Revelation: Christ and the Churches

Lord, Teach Us To Fight

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: New Testament Studies

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2008-02-10

Synopsis: John Weaver expounds Psalm 18:34, arguing that war and fighting are not inherently evil, that God Himself is a warrior who teaches His people to fight, and that Christians have a biblical obligation to learn self-defense and martial skills. He warns against two errors: denying the means of defense or trusting in means without God's power. The sermon concludes with a call to recover a martial spirit and apply warfare principles to spiritual battles.

[John Weaver] Let's open our Bibles to Psalm 18 today. We're going to take up where we left off last week, Psalm 18, and verse 34 is where we begin today. Psalm 18, verse 34. Look what David said. In fact, let's go back and begin reading with verse 29. I preached on 29 through 33 last week, but let me just read it, put it in the context. Psalm 18 verse 29.

[John Weaver] For by thee have I run through a troop, and by my God have I leaped over a wall. As for God, His way is perfect. The word of the Lord is tried. He's a buckler to all those that trust in Him. For who has God saved the Lord? Who is a rock save our God? It is God that girdeth me with strength and maketh my way perfect. He maketh my feet like hinds feet.

[John Weaver] He set me upon my high places. Now verse 34. He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken in mine arms." The message today is based upon verse 34, and here is the title, Lord Teacheth to Fight.

[John Weaver] Now, very quickly, let me just give you where we've been in Psalm 18 so you can tie this entire psalm together. We begin with verse one. We saw David's determination to love the Lord. He said, I will love thee, O Lord. And of course, we showed you from Scripture that love is comprised of attitude, affection and action. Those three things are the irreducible minimum. If you have the biblical attitude, you will have biblical affection. If you have a biblical affection, you will always have a biblical action. And then we saw the reasons why David said, I will love the Lord. We saw first his response under that determination and the reasons, of course, he gave the Lord, I will love you, Lord, my strength.

[John Weaver] And then he went on to say that the Lord is my rock, my fortress, my deliverer, my God, my strength and whom I trust, my buckler, the horn of my salvation and my high tower. So we looked then at the reasons and showed you all of those names of God and what they implied. And then we looked at David's distress in verses 4 through 6, including verse 3 there. And he said, showed the distress that David was in, which literally made him cry out to God. And then verses 7 through 19, we saw David's deliverer. And that is, of course, how God himself sovereignly, graciously and mercifully delivered David. And then we looked at David's deportment. If you would notice there in Psalm 18, he said this, the Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness in verse 20, according to the cleanness of my hands, hath he recompensed me?

[John Weaver] And I explained all of that. And we came down then to that last passage in verse 29. And we looked at David's defense where he is saying it's God who enabled him to run through a troop. That is a literal troop of men. God enabled him to run through the troop. God enabled him to leap over a wall to scale the walls to conquer. And then he said it's God who girdeth me with strength. That is, God is buckling on the war harness for David. And it's God who makes his feet like Heinz feet.

[John Weaver] That is, he doesn't slip. not even in high dangerous places. And so God is indeed his buckler.

[John Weaver] Now, today, we're going to come to verse 34, where David says he teaches my hands to war so that a bow of steel is broken in my my arms. Now, David was indeed a mighty warrior. There's no two ways about that. In fact, the Bible tells us in first Samuel, chapter 18, verse seven, this about David. And the women answered one another as they played and said, Saul has slain his thousands and David his tens of thousands. So David was quite a warrior. You've got to remember that David as a boy was a shepherd. But of course, David certainly had to protect his father's sheep. And the Bible tells us during that time, as he was a shepherd boy, he did slay a lion and a bear.

[John Weaver] It takes quite a fearless young man to do something like that. But he did slay the lion and the bear. And while he was a young man, when he went to visit his brothers to see how they were doing in the war, that is when he challenged Goliath and Goliath challenged him. And you know the story how he took a sling and a rock and slew Goliath of Gath. And Goliath was a giant by anyone's standard of measurement, that is for sure. Moreover, when it came to war, David was a tactical genius. He was fearless. He was brave. He was courageous.

[John Weaver] He knew how to conduct himself. Now, the question that has to be asked is this. How did a shepherd boy learn all these skills? Where did a shepherd boy acquire all of this knowledge? And David answers that for us in verse 34 when he says, He, that is God, teacheth my hands to war. Now watch verse 32. It is God that girdeth me with strength. Verse 33. He, God, maketh my feet like hinds feet. And now verse 34. He, God, teacheth my hands to war so that a bow of steel is broken in mine arms. So it was God then Who taught David how to make war? We must admit that David had the greatest teacher in the universe. The Bible tells us in the book of Job, chapter 36 and verse 22, this statement, Behold, God, exalted by his power, who teacheth like him?

[John Weaver] I want to tell you, you might forget my sermons, but the ones that God teaches you, you will never forget. You will learn. Who teacheth like God?

[John Weaver] Now, there's a number of truths that we can learn from verse 34. And I want to give you several of them this morning. Notice verse 34, David says, He teacheth my hands to war so that a bow of steels is broken in my arm. First of all, I want you to note that war and fighting are not inherently evil. War and fighting are not inherently evil. And by inherit, I mean they're not evil in and of themselves. God taught David's hand to war. In war, fighting is a necessity. We know that God is not evil. Neither does God tempt men to do that which is evil. The Bible says in the book of James, chapter 1 and verse 13, let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God. For God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth He any man." So God is not going to teach any man to do that which is wicked and wrong in and of itself. Now, just simply because war exists does not mean that all war is evil.

[John Weaver] There is such a thing as a just war, as a biblical war, as a godly war, and those wars are not evil. Fighting to defend oneself or fighting to offend another is not evil and cannot be evil. Now, I realize there are a number of people that just condemn all war outright. There are even supposedly Christian people who will make the statement that all wrong is wicked and evil. But that's not true. In fact, there cries simply this, war is not the answer. Well, let me just tell you very up front. I grant you that war is not always the answer. But sometimes it is indeed the answer. Is a war of self-defense unlawful, unbiblical, and unjust? And the answer is no. Each person, each family, each church, each nation have the right, the biblical right, of self-defense. Now, let me just point out the fact, whenever we are attacked, we must respond in kind.

[John Weaver] By that I mean this, when King Ahab attacked Elijah and he said to Elijah, art thou he that troubleth Israel, Elijah didn't pick up a sword and cut off King Ahab's neck, no. What had Ahab done? He had attacked Elijah with words. And how did Elijah defend himself? The answer is with words. He said, it's not me you wicked reprobate. It's you and your filthy wife. You're the ones who messed up Israel. It's not me. You're the troubles of Israel. Now, while we're attacked with words, we can defend ourselves with words. If we're attacked legally, we can defend ourselves legally.

[John Weaver] But I've got news for you people. If folks are shooting at us, we respond in kind. We don't say, whoa, whoa, stop your shooting while I just try to reason with you or while I try to file some papers down at the local courthouse. No, if they're shooting, you shoot back.

[John Weaver] Now, you remember the sixth commandment, thou shalt not kill. The sixth commandment teaches us and gives us the right of self-defense. How can the Sixth Commandment give us the right of self-defense? May I remind you that every negative has a positive and every positive has a negative. The Sixth Commandment, thou shalt not kill, has the policy thou shalt preserve life. That means you must preserve your life and you must preserve the lives of others. So that means that each of us, then, therefore, have a biblical responsibility to preserve our life.

[John Weaver] You could say it like this. Self-defense is obligatory based upon the sixth commandment. Defensive wars, therefore, are not unbiblical, nor are they unjust. Moreover, We have a responsibility not only to defend our lives, but the lives of innocent people. Let me show you. Hold Psalm 18, but turn in your Bibles to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 22. Deuteronomy 22. And look, if you would please, beginning with verse 23. Deuteronomy 22 and verse 23. Just demonstrating to you that we have a responsibility to preserve innocent life. Notice Deuteronomy 22 and let's begin reading there verse 23. Are you there? Here we go.

[John Weaver] If a damsel that is a virgin be betrothed to a husband and a man find her in the city and lie with her. Then you shall bring them both out of the gate of that city and you shall stone them with stones that they die. the damsel because she cried not being in the city and the man because he is humble as neighbors wife. So thou shalt put away evil from among you. But the man find him a trough damsel in the field and the man force her and lie with her. Then the man only that lay with her shall die. But in the damsel thou shalt do nothing. There is in the damsel no sin worthy of death. For as when a man riseth against his neighbor, enslave him, even so it is in this matter. For he found her in the field, and the damsel cried, and there was none to save her."

[John Weaver] Now isn't it interesting that God says if a woman is attacked in the city and she cries not, then the man that attacked her and the woman are to be taken out and stoned. If a young woman is attacked out in the field, the man only is to be put to death. Why? Well, the Bible gives us the answer. The Bible says if a woman in the city is being attacked, if she cried not out, what does that mean?

[John Weaver] That means she was evidently consenting to the sin and consenting to the crime. Therefore, since she was consenting, she too was worthy of death. The young woman out in the field, she could have cried, but no one would have heard her. So therefore, she's not to be put to death, only the man who attacked her.

[John Weaver] Now, what is the implication of that? That means if a woman is in the city and she's being attacked and she cries out, what are the implications? Anyone who hears her. has the duty, the responsibility, and the obligation to save Earth. You see, self-defense is obligatory. It's not only obligatory on our behalf, it's also obligatory upon us in helping preserve the life of innocent individuals. Now, I've just pointed out how that wars of self-defense are not unbiblical. I mean, if we were attacked by Cuba, We have the right as a nation to defend ourselves. If we're attacked by China, we have the right to defend ourselves. That's understandable.

[John Weaver] But let me point out another truth that most people never really grasp. And that's simply this, that not all offensive wars are unbiblical, ungodly, and unjust. You see, it's easy for you and I to say if we are attacked, We have the right of self defense. But we don't want to start anything. But I've got news for you. There were times in the Bible when God and God's people started a war and they were right in starting a war. Let me show you.

[John Weaver] Look in your Bibles just to a couple of illustrations. The first one's Numbers chapter 31. Numbers chapter 31. And I might add, it was God who ordered and ordained these offensive wars. Look at Numbers chapter 31, beginning there with verse 1. Look what God says. Numbers 31, verse 1. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites. Afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people. And Moses spake unto the people, saying, Arm some of yourselves unto the war, and let them go against the Midianites, and avenge the Lord of Midian.

[John Weaver] And then he gives the directions of what is to take place. But notice, and the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites. And then Moses said, All right, you arm yourselves, and you go out, and you attack the Midianites, and you destroy them.

[John Weaver] Now, very obviously, God here is directing an offensive war. It is true that the Midianites had troubled Israel. It is true that they had made them to sin. Back in Numbers 21. But there's a long period of time that has elapsed between 21 and 31. So this is not a defensive war. This is an offensive war. Look in your Bibles to the book of Deuteronomy, chapter 25. Deuteronomy 25. And look, if you would please, at verse 17. Deuteronomy 25, beginning there with verse 17.

[John Weaver] The Bible says, remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way when you were come forth out of Egypt. Now he's fixing to tell you what Amalek did. How he met thee, by the way, and smote behind most of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary, and ye feared not God. So here's Amalek, who's ambushing the children of Israel, smiting the weak and the feeble, fears not God. Look in verse 19. Therefore it shall be when the Lord thy God hath given thee rest from all thine enemies round about, in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, for it inheritances possess it, that thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. Thou shalt not forget it. Now God says, look here, after you get in the land, what do you do? You make war against Amalek. You never forget it. How long did the children of Israel wander in the wilderness? 40 years? It doesn't sound like this is a defensive war to me.

[John Weaver] This is an offensive war 40 years after the fact. Look in your Bibles to Genesis chapter 15. Here's a passage that is an excellent illustration of an offensive war. Genesis chapter 15. Everyone knows the story about how the children of Israel went down into Egypt and were there for 400 years. But look what God tells Abram. Genesis 15, and let's begin reading there with verse 13. And He said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them, and they shall afflict them four hundred years. And also that nation whom they shall serve will I judge, and afterwards shall they come out with great substance.

