The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Numbers 1:1-5, “Then the LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of
Sinai, in the tent of meeting, on the first of the second month, in the second
year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying,
2 ‘Take a census of all the congregation of the sons of Israel, by their
families, by their fathers’ households, according to the number of names,
every male, head by head
3 from twenty years old and upward, whoever is able to go out to war in
Israel, you and Aaron shall number them by their armies.
4 ‘With you, moreover, there shall be a man of each tribe, each one head
of his father’s household.
5 ‘These then are the names of the men who shall stand with you…’”

Is war ever popular? Moreover, is war ever right? Is it ever within the will
of God that His people (Jews or Christians) engage in physical, deadly
war with those who are not aligned with the LORD?

It is as far as our text above reveals. It is quite specific as the LORD names
the tribes and everything except the individual names of those selected to
be warriors in the fight.

There is always a time to fight! Read the following from Ecclesiastes 3:

“There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a
time for every event under heaven–
2 A time to give birth and a time to die; A time to plant and
a time to uproot what is planted.
3 A time to kill and a time to heal; A time to tear down and
a time to build up.
4 A time to weep and a time to laugh; A time to mourn and
a time to dance.
5 A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones; A time
to embrace and a time to shun embracing.
6 A time to search and a time to give up as lost; A time to
keep and a time to throw away.
7 A time to tear apart and a time to sew together; A time to
be silent and a time to speak.
8 A time to love and a time to hate; A time for war and a time
for peace.”

Our problem seems to be selecting the times that suit us instead of the
times elected by the LORD Himself. Jesus Himself never drew a sword
on anyone. In fact, he rebuked Peter when he cut off the ear of the
servant of the High Priest (Mat. 26:52). The LORD forbade the use of the
sword, and instead sent hornets to drive out the kings of the Amorites
(Josh. 24:12).

It would seem that we’re too anxious to defend the LORD when we
ought to be promoting Him to those in spiritual need. Often, we are
hindered through a lack of faith in ourselves and in our fear of others.

Yes, there is a time to attack and a time to refrain from attacking. Living
close to Christ will enable us to know what to do and when. How close
to Jesus are we? Do we live in His Word? Do we attend His church?
Do we pray for His pastors? Do we seek out lost people with whom we
can share Him? Somewhere in the midst of those questions, we can
find ourselves. To act without His order is disastrous! To fail to act
when He gives the order is sin. May the LORD teach us which is right!
And may we be quick to learn; for time, it would seem is running out

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom