

they're below the horn,

everybody's going to shout

and God was going

to deliver Jericho.

We'll skip down

to verse 21.

The wall has crumbled down.

What God has said

would happen,

happened.

And verse 21 says,

Then they devoted all

in the city

to destruction,

both men and women,

young and old,

oxen,

sheep,

and donkeys

with the edge

of the sword.

Now this is a familiar story

to all of us

almost probably in this room.

Our kids know this story.

It's a good story.

But it's not just a story.

It really did happen.

And it shows us three things.

God shows us three things

through this act of violence.

He shows His power.

The walls of Jericho

tumbled to the ground.

No explosions,

no artillery.

God in His hand

knocked it over.

There's not a day

that goes by

where I don't hear

Jed yelling,

talking about how

LJ is tearing apart

his Lego creation.

They just come through

like Godzilla

and knock it over

or take it with his hands

and just break it apart.

That's what God did

to the walls of Jericho.

With His fingers,

with His hands,

He just knocked it over.

The walls

tumbled down.

God showed His power

through this

violent act.

The people of Jericho

suffered a violent end

under God's hand

and God's rule.

But not only do we see

God's power,

we also see God's

faithfulness.

verse 2.

It says,

See,

I have given Jericho

into your hands.

This is God speaking.

And it's as if God

is going back

to chapter 1

in Joshua

where He tells Joshua

in verse 9,

Have I not commanded you?

Be strong

and courageous.

Do not be frightened.

Do not be dismayed.

For the Lord your God

is with you

wherever you go.

It's almost God saying,

Look,

I've done this.

I will do this for you.

And look,

I have delivered Jericho

to you.

So we see God's faithfulness.

But we also see God's plan

through this act

of violence.

The people of Israel

were God's people

set apart.

God chose them,

made them,

set them apart,

said,

This is my people.

I am their God.

And He set them apart

and said,

That you have this land

that I will deliver to you.

And what does He do?

He delivers

that land

to the people of Israel.

So God displays

and shows His plan.

Sets apart

the people of Israel

using this act

of violence.

So it's violence

used by God

to show His power,

His faithfulness,

and His plan.

Turn to Genesis chapter 19.

Genesis 19 · chapter mention

We also,

we have a horrifying account

of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Cities where fire

came down from heaven

and destroyed

the city.

The cities.

So Genesis chapter 19,

Genesis 19:23–29

verse 23 through 29.

The sun had risen

on the earth

when Lot came to Zor.

Zor was the city

that the angels of God

told him that he could go to.

Then the Lord rained

on Sodom and Gomorrah

sulfur and fire

from the Lord

out of heaven.

And He overthrew

those cities

and all the valley

and all the inhabitants

of the city

and what grew

on the ground.

But Lot's wife

behind him

looked back

and she became

a pillar of salt.

And Abraham

went early in the morning

to the place

where he had stood

before the Lord

and he looked down

toward Sodom and Gomorrah

and toward all the land

of the valley

and he looked

and behold,

the smoke of the land

went up like the smoke

of a furnace.

So it was that

when God destroyed

the cities of the valley,

God remembered Abraham

and sent Lot

out of the midst

of the overthrow

when he overthrew

the cities

in which Lot

had lived.

God destroys

Sodom and Gomorrah.

In chapter 18

we get kind of

a reason why.

Chapter 18

verse 20

Then the Lord said,

Because the outcry

against Sodom and Gomorrah

is great

and their sin

is very grave,

I will go down

to see whether

they have done

altogether

according to the outcry

that has come to me

and if not,

I will know.

So because of

Sodom and Gomorrah's sin,

wickedness,

God rains down fire

from heaven

and destroys

these two cities.

God uses violence

to show His judgment.

This is a repeated theme

throughout Scripture.

God's judgment

on Sodom and Gomorrah

and more specifically

on sin itself.

Another story

not so familiar.

Another way

that God uses violence.

Let's turn to 2 Kings

2 Kings 2 · chapter mention

chapter 2.

The reason

you're going to turn here

and I'm going to read it

is because it is not familiar.

I guarantee you

there's only a few people

in here that may

even know this story

because we joke about it.

I've been encouraged

to teach my kids

about this story.

In 2 Kings chapter 2.