[John Weaver] And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace, and thou shalt be buried in a good old age. But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full." Now, wait a minute. Here's what God said. God said, Abram, your people are going to go down into Egypt and they're going to be there for four hundred years. And I'm going to bring them out. And I'm going to judge that nation when I bring them out. But I'm going to do something more than that. When I bring them out, I'm going to put a sword in their hand and say, kill all of these Amorites. For the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full. Now, the amazing thing is that God gave them 400 years. God waited 400 years. But when the cup of their iniquity was full, God told His people, go in and slay every one of them. Kill them all.

[John Weaver] Now, that's certainly not a defensive war. That's an offensive. Let me just tell you something. I had someone ask me a question like this this week. Someone says, I don't see how God could just send His people in to dispossess someone else and to take their land from them and to take their homes from them. First of all, The land was not theirs, it belongs to God.

[John Weaver] The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the world and they that dwell therein. Let me ask you, if you owned rental properties, and you had families in your rental houses that would not pay you rent, not just for one month, but consistently and constantly, they failed to pay for six months, Would you allow them to stay in your rental properties? Would you have the right to kick them out because they did not give you your rent? Would you?

[John Weaver] Well, of course you would. Well, I've got news for you folks. Even the heathen owe God. They owe Him glory. They owe Him praise. They owe Him worship. They owe Him tithes. And when they refuse to pay, God has an absolute right to dispossess them and put someone else in there that will give Him His rent. And that's exactly what he did to those nations. You see, not all war is wrong. Defensive wars are just and some offensive wars are just and right as well. Listen folks, all of the wars of Canaan were offensive wars, because when they got into Canaan land, the children of Israel took their sword and dispossessed all of those people and took their land and took their homes. That was an offensive war.

[John Weaver] They were on the attack. They were not defending.

[John Weaver] Now, if you take the attitude, as some people do, well, all war is wrong. Period. If that is your attitude, Then you have very serious theological problems. Well, how can you have very serious theological problems? The answer is because God not only uses war. The truth is that God himself is a warrior. I want you to look in your Bibles to the book of Exodus chapter 15. Exodus chapter 15.

[John Weaver] And notice if you would please verse 3. Exodus 15, verse 3. Look what the Bible says. Exodus 15, verse 3.

[John Weaver] Now remember, someone says, well, all war is wrong. All fighting is wrong. Well, how do you explain this verse? The Lord is a man of war. The Lord is His name. The Lord is a man of war. Well, if all war is wrong, if all fighting is wrong, how can he who is the sinless sovereign of the universe be a man of war? Look in Exodus chapter 17 and verse 16. Exodus 17 and verse 16. Look at this verse. For he said, because the Lord has sworn that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation. The Lord is a man of war, and God said, I'm going to be fighting from generation to generation against Amalek. Look in your Bibles to Isaiah 42. Isaiah 42. And notice, if you would please, verse 13. Isaiah 42, verse 13. We've seen that God is a God of war. We've seen that God has said He's going to have war with Amalek from generation to generation. Now, in Isaiah 42 and verse 13, look at what the Bible says.

[John Weaver] Talking about God now. Isaiah 42, verse 13, The Lord shall go forth as a mighty man. He shall stir up jealousy like a man of war. He shall cry, yea, roar! He shall prevail against His enemies. Now, if you think all war is wrong and fighting is wrong, Then you have serious theological problems because God is a man of war and God fights. God attacks His enemies. Neither war nor warriors are evil in and of themselves. The calling of a warrior is a holy calling if the warrior fights for God and in accordance with God's law.

[John Weaver] Listen to this statement, please. God does not raise up antinomian warriors. He does not raise up warriors against His law, but He does raise up warriors who fight according to His law. Those who fight must fight according to His word. Again, if someone says, well, all war and all warriors and all fighting is wrong. Well, if you're going to take that position again, you've got very serious theological problems. Why?

[John Weaver] Look in your Bibles to the book of Revelation chapter 6. Revelation chapter 6. And notice, if you would please, verse 2 to begin with. Revelation 6 verse 2. Revelation 6 verse 2. In fact, we can read verse 1. Look what is happening. Revelation 6, verse 1, And I saw when the Lamb, the Lord Jesus, opened one of the seals, and I heard as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. And I saw, and behold, a white horse, and he that sat on him had a bow, and a crown was given unto him, and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.

[John Weaver] This is none other than Christ himself. Now, let me just show you. How do I know that this is Christ? Well, the Bible is consistent. And if you look in Revelation chapter 19 and verse 11, you will find the identification of this man who's sitting on the white horse who goes forth conquering and to conquer. Revelation Chapter 19, notice if you would please, verse 11, the Bible says, And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse, and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, that's Christ, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

[John Weaver] What does our Lord do? He makes war. He's a fighter. He's a warrior. He's a conqueror. So the first thing when David said. It is God who teaches me to war. We've got to learn that war and fighting are not inherently evil. Here's the second thing we learned from Psalm 18 and verse 34. It is just right and good. To teach the martial arts to others and especially our children. Notice, if you would, what David said, it is God who teacheth my hands to war. Now, here's my second point. It is just right and good to teach the martial arts to others and especially to our children. In order to validate this point, I need only ask one question.

[John Weaver] Are we to emulate our Heavenly Father? And the answer is yes. Well, what did our heavenly father do? Our heavenly father taught one of his children, David, the art of war. David said he teacheth my hands to war.

[John Weaver] Now, let me tell you, the Hebrew word for teacheth is the word Lamod, which means to instruct, to teach, to teach diligently, expertly, skillfully and to be trained. Thus, what David is actually saying in Psalm 18, verse 34, is it is God who expertly and skillfully trained me in war. Well, if God can teach His child to fight, can we not teach our children to fight? I'm going to explain that. But I want to show you how thorough God was in teaching David. Turn over to Psalm 144 and look at verse one. Psalm 144 and verse one. Notice, if you would, Psalm 144 and verse one. I love this verse, David says it like this, Blessed be the Lord, my strength. who teacheth my hands to war and my fingers to fight." Now notice what he said. He teacheth my hands to war and my fingers to fight. So it was not only God who taught David to fight. Are you listening? I might add, he taught David to use every member of his body in fighting because he said he teacheth my hands to war and my fingers to fight.

[John Weaver] There is even a proper use of fingers in fighting. The truth is that we need to teach our children the biblical and proper use of force. Our children need to know how to safely handle weapons, how to defend themselves, their families and their neighbors. There is nothing wrong with learning to fight. Let me point something out. I said we need to teach our children the proper use of force. If we do not teach them the proper use of force, I can assure you the TV and the movies and the video games will teach them the improper use of force.

[John Weaver] When I say that there's nothing wrong with fighting and learning to fight. I certainly am not endorsing the Eastern religions and their meditative techniques. Yet let me point out that the purely physical acts of judo and karate and other martial arts are not evil in and of themselves. The physical fighting skills are not wrong. The pagan and the heathen religions may be wrong, but the ability to fight is not wrong. What did the Apostle Paul say in 1 Timothy chapter 4 and verse 8? Listen carefully.

[John Weaver] He said, For bodily exercise profiteth little, but godliness is profitable in all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come. Now listen to what he said. Bodily exercise profiteth little. It may only profit little, but it profits some. So there's nothing wrong with learning to fight. Calvin rightly points out, and let me just give you his quote, listen carefully, that all the skillfulness and art in training men for war, the use of armor in marshalling of armies, informing sieges and all other military tactics are all from God. Wow.

[John Weaver] Do you know one of the reasons? Why God allowed some of Israel's enemies to remain in the land. You remember Israel did not slay all of their enemies. Nor did they drive them all out. Some lived amongst them in the land. Do you know one of the reasons why God allowed some to stay in the land? Let me show you. Look in your Bibles to the book of Judges chapter 3.

[John Weaver] Here it is spelled out for you in black and white. The Book of Judges, chapter 3, and let's begin reading there with verse 1. Judges, chapter 3, verse 1.

[John Weaver] Now these are the nations which the Lord left to prove Israel by them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan. Watch this. There were some now who were not involved in the war. Time has elapsed. So they were not involved in the war. They never got in any of the fighting. Watch verse 2. Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know to teach them war at the least such as before knew nothing thereof. God said I'm going to leave a few enemies in the land so that your children and your children's children who never knew anything about fighting a war, I'm going to leave them there to teach you how to fight. to teach you the art of war, to keep you on your toes, to keep your powder dry. That's what he's saying.

[John Weaver] Now let me ask you a question. If God places a premium on training in the art of war, if God places a premium on the ability to fight, Why do we think so little concerning it? Why are we so reticent about learning to fight and defend ourselves? I can ask another question. Why do most profession Christians somehow think that weapons and weaponry are evil in and of themselves?

[John Weaver] Oh, I'd never touch a rifle. Oh, I'd never touch a pistol. Oh, don't bring that sword in my house. Why do we think that something inanimate is evil? Are you listening? Evil is not in weaponry. I don't care what kind of weapon you're talking about. Evil is in the hearts of men. An AR-15, an AK-47, a.50 caliber rifle, those are only tools just like a hoe and a shovel are tools. They're not evil in and of themselves. It is how you use that tool that makes it either good or evil. But the evil does not come from the tool. It comes from the man using it out of his evil, wicked heart. There's no weapon this evil in and of itself, period.

[John Weaver] God said that to let these enemies in the land that his people might learn to fight. Let me give you another quote. Listen to what Charles Haddon Spurgeon said on verse 34 when David said, It is God who taught me Here's what Spurgeon said, martial powers and skill in the use of weapons are gratefully acknowledged to be the result of divine teaching. No sacrifice is offered at the shrine of self in praise of natural dexterity or acquired skillfulness. But regarding all warlike powers as a gift of heavenly favor, thankfulness is presented to the giver. The Holy Spirit is the great drillmaster of heavenly soldiers. God is the great drillmaster. He is the great teacher. So what is David doing in Psalm 18 and verse 34? He said it is God.

[John Weaver] who teaches my hands to war, so much so that a bowl of steel is broken in my arms." In other words, what he's saying, it is God who has given me my skills and my abilities, and to Him goes all the praise, honor, and glory.

[John Weaver] Now, let me just show you the difference between David and a pagan. It is said of Sesostris, who was king of Egypt, that whenever he conquered any country, he set up pillars with these words engraved upon them, this country I got by my own strength and power. Wow. What did David do? David said it is God who teaches my hands to work. It's God who girds me with strength. It's God who makes my feet like Heinz feet. It's God who's given me this ability. And David humbly bows to his divine teacher.

[John Weaver] So we've seen, first of all, that war and fighting are not evil, are not inherently evil. We've seen, secondly, it is right, just, holy and good to teach others the martial arts and especially our children.

[John Weaver] Thirdly, I want to point out that God sanctifies war not only by using it himself, but also by enabling and empowering his people in war. Let me ask you a question. Don't answer out loud, but just think about this. How did God deliver the children of Israel from Egypt? What was the means that he used? I want you to look back in your Bibles to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 4, and let me give you the answer from the scripture. What means did God use to deliver the children of Israel from Egypt? Look in Deuteronomy 4 and verse 34. Deuteronomy 4, verse 34. Notice Scripture says, Or hath God assayed to go and take him a nation from the midst of another nation by temptations, by signs, and by wonders, and by war? and by a mighty hand and a stretched out arm, and by great terrors, according to all the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes." What did God use to deliver the children of Israel? War. He made war upon the false gods of Egypt.

[John Weaver] He made war upon Pharaoh and his army. He destroyed them. And God said, I used war.

[John Weaver] Now, let's ask a question. Does God use war? The answer is most definitely yes. He uses war to destroy his enemies and to deliver his people. Let me show you. Turn in your Bibles to 1 Chronicles chapter 5 and verse 22. 1 Chronicles chapter 5 verse 22. 1 Chronicles 5. Notice verse 22.

[John Weaver] Here is a passage that is amazing. 1 Chronicles 5 verse 22. Are you there? Here it is. For there fell down many slain because the war was of God. What? There fell down many slain because the war was of God. Does God use war? Well, of course he does. He did when he delivered the children of Israel out of Egypt. He used it here in First Chronicles. He used it innumerable times.

