A transcript from
Let’s Talk About the Bible
FAITH and Military Service
by Ed Burson
Before I begin my subject this evening, I would like to sort of add a disclaimer.
We have been talking about the vital subject of Faith for some weeks now.
Tonight’s subject is one of the Natural Capstones to the subject of faith.
The Church of God worldwide ministries is a very young organization, and no official position on this subject has yet been established by the Church.
So please do not assume that the opinions expressed on tonight’s program, in anyway represent the official stance of the Church-or Any Church — on Military Service.
Apparently, some of the things said on this program have already met with stiff disapproval.
I apologize for this!
Please understand, if there is any vociferous disagreements, with what is said, PLEASE REMEMBER to aim them at me.
I’m becoming used to it!
Having said this, my talk this evening is the result of decades of intensive study and massive research into the subject of Faith and the Military!
It represents the truth of God.
I can prove every point I make this evening, from a dozen different directions and never use the same scripture twice.
The biblical proof is absolutely overwhelming! I have never had to discard so much solid material while preparing a message in my life.
I realize the subject of faith is a delicate one, regardless of the direction from which you address it.
But it the very foundation of Christianity!
It is crucial!
And Jesus expressed serious doubts about its very existence in our day!
Brethren, do you really understand what is that God expects of you as a member of His Church? Or, have you become prey to DECEPTION created by carnal, faithless men, who do not know the Spirit of Christ at all?
Do you realize how incredibly vast the difference is between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant?
We’ve talked a lot about these differences in the last few months.
You have read what Jesus was like, when He was on earth. You know that every word He spoke is the truth and that He is “the same yesterday to day and forever (Hebrews 13:8).”
You know that God expects His Church to obey His commands.
Still, error and deception are always trying to creep into the Church of God. We must continually be on guard against DECEPTION.
Do you realize that even today, if our nation were to begin to obey just a few the main precepts of the Law of Moses, God would begin to bestow the blessings of the Old Covenant upon them?
God is faithful!
But our nation DESPISES God’s Commandments today!
America has passed laws baring the Ten Commandments from public schools, fearing they will corrupt our young — while the ABOMINATION of homosexuality is taught as a respectable alternative lifestyle in our schools.
In America today, those who dare condemn this “alternate lifestyle” are considered far more evil than those who practice it!
Even the heinous sin of bestiality is regularly alluded to and joked about, during prime-time TV!
This type of unmentionable evil is acceptable fodder for our children’s innocent minds, but the Ten Commandments could injure their delicate psyche!
Where is the public outcry of righteous indignation, for these vile, disgusting, abominations or for the MILLIONS of helpless babies, whose lives are being snuffed out for AMERICA’S SEXUAL CONVENIENCE?
The sins of Sodom are PALING to insignificance today, beside those of modern day America and Britain.
But where do you stand?
God says not to enter, “into the path of the wicked, and to GO NOT in the way of evil men (Proverbs 4:14).”
And Exodus 23:2 is VERY clear, “Thou shalt NOT follow a multitude to do evil…”
John even warns us about the ministry of God’s own Church, saying of Diotrephes, “Beloved, FOLLOW NOT THAT WHICH IS EVIL, but that which is good…(3 John 11).”
In Daniel 4:17, we read, “THE MOST HIGH ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.”
God builds up kingdoms and empires and He also breaks them in pieces, for their pride and for their sins against His PERFECT Law of Liberty!
He brings famine and war — even captivity and total displacement of population, upon nations, according to their sins and as it pleases Him, and HE ALONE can deliver that nation from His own Judgments.
EVERY man, woman and child in United States of America could join the Armed Forces and still, the judgments of God would fall — exactly as He has promised or prophesied!
All of our resistance would have no effect, whatsoever!
Because of the HORRENDOUS nature of our sins, the judgments of Almighty God are about to descend over our land like a BLACK, DARK SHROUD — settling down and smothering out every remaining vestige of light!
This is EVERYWHERE prophesied in Your Bible and it is CERTAIN!
The people of the United States and the now defunct, British Commonwealth of nations are under a DIVINE CURSE today!
This grotesque, terrifying curse was first pronounced upon our people thousands of years ago, by Almighty God and the ONLY THING that will stop it is a heartfelt NATIONAL repentance.
Ezekiel 7 is one of the hundreds of places this curse is mentioned in your Bible!
Verses 8-9, “Now will I shortly pour out my fury upon thee, and accomplish mine anger upon thee: and I will judge thee according to thy ways, and will recompense thee for all thine abominations. And mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: I will recompense thee according to thy ways and thine abominations that are in the midst of thee; and ye shall know that I am the LORD that smiteth.”
Down in verses 23-24, “Make a chain: for the land is full of bloody crimes, and the city is full of violence. Wherefore I will bring the WORST of the heathen, and they shall possess their houses: I will also make the pomp of the strong to cease; and their holy places shall be defiled.”
The Church of God has always understood that this is a prophecy of God’s righteous judgment on our people in the last days, because of their Atrocious Sins!
So again, where do you stand?
Do you stand FOR or AGAINST, the righteous judgments of God?
This isn’t a rhetorical question. You need to understand who you are what God expects of you, regarding this issue of service in the military of a worldly government.
God has given you a SPIRITUAL SWORD — His Holy Word.
He called you to wield this SPIRITUAL weapon in a Spiritual war against sin.
WHAT IF (People are always using these what if questions on me, so I’ll turn it around a little).
What If, you haven’t the stomach, for this SPIRITUAL WAR and instead of taking up God’s SPIRITUAL SWORD and jumping into the fray, you choose take up a PHYSICAL SWORD and begin to SLAUGHTER those that He has sent to PUNISH and CORRECT His enemies?
Will you dessert your post, in the army of God, to run off and join the army of His enemies, if so you will be found fighting on the side of evil, AGAINST God?
If you are the average church member, for years now, you have demonstrated that you haven’t the courage, to stand up in church and tell your brother when he is sinning, thereby helping to clean up the Church of God, and keep it clean, so that God will walk among us again!
You haven’t shown the courage to stand up before God and tell your Minister, when he is teaching you lies, that he DEFILING THE PULPIT OF GOD!
You haven’t the courage to stand up against your neighbors in your sinful city and, “Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people Their Transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins (Isaiah 58:1).
No?
When homosexuals began to call themselves GAY — defiling a perfectly nice word — you also began to call them GAY, so as to be politically correct and not to offend those in Satan’s world!
This is a little thing.
Or is it?
You knew better.
What does Isaiah say again, “Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people THEIR TRANSGRESSION and the house of Jacob their sins.”
These poor people are NOT GAY!
There is nothing GAY about them!
They are miserable, unhappy people, with sad, miserable lives!
Who will tell them WHY they are suffering so, If NOT the people that God has called to tell them?
You should worry a lot less about offending evil and worry a lot more about offending Jesus Christ!
Jehoshaphat was King of Judah.
2nd Chronicles 17:3, “And the LORD was WITH Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not unto Baalim; But sought to the LORD God of his father, and walked In His Commandments, and NOT after the doings of Israel.”
Back in verses 9-10, “And they taught in Judah, and had the BOOK OF THE LAW OF THE LORD with them, and went about throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught the people. And the fear of the LORD fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Judah, so that they made NO WAR against Jehoshaphat.
But over in Chapter 18:1, we read, “Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance, and JOINED AFFINITY WITH AHAB.
BAD MOVE!
There is an incredible story here that I don’t have time to talk about this evening. For Jehoram, his eldest son, married Athaliah, Ahab’s daughter, 2nd Chronicles 21:6 2.
We read a character reference of Ahab’s in 1st Kings 21:24-25, “…But there was none like unto Ahab, which did SELL HIMSELF TO WORK WICKEDNESS in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.”
In 2nd Chronicles 18:3, “…Ahab king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Wilt thou go with me to Ramothgilead? And he answered him, I am as thou art, and my people as thy people; and WE WILL BE WITH THEE IN THE WAR.”