2 Kings 2 · chapter mention

By the way,

I've been encouraged

by somebody

who doesn't have kids

to teach this story.

So,

verse 23.

2 Kings chapter 2

2 Kings 2:23

verse 23.

He,

being Elisha,

went up from there

to Bethel.

And while he was going

up on the way,

some small boys

came out of the city

and jeered at him

saying,

Go up you bald head!

Go up you bald head!

And he turned around

and when he saw them

he cursed them

in the name of the Lord.

And two she-bears

came out of the woods

and tore 42 of the boys.

From there,

he went on to Mount Carmel

and from there

he returned to Samaria.

Not very often

do I stand up here

and say this,

but what?

Really?

She-bears

come out of the woods

and tear up 42 boys

because they mocked Elisha.

God uses violence

to show

that God's hand

is on a specific person,

that God's power

is on a specific person.

He shows

Elijah

was the prophet

before Elisha.

And Elisha had power.

He's the one

who mocked

the priests

of the idol gods,

the gods of Baal.

He mocked them

and he had this great power.

But Elisha

was to replace Elisha.

And so God

using His power,

using Elisha

to curse

these boys,

showed His power

and showed that

this is my prophet,

this is my messenger.

He is mine.

So God uses violence

to show

His hand

on a specific person.

David

is another example

of this.

Turn to 2 Samuel.

2 Samuel,

and we're almost done

flipping through

Bible drill this morning.

But this is actually

kind of fun

if you ask me.

2 Samuel

2 Samuel 23 · chapter mention

chapter 23.

We have an account

of David's mighty men.

2 Samuel 23

2 Samuel 23:8

verse 8.

These are the names

of the mighty men

whom David had.

Hoseboshabeth.

I totally botched that,

but that's okay.

I tried really hard

this week.

And I'm not even going

to say this next word.

A

Tecumonite,

I guess I'll try.

He was chief

of the three.

He wielded

his spear

against 800

whom he killed

at one time.

That's pretty violent.

This guy killed

800 people,

800 guys,

800 soldiers

with one spear

at one time.

Look down

to

verse 10.

Eleazar.

And next to him,

verse 9,

among the three

mighty men

was Eleazar,

the son of Dodo,

son of Ahohi.

He was with David

when they defied

the Philistines

who were gathered

there for battle

and the men of Israel

withdrew.

He rose

and struck down

the Philistines

until his hand

was weary

and his hand

clung to the sword.

And the Lord

brought about

a great victory

that day

and the men

returned after him

only to strip

the slain.

Now you say,

well these are just

two guys.

The first guy

killed 800 with a spear.

Well that's pretty violent

if you ask me.

The second guy

fought

until there was

no strength left

in his body.

He could not

remove the sword

from his hand.

He had no strength

to move his fingers

from the grasp

of the sword.

But verse 10

tells us

that the Lord

brought about

a great victory

that day

they fought

for David.

They fought

for the Lord.

Proved that David

was God's man.

Showed that David

was God's

anointed king.

God's chosen king

and God's power

and might

was shown

through

some of these

violent circumstances.

New Testament.

John chapter 2.

John 2 · chapter mention

Another story

that is familiar

to you.

John chapter 2

John 2 · chapter mention

we have

an act of violence

from Jesus himself.

Jesus in the temple.

Jesus walks

into the temple

and he sees

that the temple

has been turned

into a marketplace.

People were buying

and selling

and bartering

and gambling

and all sorts of things

and Jesus goes

and he makes a whip

and he goes in

and he overturns tables.

He gets angry.

He has this righteous

anger towards

the people.

See,

Jesus

fought

with righteous

anger

for truth.

He fought

for righteousness

and he used

violence.

We're going to

end with Jesus.

Flip back

to Psalm

Psalms 22 · chapter mention

chapter 22.

God uses

violence

for so many

different things.

We could just

go on

and on

and on

with this

game this morning.

But I want

to end here.

That God

uses violence

to show

redemption.

To show

our

redemption.

And before

we go

any further

I want

to read

what Charles

Spurgeon

says about

this chapter.

I can't

say it

any better.

He says,

it is the

photograph

of our

Lord's

saddest

hours.

The record

of his

dying

words.