[John Weaver] Let me ask you a question. And I know you don't know the answer to this, and I'm asking just so I can show you. How many wars did God initiate? How many wars did God commence? How many wars did God begin? You say, well, I don't know the exact number. No, neither do I. But I do want you to look. In the book of Numbers chapter 21 and verse 14, I will tell you. Although I do not know the exact number of how many wars God commenced and initiated and began, I can tell you that there was a multitude of wars, so much so that there was a book concerning the wars. Notice in the book of Numbers chapter 21 and verse 14, the Bible says, wherefore it is said in the book of the wars of the Lord what it is in Red Sea and in the books of Arnon. Notice, wherefore it is said in the book of the wars of the Lord. Wars is plural and there was enough for a book.

[John Weaver] Does God use war? The answer is yes. God not only sanctifies war by using himself, and I finished this point by saying, but he also enables and empowers his people in war. I'm sure that you're well aware of how God empowered his people on numerous occasions. But I want you to think specifically of the promise that God gave Joshua. In Joshua 1 in verse 9. When God says to Joshua, have not I commanded thee?

[John Weaver] Be strong and of good courage. Be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed, for the Lord thy God is with thee, whithersoever thou goest. What was Joshua about to do? He is about to lead the people into Canaan land and fight against the enemies of God. Do you remember that passage in Joshua chapter 5? It's found in verses 13 through 15 when Joshua saw a man standing with a sword drawn. And of course, that man was none other than our Lord Himself. And when Joshua saw the man standing with a sword drawn, he asked Him, Aren't thou for us or for our adversaries? Do you remember the answer? The man said neither, but as captain of the Lord's host am I now come take off my shoes. The ground whereon thou standest is holy ground. And there stood our Lord with a sword and our Lord said I have come as captain of the host of the Lord. I want you to look in the book of Joshua chapter 14.

[John Weaver] Turn right over if you would. Joshua 14 just showing you how God empowers and strengthens his people during time of war. You'll remember that Joshua and Caleb were the two men that brought back the good report. All the others brought back an evil report when they went to check out Canaan land. And all those other evil men died, but Joshua said, Caleb and Joshua, they're going to be the men who go in. So look, if you would please, in Joshua chapter 14, verse 11, look at what Caleb said. In fact, let's read verse 10. Caleb says this, And now, behold, the Lord hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty-five years, ever since the Lord spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness. And now, lo, I am this day eighty-five years old, and as yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me, as my strength was then, even so is my strength now for war.

[John Weaver] Both to go out and to come in. I got news for you. I would not have wanted to have fought that 85-year-old man. Joshua said, I'm just as strong and as able to fight now at 85 as I was at 40. Why? Because God enabled him. God empowered him. Look in the book of Judges, turn right over, Joshua Judges, Judges chapter three, look at verse 10.

[John Weaver] This is what is said of Ophiel, Caleb's nephew. Notice Judges chapter three and verse 10. Judges three, verse 10. Judges three, verse 10. And the spirit of the Lord came upon him. Whoa, wait a minute now. Notice God is sanctifying war by using, by enabling, by empowering his people. And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him at his off meal, and he judged Israel and went out to war. And the Lord delivered Cushan Rishethain, king of Mesopotamia, into his hand, and his hand prevailed against Cushan Rishethain. Notice, if you would, the Spirit of the Lord came upon him. And when the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, what did he do? He went out to war. When the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, he went out to war, and when he went out to war, God delivered the enemies into his hand.

[John Weaver] I could multiply illustrations, but turn to Hebrews 11. Turn to that chapter of faith. Everyone loves this passage. Hebrews chapter 11. We're talking about men of faith, but let me show you something that we often overlook concerning these men of faith. Look in Hebrews chapter 11. And let's begin reading there with verse 32. Hebrews 11 verse 32. Watch now. Hebrews 11 verse 32. And what shall I more say?

[John Weaver] For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthah, of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets. Now look who through faith subdued kingdoms. brought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. What were these men of faith doing? They were fighting. They were making war.

[John Weaver] And what was God doing? God was enabling them, empowering them. And the author of the book of Hebrews said, time would fail me to tell how God blessed and helped these men. God does indeed sanctify war by using it. And by enabling and empowering his people in times of war. Here's my fourth point today, when David said, God teacheth my hands to war. So much so that a bowl of steel is broken in my arms. The fourth thing is this. War is a fact and reality of life in a fallen, sinful world.

[John Weaver] Let me say that again. War is a fact and reality of life in a sinful, fallen world. There is no escaping this simple fact. Scripture declares in Ecclesiastes 3 in verse 8, a time to love and a time to hate, a time of war and a time of peace. What did he said? There's going to be a time of war. Do you know what our Lord said in Matthew 24 in verse 6?

[John Weaver] He said this, you shall hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you may not trouble. For all of these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet." What is the Lord saying? As long as you're around, there's going to be wars. Don't get upset about it. It's a fact of life. It's a simple reality. Men are sinful. Men are depraved. There are going to be wars. We know, or at least we should know, because of man's fallen, depraved nature, that there's going to be wars and rebellions.

[John Weaver] Now, let me ask you, if we know based upon our Lord's own words. There's going to be wars and rebellions, would it not be advisable? Would it not be the part of common sense as well as scriptural sense to prepare and be able to defend ourselves to know how to fight? Let me ask the question other way. We could ask this question like this. Would it not be absolutely foolish and senseless to sit around and just hope that nothing ever happens to us? Oh, we know it's out there, but it's never, ever going to touch me.

[John Weaver] That's the height of stupidity. If we know what's out there, We need to be prepared ourselves, and I've got news for you folks. Inevitably, it's going to touch us. It'll touch our families. It'll touch our church. It'll touch our nation. Our Lord has declared the reality of war. Shall we sit back and abdicate our responsibility? We must know how to fight. Whether or not we ever need to fight. Listen. I pray that I will never have to fight.

[John Weaver] But I'll tell you this. I had rather know how to fight and never need it and never use it. Then to need it and not have the ability to fight. I don't want to be backed into a corner. I'm not interested in hurting anyone. I have I have no No desire to hurt anybody. I don't care who it is. I have no desire to hurt anyone. But I'm not interested in anyone hurting me either. I'm not interested in anyone hurting my family. And by the grace and power of God, I'd rather know how to fight and never need it than to be backed into a corner and wish I knew what to do.

[John Weaver] Let me show you something. I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Jeremiah chapter 51. And I want you to see what God said concerning his people. Jeremiah 51. And then let me ask you a question based upon this verse. Find Jeremiah 51. I want everyone to see this. Jeremiah 51. Now look in verse. Let's read verse 19, that's not the verse, but I'm going to read this first.

[John Weaver] The portion of Jacob is not like them, that is, we're not like the wicked. For he, God, is the former of all things, and Israel is the rod of his inheritance. The Lord opposes his name. Look what God says concerning his people. Thou art my battle axe. and weapons of war. For with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms. With thee will I break in pieces the horse and the rider, and with thee will I break in pieces the chariot and the rider. With thee also will I break in pieces the man and the woman, and with thee will I break in pieces old and young, and with thee will I break in pieces the young man and the maid. I will also break in pieces with thee the shepherd of his flock, and he goes on down the line, Notice what he said in verse 20 to his people. Thou art my battle axe and my weapons of war. Here's my question. What kind of battle axe are you?

[John Weaver] Now, I'm not talking about my mother-in-law. She said it's smart that I don't talk about her like that. What kind of battleaxe? What kind of weapon of war? What kind of ability do you have to fight or defend yourself or your family? God said they aren't my battleaxe. They aren't my weapons of war. And with you, I'm going to subdue kingdoms. I'm going to do this. I'm going to do that. Well, what kind of battleaxe are you? What kind of weapons of war are you?

[John Weaver] Now let me point out this. Most Christians, when it comes to war or fighting or self-defense, fall into either one or two errors. This is very important, so please listen. We either, on the one hand, deny the means, or on the other hand, deny the power that makes the means effectual. One of two errors that most Christians normally fall into. You either on the one hand deny the means, or on the other hand, you deny the power that makes the means effectual. Now let me explain. Denial of the means simply means this. That there is a denial of the fact and of the reality that we need to know how to shoot, how to fight, how to defend ourselves.

[John Weaver] God has given us the responsibility to defend our personal lives, our families, our church, our neighbors. But you know what most Christians do? Most Christians are not interested in learning how to fight or how to shoot or how to do anything. They sit there and they say, I'm trusting in the Lord to protect me. Well, for all practical purposes, they are practicing pacifists. although they may deny it intellectually, they say that they are trusting in God to defend them, but they will not lift a finger to defend themselves.

[John Weaver] That is a denial of the means. God has given us a scriptural right and common sense. On the other hand, There are other Christians and other people who are more than willing to use the means that God has ordained. Yet what they do is they trust in the means instead of the God who makes those means effectual. Do you realize that no weapon is sufficient without divine influence and protection?

[John Weaver] I've told you this before and I will tell you again. You could have two shotguns in each corner of your bedroom. You could have an AR-15 laying on your dresser drawer, and you can have.357 Magnums under your pillar. If somebody breaks in on you, if God does not awaken you in time or enable you to shoot straight, none of those weapons are going to help you at all. You understand that?

[John Weaver] What we have forgotten is this. We have forgotten the proverb in Proverbs 21, verse 31, when the Bible says the horse is prepared against the day of battle, but safety is of the Lord. If God doesn't protect us, we're not protected. We have forgotten. Yes, it is true that Israel of old fought with their weapons. They did actually fight. They used their weapons. But it was not their weapons that delivered them. It was God who delivered them, for God fought for them.

[John Weaver] Let me give you just three very quick passages. Look in your Bibles to Deuteronomy chapter 3. Deuteronomy 3. And notice, if you would, verse 22. Deuteronomy 3, verse 22. Look what God says. Tells His people concerning their enemies, you shall not fear them. Why? For the Lord your God, He shall fight for you. For the Lord your God, He shall fight for you. Turn over to Deuteronomy 20 and look if you would please at verse 4. Deuteronomy 20 and verse 4. Here again, God says it like this. For the Lord your God is He that goeth with you to fight for you against your enemies to save you."

[John Weaver] Did Israel use their weapons? Yes. Who went with them? God. Who fought for them? God. Who empowered them? Who enabled them? God.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to look in Psalm 44, because these two things are put together. Look in Psalm 44, and let's begin reading there with verse 3. Psalm 44, verse 3. Here it is. Psalm 44, verse 3. In fact, let's read verse 1. Come on, it's a simple passage. The psalmist said, We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us what work thou didst in their days and times of old. In other words, we heard about all those miracles that you did. Look in verse 2, how thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantest them, that is, Israel, and how thou didst afflict the people, that is, the enemies, and cast them out. For they, Israel, got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own right arm save them, but thy right hand and thine arm in the light of thy countenance, because thou hast a favor unto them. Thou art my king, O God, command deliverances for Jacob." Now, here it is.

[John Weaver] Did Israel fight? Yes. Was it their sword? Was it their bow and arrow that delivered them? No. It was God. God made those weapons effectual. God used those means to deliver His people and to destroy His enemies.

[John Weaver] Now, let's go back to verse 4. Let me read just a few more verses. Here's what the psalmist is saying in verse 4. My king, O God, command deliverances for Jacob. In other words, God, you used to deliver us. You used to empower us. Lord, please do it again. And then he goes on to say, Through thee we will push down our enemies. Through thy name we will tread them under that rise up against us.

[John Weaver] For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me. But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us. In God we boast all the day long and praise thy name forever." I could read that. I will not trust in my AK-47, my AR-15. I will not trust in my tank. I will not trust in my jet. For thou art he that saved us. And God will boast in thee all the day long. In other words, it's God who makes those weapons effectual. We must not separate what God has joined together. God has joined together the use of means and His blessing and power upon those means that will make them effectual. If you trust in the means alone, you're wrong. If you trust in God without the means, you're still wrong. You must use the means that God has ordained and seek His blessing and power upon them. One last point. The fifth one very quickly.

[John Weaver] There will not be any permanent peace until the Prince of Peace returns. Yes, there may be times of temporary peace, but no permanent peace. God does, at times, give temporary peace. Let me just show you. He did so for Jehoshaphat. In 2 Chronicles 17 and verse 10, the Bible says this, And the fear of the Lord fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Judah, so that no man made war against Jehoshaphat. God can, indeed, give us a temporary peace. He gave a temporary peace to Solomon. In 1 Kings 4, verse 24, we read, For he, Solomon, had dominion over all the region on this side of the river, from Tipsa even to Aza, over all the kings on this side of the river, and he had peace on all sides round about him. What did God do? God marvelously and miraculously gave him peace. Now, there's a principle, and I've enunciated it before, found in Proverbs 16, verse 7, When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.

[John Weaver] Yes, God can give a temporary peace. In fact, the Bible says in Psalm 46 in verse 9, He, God, maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth. He breaketh the bow and cutteth the spear and thunder. He burneth the chariot in the fire. Yes, and God has given us some temporary peace in this land, in our time. But I got news for you. There's been nothing but constant war for the last hundred years.

[John Weaver] And some parts of the world. Constant, consistent war.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles to the little book of Micah. Micah chapter 4. One of the minor prophets. Right after the book of Jonah, you'll find the book of Micah. And the book of Nahum is right under after Micah, so Micah, chapter four. Here's the fifth and final point that I was enunciating to you. There will not be any peace, any permanent peace until the Prince of Peace returns. Now look at Micah, chapter four. At verse three. Look at what the Bible says. Micah 4 verse 3.

[John Weaver] And he, that is Christ, shall judge among many people and rebuke strong nations afar off, and they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nations shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. When our Lord returns, you may safely beat your weapons into plowshares. But I can assure you, if before He returns and fully and completely and totally establishes His Kingdom, if before He does that, you beat your weapons into plowshares, You will be plowing for those who didn't. Now. Until our Lord returns, we must expect wars and rebellions.

[John Weaver] And in this day and time in our country, with all the confusion and anarchy and chaos that's going on and will probably continue, you better know how to fight and how to defend yourself and your family. We may never be the warrior that David was, and that's fine, because God does not call everyone to be a warrior like David. He does, however, call each one of us to fulfill our responsibility and our obligation to be fully prepared in every area of our life. We don't have to be a David. I could probably never be a David. I'm too old to be a David.

[John Weaver] But I've got news for you. That doesn't mean that I cannot be prepared to the best of my ability to be used by God. To defend myself and my family. And our church, our country if need be. I like that old saying and. You laugh at it, but it's kind of it's kind of true. Don't mess with an old man. Because he can't fight and he'll just shoot you and get it over with. That's just about the truth.

[John Weaver] But let me tell you something, folks. I've got two implications, and I want you to listen carefully. Here's the first one. One of our greatest weaknesses as the people of God is that we have lost all of our martial spirit. There was a song you used to hear all the time, onward Christian soldiers, marching as to war, with the cross of Jesus going on before. But we have lost all of our martial spirit.

[John Weaver] Our men, both young and old, have been feminized and sanitized and neutralized. In this day and time, Most Christian men will not stand for anything. And therefore, they will fall for everything. We will not resist temptation and sin and corruption in our personal lives, our family lives, our ecclesiastical lives, or even our national life. We are not only afraid to fight, we don't even know how to fight. And the scariest thing is, we've lost our will to fight. Certainly, without endorsing him or his values, to give you a quote by Arnold Schwarzenegger, we've become a nation of girly men. And you know, that's the truth. You know, that's the absolute truth.

[John Weaver] And happily, our young people are willing to fight. But they're willing to fight the wrong people and for the wrong reason. And they really don't know how to fight biblically or scripturally. And so, what they fight are their parents and their teachers. I want you to think about this, folks. It was Taylor Caldwell who said, the strongest sign of the decay of a nation is the feminization of the men and the masculinization of the women. We need to pray that God would give us men like Robert E.

[John Weaver] Lee and Stonewall Jackson who combined godliness with a martial spirit. Here's a second application. The principles of warfare apply both the physical and spiritual warfare. Listen carefully. I am afraid that those who do not know how to fight physically. May not understand how to fight spiritually, since there is a correlation between attitude and action. If we are unwilling to fight physically in order to defend ourselves and others, will we not be unwilling to fight to defend ourselves spiritually?

[John Weaver] A man who will quickly and easily and readily give in to the wicked and corrupt demands of evil men in all probability does not have the courage or determination to resist temptation and wickedness and sin in his personal life. The principles of self-defense apply physically, But they also apply spiritually. Remember, the Apostle Paul said something about Satan. He said, for we're not ignorant of his devices, we're not ignorant of his tactics.

[John Weaver] But the truth is, most people are. And if we're unwilling to fight physically. And all probability will be unable to fight spiritually. So our prayer should be like David's. Our prayer should be, Lord, teach us to fight. As you taught David, teach us physically, yes, but spiritually as well. So that a bow of steel is broken in our arms. In other words, we have the power and the ability given to us by God to withstand the greatest temptations and the greatest corruptions. personally, physically, and spiritually. Lord, teach us to fight. Let's pray. Father, we ask in the name of Jesus Christ today that you would indeed teach us as you taught David. Give us once again, Lord, a biblical attitude that we might have a biblical action. Teach us, Lord, the importance of learning to fight in every area of life. Make us holy. Make us godly.

[John Weaver] And may we learn to fight only upon Your terms, in accordance with Your law, that we may be scriptural and honoring unto Thee. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray, Amen.

Lord, Teach Us To Fight

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	3408152401
Subject	New Testament Studies
Course	Revelation: Christ and the Churches
Genre	Sermon
Date	2008-02-10
Dictation Name
Book	Book 139: Revelation: Christ and the Churches — Chapter 4
Source Timed Segments	100

Formatted Transcript

Introduction and Context of Psalm 18

Weaver reviews the previous sections of Psalm 18, summarizing David's determination to love the Lord, his distress, deliverance, deportment, and defense, leading into verse 34.

Let's open our Bibles to Psalm 18 today. We're going to take up where we left off last week, Psalm 18, and verse 34 is where we begin today. Psalm 18, verse 34. Look what David said. In fact, let's go back and begin reading with verse 29. I preached on 29 through 33 last week, but let me just read it, put it in the context. Psalm 18 verse 29.

"For by thee have I run through a troop, and by my God have I leaped over a wall. As for God, His way is perfect. The word of the Lord is tried. He's a buckler to all those that trust in Him. For who has God saved the Lord? Who is a rock save our God? It is God that girdeth me with strength and maketh my way perfect. He maketh my feet like hinds' feet.

