To Teach Them War

Knowing Our Enemies: Satan (13) In 2003 the U.S. Defense Department created a special deck of “Iraqi Most Wanted” playing cards. Each of the 52 cards gave a profile, in order of rank, of the henchmen of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. Saddam was the Ace of Spades and the top card in the deck. […]

Knowing War’s Origin: Within Us (12) Are you a born-again believer? And if you have been regenerated (born again), how can you tell? An Important Question These are important questions, first of all, because of what regeneration is. Regeneration (and now we are using the term in what Reformed theologians have historically called “the narrower […]

In God’s Declaration of War (11) Whereas the Imperial Government of Japan has committed unprovoked acts of war against the Government and the people of the United States of America: Therefore be it resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, that the state of war […]

Knowing War’s Origin: In Man’s Fall (10) “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?” Jeremiah 17:9 Sometimes the biology teacher places a dead animal’s organ on the lab table for dissection, and some students squirm and gasp. Or the doctor pulls up an image on the screen showing […]

Knowing War’s Origin: In Man’s Fall (9) The Doctrine of Original Sin  In this series on spiritual warfare we proceed methodically, and deliberately so. Before we come to specific details like swords, shields, breastplates, fiery darts, enemies, battlegrounds, and crowns of victory, we need an understanding of some basic doctrines. Fundamental to the idea of […]

Knowing War’s Origin: In Man’s Fall (8)  The Universality of War against God The universality of sin (and death, for that matter) is undeniable. Wherever man is, moral evil abounds. The Bible declares it (I Kings 8:46; Ps. 14:1-3; Prov. 20:9; Eccl. 7:20; Rom. 3:1-20; Gal. 3:22; I John 1:8, 10). Experience confirms it. Even […]

Knowing War’s Origin: In Man’s Fall (7) The Fall “And he did eat.” “…she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat,” (Gen. 3:6). “And he did eat.” With that very brief and unadorned statement, the Bible recounts a literal, historical, creation-changing event. […]

Knowing War’s Origin: In the Angelic Realm (6)  What a lovely world of beauty and perfect peace God made in the beginning! All creatures in the heavens above and earth beneath were fully consecrated to God’s glory. “Good,” declared God, beholding all He had made, “very good.” The divinely inspired narrative of literal history in […]

Knowing War’s Origin: In God (5) Jehovah is a Man of war (Ex. 15:3). His right hand dashes in pieces the enemy (Ex. 15:6). Jehovah has sworn that He will have war with Amalek from generation to generation (Ex. 17:16). Jehovah bends His bow like an enemy, and stands with His right hand as an […]

Knowing War’s Origin: In God (4) By way of introduction in this series, we have, first, sounded the bugle-call to battle. Second, we have proved the necessity of viewing the Christian life as one of warfare. Third, we have defined the holy war in which we are engaged. We proceed now to our first main […]