2 Chronicles 11

“Now when Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he assembled from the house of Judah and Benjamin one hundred and eighty thousand chosen men who were warriors, to fight against Israel, that he might restore the kingdom to Rehoboam.  but the Word of the Lord came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying, ‘Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying, “Thus says the Lord: You shall not go up or fight against your brethren!  Let every man return to his house, for this thing is from Me.”’ Therefore they obeyed the words of the Lord, and turned back from attacking Jeroboam.” 2 Chronicles 11:1-4 (NKJV)

God is not a pacifist.  God is a perfectionist.  But He is not a perfectionist in the obsessive “can’t see the big picture” sort of dysfunctional meaning that our culture has attached to perfectionism.  He is perfect in that while His process of drawing glory out of every circumstance seems chaotic and random, all things eventually work together for good, according to His purpose.  (Romans 8:28)  He is both Author and Perfector.  (Hebrews 12:2)

That being said, there are times when followers of Jesus may assume they know God’s will, so they will set forth to accomplish something for His glory that He never wanted to be done.  They literally, for seemingly well-meaning reasons, begin moving in the opposite direction of His will!  That’s why it’s so important to seek the Lord in prayer and faithfully obey His leading, which may make no human sense!

“A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord determines his steps.” Proverbs 16:9 (HCSB)

Modern Christianity carries this notion that God is always against war or physical violence of any kind.  But that notion is ignorant of God’s Word.  God is SOMETIMES against war and SOMETIMES for it.  We must trust His wisdom, that He knows the appropriate times for both peace and warfare.  There is a time forthcoming when His judgment will eclipse His Grace, and it will happen in His perfect timing.

“To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up…A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.”  Ecclesiastes 3:1-3; 8 (HCSB)

“Then the children of Israel went up and wept before the Lord until evening, and asked counsel of the Lord, saying, ‘Shall I again draw near for battle against the children of my brother Benjamin?’ And the Lord said, ‘Go up against him.’” Judges 20:23  (NKJV)

“Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained.  He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.”  Acts 17:30-31 (NKJV)