Now notice what God thought of this 2nd Chronicles19:2, “Then JEHU the son of Hanani the prophet, told Jehoshaphat, in, “Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and LOVE THEM THAT HATE THE LORD? Therefore is WRATH UPON THEE from before the lord.”
Burn this into your mind!
This is a very clear record of how God feels about those who JOIN THEMSELVES to the unrighteous!
Haven’t you ever considered that when you defend the unrighteous, you are SUPPORTING THEIR EVIL and DEFENDING their RIGHT to continue practicing that evil, even to continue spreading that evil and imposing it upon others?
When Israel was trapped against the red sea and saw Pharaoh coming they were frightened and began to complain, “Didn’t we tell you in Egypt to “Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it’s better to serve the Egyptians, than to die in the wilderness.”
But Moses said, “Fear ye not, STAND STILL, AND SEE THE SALVATION OF THE LORD, which he will shew to you today: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen today, ye shall see them again no more FOR EVER. The Lord Shall Fight For You, And Ye Shall Hold Your Peace (Exodus 14:9-14).”
And in Exodus 23:20-23, “Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared .... IF thou shalt INDEED OBEY his voice, AND DO all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries...and I WILL CUT THEM OFF.”
God demonstrated his intention and willingness, time and again, through INCREDIBLE miracles, to provide for them and to FIGHT THEIR BATTLES FOR THEM.
But this was a CONDITIONAL PROMISE!
“IF thou shalt INDEED OBEY his voice, AND DO all that I speak.”
Immediately after this incredible miracle of the parting of the Red Sea, they traveled three days in the wilderness, and came to Marah, where the water was bitter, “… And the PEOPLE MURMURED AGAINST MOSES, saying, what shall we drink (Exodus 15:22-25)?”
So God showed Moses a tree, which made the water sweet.
Then they journeyed to Elim.
Exodus 16:1-3, “…And the whole congregation of the children of Israel Murmured Against Moses And Aaron in the wilderness: And the children of Israel said unto them, would to god we had died by the hand of the lord in the LAND of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to KILL THIS WHOLE ASSEMBLY WITH HUNGER.”
God's way of life requires CONTINUAL, DAILY DEMONSTRATIONS of FAITH — TRUSTING Him to DO what He has promised to do.
So, in Exodus 16:4, God promised to send them bread from heaven.
In verse 19, He told them to gather only enough to eat and leave none of it until morning.
In Verse 20, “Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank: and Moses was WROTH with them.”
In verses 25-26, Moses told them not to go out to gather manna on the Sabbath.
In verses 27-28, “And it came to pass, that there Went Out some of the people on the SEVENTH DAY FOR TO GATHER, and they found none. (This Time) THE LORD said unto Moses, HOW LONG REFUSE YE to KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS and MY LAWS?”
God was not happy at this point!
Next they pitched in Rephidim: and there was NO WATER for the people to drink, “and the people MURMURED AGAINST MOSES, and said, wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to KILL US and OUR CHILDREN and OUR CATTLE with thirst(Exodus 17:1-3)?”
Verse 4, “And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, What shall I do unto this people? THEY BE ALMOST READY TO STONE ME.”
Verse 7, “And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the LORD, saying, IS THE LORD AMONG US, OR NOT?
In spite of all of these unbelievable miracles, these poor faithless people REPEATEDLY refused to trust God!
They grumbled and whined and murmured, to WHERE Moses was beginning to fear for his life!
Because of their lack of faith, God’s patience was wearing thin. He finally became so fed up with them that He left them all dead in the wilderness!
If you have been led to believe that God’s patience can’t wear thin, you’re your lack of faith, you should study these scriptures carefully.
These people did not have God’s Holy Spirit.
At least THAT was an excuse, but they STILL died in the wilderness!
Where is your excuse?
THIS INCIDENT WAS THE TURNING POINT.
God was fed up!
And just then — just at that moment in time — COINCIDENTLY — Amalek showed up to wage war on the Children of Israel.
Do you suppose God had seen this coming?