The

lachrymatory

of his

last

years.

The

memorial

of his

expiring

joys.

David

and his

afflictions

may be

here in

a very

modified

sense.

But as

the star

is concealed

by the

light of

the sun,

he who

sees Jesus

will probably

neither see

nor care to

see David.

Before us

we have a

description both

of the

darkness

and of the

glory of

the cross.

The

sufferings

of Christ

and the

glory which

shall follow.

O for

grace to

draw near

and see

this great

sight.

We should

read reverently

putting off

our shoes

from off

our feet

as Moses

did at the

burning bush

for if there

be holy

ground anywhere

in scripture

it is in

this song.

This is

where we

head.

As I

read

Psalm 22

listen to

the language

feel the

pain

and the

anguish

let the

numbness

towards

violence

be removed

we

approach

holy

ground

verse

one

my

God

my

God

why

have

you

forsaken

me

why

are

you

so

far

from

saving

me

from

the

words

of

my

groaning

oh

my

God

I

cry

by

day

but

you

do

not

answer

and

by

night

but

I

find

no

rest

yet

you

were

holy

enthroned

on the

praises

of

Israel

in

you

our

fathers

trusted

they

trusted

and

you

delivered

them

to

you

they

cried

and

were

rescued

in

you

they

trusted

and

were

not

put

to

shame

but

I

am

a

worm

and

not

a

man

scorned

by

mankind

and

despised

by

the

people

all

who

see

me

mock

me

they

make

mouths

at

me

they

wag

their

heads

he

trusts

in

the

Lord

let

him

deliver

him

let

him

rescue

him

for

he

delights

in

him

yet

you

are

he

who

took

me

from

the

womb

you

made

me

trust

you

at

my

mother's

breasts

on

you

was

I

cast

from

my

birth

and

from

my

mother's

womb

you

have

been

my

God

be

not

far

from

me

for

trouble

is

near

and

there

is

none

to

help

many

bulls

encompass

me

strong

bulls

of

Bashan

surround

me

they

open

wide

their

mouths

at

me

like

a

ravening

and

roaring

lion

I

am

poured

out

like

water

and

all

my

bones

are

out

of

joint

my

heart

is

like

wax

is

melted

within

my

breast

my

strength

is

dried

up

like

a

pot

shirt

!

me

in

the

dust

of

death

for

dogs

encompass

me

a

company

of

evildoers

encircles

me

they

have

pierced

my

hands

and

feet

I

can

count

all

my

bones

they

stare

and

gloat

over

me

they

divide

my

garments

among

them

and

for

my

clothing

they

cast

lots

but

you

oh

Lord

do

not

be

far

off

oh

you

my

help

come

quickly

to

my

aid

deliver

my

soul

from

the

sword

my

precious

life

from

the

power

of

the

dog

save

me

from

the

mouth

of

the

lion

you

have

rescued

me

from

the

horns

of

the

wild

oxen

I

will

tell

of

your

name

to

my

brothers

in

the

midst

of

the

congregations

I

will

praise

you

you

who

fear

the

Lord

praise

him

all

you

offspring

of

Jacob

glorify

him

and

stand

in

awe

of

him

all

you

or

aboard

the

affliction

of

the

afflicted

and

he

has

not

hidden

his

face

from

him

but

he

has

heard

when

he

cried

to

him

from

you

comes

my

praise

in

the

great

congregation

my

vows

I

will

perform

before

those

who

fear

him

the

afflicted

shall

eat

and

be

satisfied

those

who

seek

him

shall

praise

the

Lord

may

your

hearts

live

forever

!

Now because of

time

and because of

depth

of

what is

in this

chapter

I'm only

going to

look at

a few

verses

we're

going to

go through

verse 12

through 18

and as

I read

Spurgeon

say

sure

there may

be

David's

suffering

modified

in this

text

but when

the star

disappears

because of

the brightness

of the

sun

nobody

would read

this and

say

and look

to

David

they'll

look

to

Jesus

and see

Jesus

in this

text

so

let's

let's

go

verse 12

many bulls

encompass

me

strong

bulls

of

Bashan

surround

me

the

leaders

the

Jewish

leaders

the

religious

leaders

surround

him

in this

time

of

suffering

they

mock

him

in this

time

they

rule

guilty

judgment

with

their

eyes

hate

pours

from

them

their

eyes

scream

death

to

you

their

eyes

penetrate

and say

die

hopelessness

violent

hopelessness

here for

our

savior

verse 13

they

open wide

their mouths

at me

like a

ravening

and roaring

lion

mocking

hate

firing

from their

mouths

grenades

of insult

and fire

being launched

and thrown

at them

at him

like lions

waiting to

devour

to see

this to

the end

waiting

for that

moment

starving

and hungry

lions

waiting

to devour

his

flesh

their

hate

devours

every

bit

of life

violence

from their

mouths

violence

in their

being

there

verse

14

I am

poured

out

like

water

and all

my bones

are out

of joint

my heart

is like

wax

it is

melted

within

my breast

brokenness

and pain

he is

utterly

spent

he is

like water

being poured

out onto

the earth

onto the

dry earth

like a

fountain

of tears

his heart

no longer

has

firmness

this

act

of being

nailed

and hung

on a

cross

the

jarring

of placing

the cross

in the

ground

could have

been

enough

just to

dislocate

his

bones

violent

violent

death

he is

in

excessive

debility

he is

in

intense

pain

when it

talks about

heart

here

he is

not

talking

about

the

organ

that

beats

blood

he is

talking

about

who

and

what

makes

him

who

he

is

his

inmost

life

feels

like

wax

melted

by

fire

he is

melting

away

under

such

suffering

and

violence

this

is

violent

Spurgeon

says

the fire

of almighty

wrath

would have

consumed

our souls

forever

in hell

it was

no light

work

to bear

as a

substitute

the heart

of an

anger

so

justly

terrible

Jesus

endured

this

suffered

this

his

heart

melting

away

what

heart

can

endure

when

God

deals

with

them

in

his

wrath

no

heart

can

endure

verse

15

my

strength

is

dried

up

like

a

pot

shirt

and

my

tongue

sticks

to

my

jaws

you

lay

me

in

the

dust

of

death

our

Lord

is

done

he

can

take

no

more

he

is

complete

debility

the

picture

here

is

portrayed

as

a

piece

of

clay

a

piece

of

pottery

that

has

been

cooked

and

baked

in

fire

or

under

the

sun

until

no

moisture

exists

in

it

completely

and

utterly

dried

up

completely

fired

our

suffering

servant

thirst

and

fever

fastened

his

tongue

to

his

jaw

there's

no

moisture

that

exists

a

dryness

like

nothing

we have

experienced

so

tormented

!

part

of

his

body

has

escaped

the

agony

of

our

redemption

The

tongue

has

clinged

itself

to

the

jaw

he

wrestles

no

more

with

death

he

says

lay

me

in

the

dust

of

death

it's

a

humiliation

for

the

son

of

God

this

is

our

savior

verse

16

for

dogs

encompass

me

a

company

of

evildoers

encircle

me

they

have

pierced

my

hands

and

my

feet

like

hungry

ravenous

unclean

dogs

howling

around

a

potential

meal

people

surround

our

Lord

you

go

hunting

you

hunt

with

dogs

the

dogs

surround

whatever

it's

hunting

this

is

birds

sometimes

you

go

with

a

lot

of

dogs

hunting

birds

and

they

surround

so

if

it's

a

deer

they

surround

the

deer

and

they

close

in

slowly

this

picture

here

is

of

men

closing

in

waiting

for

this

and

instead

of

a

deer

in

the

center

it's

a

fainting

bleeding

man

men

who

have

waiting

for

his

doom

waiting

for

this

to

be

over

this

is

one

of

those

examples

one

of

these

verses

here

there

is

no

way

this

is

talking

about

David

no

way

verse

17

I

can

count

all

my

bones

they

stare

and

gloat

over

me

so

empty

from

his

fasting

and

his

suffering

that

says

he

could

see

his

bones

and

he

could

count

the

bones

now

his

his

stature

on the

cross

could

very

well

cause

his

bones

all

to

protrude

and

he

could

count

them

and

see

them

the

people

glared

at

him

and

glared

at

his

nakedness

and

saw

him

so

our

savior

is

enduring

shame

now

as