This time God ALLOWED these faithless people to experience the fruit of their faithlessness.
A little later, in Exodus 33:2, God told Moses, “And I will send an angel before thee;…”
And in verse 3, “…I will not go up in the midst of thee; for thou art a stiffnecked people: LEST I CONSUME THEE IN THE WAY.”
At this point THEIR LACK OF FAITH became an EVIL HEART OF UNBELIEF!
Romans 14:23 says, “…for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.”
When men are determined to sin, God does not physically prevent it. He allows them to SIN, and experience the fruit of their sin.
And Moses, also at the end of his patience, said to Joshua, “Choose us out men, and go out, FIGHT with Amalek” (Exodus 17:9).
But none of this was necessary or what God wanted.
Israel was determined NOT to trust God.
So, God allowed them to experience the misery of war.
God says in Romans 1:28, “… they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, so God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;”
God allowed Israel to wage war, for the same reason he allowed Moses to write Israel a bill of divorcement — because of the HARDNESS OF THEIR HEARTS!
The Sinai Covenant itself was sound, but it did not take into account the faithless condition of the people.
“For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached, DID NOT profit them, NOT being mixed with faith in them that heard it (Hebrews 4:2).”
Without the faith, provided by God’s Holy Spirit, they were simply NOT ABLE to trust god to deliver them, from their enemies.
Those who mistakenly use Israel’s lack of faith to justify the Church of God serving in the military simply do not understand difference between the Covenants!
We are not bound by Moses’ physical interpretation of God’s Laws!
We covered this truth, in some detail, a few weeks back. A transcript of that program is available, upon request.
For their physical obedience, Israel was offered only physical blessings — and lasting ONLY during this lifetime.
The Church is offered an unimaginable position of power and wealth and eternal life to enjoy it!
Before He entrusts us with the responsibility of teaching others how to love and trust Him for eternity, He must first know that we LOVE HIM and TRUST HIM.
What is so hard to understand about this?
YOU know in your hearts that God is not working in the Church today as He promised to do, but YOU are not willing to accept ANY of the responsibility, for this distressing fact.
Have you considered, even for a moment, that you PERSONALLY, could be partially responsible, for the absence of the power of God, in the church today?
Are you satisfied to continue justifying yourself in the comfort of your own mind — and not receiving answers to your prayers?
Or, will you begin looking for ways to justify God and ways to justify His Word?
Have you accepted the faithless lie that God JUST works differently today?
Or, “He won’t protect our country today, like he protected Israel.”
Or, “We have to fight to save our freedom today.”
Or, “He expects to defend ourselves today.”
Do you really believe this or does trying to believe it NAG at your conscience?
Or, “Yea but, what would you do if you came home and someone was raping you wife or daughter?”
Or, “Where would we be today if we had just trusted God in WWII?”
You, who ask all of these WHAT IF questions, did you ever stop and look at your own questions?
First, have you read 1 Corinthians 10:13, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but GOD IS FAITHFUL, who will Not Suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation ALSO make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it?”
That is a promise from Almighty God!
Here’s a “what if” question for you.
WHAT IF God is telling the truth here?
But you do not believe Him!
You are afraid that he is a liar, or that he has played some cute little Lawyer Trick on you, by hiding some obscure scripture back in the Psalms somewhere, So That He will be able to WEASEL out of His Word!
Where WOULD we be today if we had just trusted God in WWII?
Would you look at the utter stupidity of that question?
Yes, where would we be if we had TRUSTED God?
I’LL LET YOU ANSWER THAT ONE!
If you are still troubled by these attempts to justify the lack of Faith in the Church today — that’s a good sign — it means there is still hope for you.
It means that God is still there, working with you!
Far too many people have given up and become completely comfortable with these lies. I’m afraid God is No Longer working with them! Oh, they still know DOWN deep inside that they have COMPROMISED with the truth of Christ!
That’s why they become defensive and angry, when you point this out to them.
GOD HAS CAST THEM OFF!
They have rejected Him and He has concluded them again in unbelief — just as He did ancient Israel!
I know that many of you do not want to hear this, but I can’t help it! You know in your heart that these poor people no longer love the truth!
They had the truth, but they just couldn’t bear the RESPONSIBILITY of the faith that comes with truth!
So They COMPROMISED with the truth and EMBRACED A LIE!
They are now comfortable in their deception!
They have sold out, and they do NOT want to be reminded of that fact!
When you begin to show them their lack of faith, they become uncomfortable, then ANGRY, and THEN they begin to look for ways to get YOU out of their church!
Well, MILITARY SERVICE — defending yourself with violence — and this includes the Martial Arts — does NOT represent the fruits of the spirit of god!
Church members today, are actually sending their children to be instructed in the martial arts — and believing they are doing a good thing — not realizing the GREAT EVIL, there.
Violence is not the only evil in the Martial Arts! The greatest evil is all of the subtle, and often not so subtle, influence of the Eastern religions, in this satanic garbage!
Your children will spend the rest of their lives, attempting to reconcile the subtle lies they learn in these courses, to the simple truth of the Word of God!
The time has come to for you WAKE UP!
This eastern violence was created by beings, with the VERY NATURE OF SATAN THE DEVIL!
Anger, hate, killing and mayhem, have NO PART in the teaching of Jesus Christ, and neither do the Easter philosophies, so how can they ever have a part in the teaching of His Church?
Those who love these things do not love the Spirit of God!
Many of you will GREATLY resist this truth, but today, carnal, faithless people, represent a MAJORITY of the membership, of the Church of God!
You should already know this. EVERY word of this was prophesied thousands of years ago in your Bible.
I expect to cover the prophecies relating to the end-time Church of God in the near future.
As we have said before, god is drawing a line in the sand today. Each one of you will stand on one side of this line or the other.
If you intend to follow the Law of God, as Moses MODIFIED it, to fit the faithless, carnal nature of ancient Israel — then FOLLOW MOSES, but STOP claiming that you are following Christ, because you are NOT!
If you claim to be following Christ, then follow the teachings of Christ!
As Paul told Timothy, “…Let every one that nameth the name of Christ DEPART FROM INIQUITY (2 Timothy 2:19).”
You cannot have it both ways!
A carnal mind cannot understand faith! It simply CANNOT subject itself, to the requirements of faith.
So, if you CAN’T understand these things — if you cannot bring yourself to trust God, it is because your mind is still carnal — or mostly carnal!
You who believe that God wants you to fight and kill your fellow man ARE CARNAL — FACE IT — ACCEPT THIS FACT and then go to god in prayer, pleading for His help you understand the truth.
NOW, when a converted Christian obeys a civil government, in DIRECT DEFIANCE of the MANY straightforward commands of the Holy Spirit, he is IN OPEN REBELLION against God!
You can’t argue this!
You can’t soften it!
God’s Holy Spirit WILL NOT follow you into WAR!
That Spirit will leave you and you needn’t expect IT to rejoin you, IF and WHEN you return from war.
You have DENIED YOU SAVIOR!
You have REJECTED your first obligation, which is to your CITIZENSHIP IN HEAVEN!
You have REJECTED God’s government over you and you have REJOINED the governments of this world!
You have rejected your reward, in the first resurrection, in order to defend a WORLDLY NATION, from the RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT OF GOD!
God has always used wars to punish and correct our people. He will once more use Assyria to punish us for our sins!
Yes, God allowed faithless Israel to choose the way of war. But even then, God gave them definite Laws regulating their conduct in war. These rules are found in Deuteronomy 20.
Does our nation conduct war by any of these rules today?
I won’t have time to cover this very important Chapter tonight.
It is worthy of several sermons, all by itself.
I will ask you to read it and ask yourself if the military will allow ANYONE to obey God, by obeying these rules of war today.
Remember King Asa? He was Jehoshaphat’s father. He was a very good king, as kings go. He broke down the idols in Judah. He renewed the altar of the LORD. Under him, Israel entered into a covenant to seek the LORD God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul;
In 2nd Chronicles 15:16-17, we read, that Asa even “removed his mother from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove: and Asa cut down her idol, and STAMPED IT, and burnt it at the brook Kidron.”
He started out good and got better and better, until, in 2nd Chronicles 16:1-4, Asa stopped relying on God to deliver Judah from their enemies and formed an alliance with Benhadad king of Syria.
At that point — HANANI the prophet said to Asa, BECAUSE THOU HAST RELIED ON THE KING OF SYRIA and NOT RELIED on the Lord thy god, THEREFORE is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand. Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubims a huge host, with very many chariots and horsemen (They had previously brought a million-man army and 300 chariots against Israel)”
“Yet, BECAUSE THOU DIDST RELY ON THE Lord, He delivered them into thine hand. For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself STRONG in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him. Herein THOU HAST DONE FOOLISHLY, THEREFORE from henceforth thou SHALT have WARS (2nd Chronicles 16:7-9).
These promised wars were a PUNISHMENT FOR ASA’S LACK OF FAITH!
Time forces me to skip one of the incredible stories of Asa's son, Jehoshaphat.
Very briefly, in verse 14 of 2nd Chronicles 20, Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, said, “Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: SET YOURSELVES, STAND YE STILL, AND SEE THE SALVATION OF THE LORD ...”
Jehoshaphat sent singers out before the army, to praise God and GOD CAUSED the THREE invading armies to turn and slaughter one another, leaving great wealth in the camp and none escaped.
Then there’s the story of Hezekiah, in 2 Chronicles 32:22, where God sent an angel to SLAY all of leaders of the army of Sennacherib king of Assyria, so that he returned with “shame of face” to his own land and was THERE murdered, by his own children.
Yet, after all of this, someone will come up with one of them “Yea but” questions.
“Yea but, God SENT Old Covenant Israel into war on many occasions. What about that?”
The answer to this question is, LOOK AT YOUR OWN QUESTION!
First, it was Old Covenant Israel — NOT the New Testament CHURCH of God!
Second, GOD sent!
GOD SENT a faithless nation, who was making an honest effort to keep His physical Law (something that cannot be said of our people today) — He sent these people on a definite mission and with a definite objective and under a DIRECT Command from Him!
When Israel defied God and went to war, on their own, or when they were sinning, they were UTTERLY DEFEATED by their enemies!
Now let’s briefly look at the First Chapter of Numbers.
The LORD spake unto Moses…Take ye the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, after their families…every male by their polls; From twenty years old and upward, ALL THAT ARE ABLE TO GO FORTH TO WAR in Israel: thou and Aaron shall number them By Their Armies.
This is found in Numbers 1:1-3.
Then, beginning in verse 17, with Reuben, the eldest son of Israel, God lists the number of qualified males from each tribe — ending each time, with the phrase “ALL THAT WERE ABLE TO GO FORTH TO WAR;”
Now on down in verse 49, “Only thou shalt NOT number the tribe of Levi, neither take the SUM OF THEM among the children of Israel:
The Israelites were being numbered for war!
But the tribe of Levi was not To Be numbered for war!
They were NOT NUMBERED AMONG THOSE WHO WERE TO DEFEND THE NATION OF ISRAEL, in the military.
They were separated from their brethren by God Himself and appointed to serve God directly, to DEFEND His Law, and to serve the Tabernacle of the congregation.
In verse 50, we see that the Levites were to camp within the inner circle, between the tabernacle and the rest of the tribes.
While in Numbers 2:2, we read, “Every MAN of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard, with the ensign of their father’s house: FAR OFF about the tabernacle of the congregation…”
The service of the Priesthood was far more vital, to the defense of the nation, than that of any army or any number of armies! The Priesthood was appointed to wage a different, higher kind of war — a war which continues, even in peacetime. They were called to totally devote themselves to the service of the holy things of the sanctuary!
Therefore, they were NOT ALLOWED to entangle themselves, in the blood and human carnage of war. This would have defiled them and made them UNCLEAN!
And no unclean thing could approach unto the altar of God!
Today, you cannot even go before God if you know your brother has something against you. (See Matthew 5:23-24)
If you do, God will NOT hear you!
The Levites were Set Apart to defend the nation by defending the truth of God and thereby maintain a clean camp in Israel, where God would be pleased to walk.
It is in this way that God would grant Israel peace throughout their land.
We read in Deuteronomy 23:14, “For the LORD thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp, to deliver thee, and to give up thine enemies before thee; therefore shall thy camp be holy: that he see no unclean thing in thee, and turn away from thee.”
They that minister of holy things MUST keep the unclean thing OUT of the camp of Israel and they MUST NEVER DEFILE THEMSELVES with the blood and carnage of war or any carnal things!
They must be holy or they can NEVER teach others to become holy!
How hard is this to understand?
In 2nd Corinthians 10:3, Paul says, “For though we WALK in the flesh, we DO NOT WAR after the flesh:”
Even the carnal world has recognized this obligation of the priesthood and customarily excused them from military service
Quoting from JFB, “the Levites were consecrated to the priestly office, which in ALL COUNTRIES has been exempted customarily, and in ISRAEL by the EXPRESS AUTHORITY OF GOD, from MILITARY SERVICE.”
We have clearly established in past programs that the Church of God is the continuation of the Melchizedec Priesthood and therefore holds a far higher spiritual office — with direct access , at ALL TIMES, to the spiritual Holy of Holies — the throne of Almighty God in heaven!
The High Priest of the Levitical Priesthood could only enter the PHYSICAL Holy of Holies once a year, on the Day of Atonement!
The Church of God is the priesthood of the rest of mankind!
1 Peter 2:9, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:”
That Priesthood is Holy!
It has instant and direct access to the very throne of God in Heaven!
It MUST keep itself Holy!
It must never defile itself with the carnage or hateredf of war!
We are AMBASSADORS for JESUS CHRIST of NAZARETH (2 Corinthians 5:20).
We are REPRESENTATIVES of the Kingdom of God, and representatives of its HOLY KING!
For ANY AMBASSADOR to join the army of their host country would be HIGH TREASON — punishable by UTTER HUMILIATION and DEATH!
We read in Philippians 3:20, “For OUR CITIZENSHIP IS IN HEAVEN, from which we also EAGERLY wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
Our first responsibility is to that citizen ship.
In Romans 12:19-21, Paul said, “Dearly beloved, avenge NOT yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, VENGEANCE IS MINE; I will repay, saith the Lord.” Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. be not overcome of evil, but OVERCOME EVIL WITH GOOD.”
In Acts 5:29, Peter and the other apostles said, “We ought to OBEY GOD RATHER THAN MEN.”
How has our Heavenly King commanded us to conduct ourselves among these worldly kingdoms?
In John 18:36, “Jesus answered, my kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, THEN WOULD MY SERVANTS FIGHT, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
Luke 3:14, “And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, DO VIOLENCE TO NO MAN, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.
I Peter 2:21-23, “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth. who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but COMMITTED HIMSELF TO HIM THAT JUDGETH RIGHTEOUSLY:”
Jesus told James and John in Luke 9:54-56, “ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of for the Son of man is NOT COME TO DESTROY MEN’S LIVES, BUT TO SAVE THEM.”
Does this apply in the Church today?
1 John 3:15, “Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that NO MURDERER HATH ETERNAL LIFE ABIDING IN HIM.
The military teaches you to hate your enemy.
You must hate your enemy to kill your enemy.
If you allow hate and anger into your heart, you are harboring the SPIRIT OF MURDER!
When you swear allegiance to the Military, they OWN YOU.
You become their slave.
They tell you what to do.
They do not recognize, or allow you to recognize, the SUPREMACY of the Ten Commandments.
Their laws and THEIR RULES take precedence, over the Laws of God.
You KILL, at their command.
You mop the floor, during God’s holy Sabbath day, at their command.
But you see, YOU ALREADY BELONG to someone else!
1st Corinthians 7:23 says, “Ye are bought with a price; BE NOT YE THE SERVANTS OF MEN.”
And in 1st Corinthians 6:19-20, “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost Which Is In You, which YE HAVE OF GOD, and Ye ARE NOT YOUR OWN? For ye are BOUGHT WITH A PRICE: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, WHICH ARE GOD’S.”
2nd Corinthians 6:14 says, “Be ye NOT UNEQUALLY YOKED together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for YE ARE THE TEMPLE OF THE LIVING GOD; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17 Wherefore COME OUT FROM AMONG THEM, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and TOUCH NOT THE UNCLEAN THING; AND I WILL RECEIVE YOU,
How can you reconcile this with the savage violence of war?
You, as a Christian must refuse to allow your conscience toward God, to be at the beck and call, of BELLIGERENT, worldly governments, who WILL NOT obey God!
You cannot place the Holy Spirit of the Eternal God, at the whims of some carnal, foul mouthed sergeant in the military services of this world!
No, YOU must decide, to which government you will give you first allegiance!
Those who serve Christ must serve Him, AS He has commanded them.
Those who wish to serve the nations of this world are free to do so.
But they should STOP LYING — STOP CLAIMING that they are serving Christ, when In reality they are REJECTING THE direct COMMANDS OF JESUS CHRIST and serving the whims of men, who have themselves wholeheartedly rejected Christ!
Are you still determined to support military service, even after the things I have said here this evening?
If so, m ay GOD help you to understand His Truth!
As we have said before, GOD IS DRAWING A LINE IN THE SAND TODAY.
The truth about military service and war is a great part of the truth that will form that line!
Each one of you must choose to stand on one side of this line or the other.
On one side of this line stands the true Church of God!
On the other side, will stand all of those END-TIME DECEIVERS and FALSE PROPHETS and FALSE TEACHERS and FALSE CHRISTIANS — that Jesus told us would fill His Church in the last days!
True to His words, MANY have come, saying that Jesus is the Christ and are deceiving the many — even in the Church of God!
If all of these things do not give you pause for thought, then you are very new, or you are not in God’s Church at all!
You believe you can PROTECT yourself and your family!
You believe you can DISMISS the direct commands of your Creator, with a wave of your hand, so have at it!
Frankly, for my part, if you have been around here for very many years, and are stubbornly determined to cling to this satanic deception, of going to war and hacking up your fellow man, then until you repent of this evil heart of unbelief, you are NOT WELCOME in God’s Church!
When you leave God’s Church — God’s Church will have one less spot or wrinkle — and one less reason for God to AVOID walking among us!
The Church will go on and finish the work God has given it to do, without you — without your tithe — without your prayers and without your support!
You are NOT actually in God’s Church anyway!
You can claim whatever you want!
You can call yourself an apple, but that does not make you an apple.
All it makes you is a liar!
GOD — DOES — NOT — NEED — YOU!
YOU NEED GOD!
But you have FORGOTTEN that simple fact!
You don’t have any idea of who or what you are — or what you were called to do, or to become.
You have been DECEIVED by carnal, faithless men, who do not know Christ at all!
Yet, for all of this, there is still 2nd Chronicles, 7:14, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall HUMBLE THEMSELVES, and PRAY, and SEEK MY FACE, and TURN FROM THEIR WICKED WAYS; then will I HEAR FROM HEAVEN, and will FORGIVE THEIR SIN, and will heal their land.”
This is what God wants you to do!
It is what I pray THAT you will do.
It is what you DESPERATELY need you do, or you will not be in the first resurrection!
Understand this; the Spirit of Jesus Christ is against the Spirit of WAR IN EVERY FORM!
He HATES WAR and soon He will make an end of war, for all time!
He hates ENVY AND MALICE AND WORLDLY, NATIONALISTIC PRIDE!
You Have Vowed, BEFORE ALMIGHTY GOD, To Support His Government, On Pain Of ETERNAL DEATH!
How can you SWEAR AN OATH OF UNQUESTIONED ALLEGIANCE to any other government, in this universe?
THE VERY THOUGHT of it IS LUNACY!
May God Help you to understand this truth!