He set me upon my high places." Now verse 34. "He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken in mine arms." The message today is based upon verse 34, and here is the title, "Lord, Teach Us To Fight." Now, very quickly, let me just give you where we've been in Psalm 18 so you can tie this entire psalm together. We begin with verse one. We saw David's determination to love the Lord. He said, "I will love thee, O Lord." And of course, we showed you from Scripture that love is comprised of attitude, affection and action. Those three things are the irreducible minimum. If you have the biblical attitude, you will have biblical affection. If you have a biblical affection, you will always have a biblical action. And then we saw the reasons why David said, "I will love the Lord." We saw first his response under that determination and the reasons, of course, he gave the Lord, "I will love you, Lord, my strength."

And then he went on to say that the Lord is my rock, my fortress, my deliverer, my God, my strength and whom I trust, my buckler, the horn of my salvation and my high tower. So we looked then at the reasons and showed you all of those names of God and what they implied. And then we looked at David's distress in verses 4 through 6, including verse 3 there. And he said, showed the distress that David was in, which literally made him cry out to God. And then verses 7 through 19, we saw David's deliverer. And that is, of course, how God himself sovereignly, graciously and mercifully delivered David. And then we looked at David's deportment. If you would notice there in Psalm 18, he said this, "The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness in verse 20, according to the cleanness of my hands, hath he recompensed me?"

And I explained all of that. And we came down then to that last passage in verse 29. And we looked at David's defense where he is saying it's God who enabled him to run through a troop. That is a literal troop of men. God enabled him to run through the troop. God enabled him to leap over a wall to scale the walls to conquer. And then he said it's God who girdeth me with strength. That is, God is buckling on the war harness for David. And it's God who makes his feet like hinds' feet.

That is, he doesn't slip, not even in high dangerous places. And so God is indeed his buckler. Now, today, we're going to come to verse 34, where David says he teaches my hands to war so that a bow of steel is broken in my arms. Now, David was indeed a mighty warrior. There's no two ways about that. In fact, the Bible tells us in 1 Samuel, chapter 18, verse seven, this about David. And the women answered one another as they played and said,

Scripture Reading — 1 Samuel 18:7

"Saul has slain his thousands and David his tens of thousands."

So David was quite a warrior. You've got to remember that David as a boy was a shepherd. But of course, David certainly had to protect his father's sheep. And the Bible tells us during that time, as he was a shepherd boy, he did slay a lion and a bear.

War and Fighting Are Not Inherently Evil

Weaver argues that war is not evil in itself, citing God's teaching of David's hands to war, the sixth commandment's implication of self-defense, and biblical examples of both defensive and offensive wars ordained by God.

Now, there's a number of truths that we can learn from verse 34. And I want to give you several of them this morning. Notice verse 34, David says, "He teacheth my hands to war so that a bow of steel is broken in my arm." First of all, I want you to note that war and fighting are not inherently evil. War and fighting are not inherently evil. And by inherent, I mean they're not evil in and of themselves. God taught David's hand to war. In war, fighting is a necessity. We know that God is not evil. Neither does God tempt men to do that which is evil. The Bible says in the book of James, chapter 1 and verse 13,

Scripture Reading — James 1:13

"Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God. For God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth He any man."

So God is not going to teach any man to do that which is wicked and wrong in and of itself. Now, just simply because war exists does not mean that all war is evil.

There is such a thing as a just war, as a biblical war, as a godly war, and those wars are not evil. Fighting to defend oneself or fighting to offend another is not evil and cannot be evil. Now, I realize there are a number of people that just condemn all war outright. There are even supposedly Christian people who will make the statement that all war is wicked and evil. But that's not true. In fact, there cries simply this, "war is not the answer." Well, let me just tell you very up front. I grant you that war is not always the answer. But sometimes it is indeed the answer. Is a war of self-defense unlawful, unbiblical, and unjust? And the answer is no. Each person, each family, each church, each nation have the right, the biblical right, of self-defense. Now, let me just point out the fact, whenever we are attacked, we must respond in kind.

By that I mean this, when King Ahab attacked Elijah and he said to Elijah, "Art thou he that troubleth Israel?" Elijah didn't pick up a sword and cut off King Ahab's neck, no. What had Ahab done? He had attacked Elijah with words. And how did Elijah defend himself? The answer is with words. He said, "It's not me you wicked reprobate. It's you and your filthy wife. You're the ones who messed up Israel. It's not me. You're the troubles of Israel." Now, while we're attacked with words, we can defend ourselves with words. If we're attacked legally, we can defend ourselves legally.

But I've got news for you people. If folks are shooting at us, we respond in kind. We don't say, "Whoa, whoa, stop your shooting while I just try to reason with you or while I try to file some papers down at the local courthouse." No, if they're shooting, you shoot back. Now, you remember the sixth commandment, "Thou shalt not kill." The sixth commandment teaches us and gives us the right of self-defense. How can the Sixth Commandment give us the right of self-defense? May I remind you that every negative has a positive and every positive has a negative. The Sixth Commandment, "Thou shalt not kill," has the policy "Thou shalt preserve life." That means you must preserve your life and you must preserve the lives of others. So that means that each of us, then, therefore, have a biblical responsibility to preserve our life.

You could say it like this. Self-defense is obligatory based upon the sixth commandment. Defensive wars, therefore, are not unbiblical, nor are they unjust. Moreover, we have a responsibility not only to defend our lives, but the lives of innocent people. Let me show you. Hold Psalm 18, but turn in your Bibles to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 22. Deuteronomy 22. And look, if you would please, beginning with verse 23. Deuteronomy 22 and verse 23. Just demonstrating to you that we have a responsibility to preserve innocent life. Notice Deuteronomy 22 and let's begin reading there verse 23. Are you there? Here we go.

"If a damsel that is a virgin be betrothed to a husband and a man find her in the city and lie with her. Then you shall bring them both out of the gate of that city and you shall stone them with stones that they die. The damsel because she cried not being in the city and the man because he is humble as neighbors wife. So thou shalt put away evil from among you. But the man find him a trough damsel in the field and the man force her and lie with her. Then the man only that lay with her shall die. But in the damsel thou shalt do nothing. There is in the damsel no sin worthy of death. For as when a man riseth against his neighbor, enslave him, even so it is in this matter. For he found her in the field, and the damsel cried, and there was none to save her."

Now isn't it interesting that God says if a woman is attacked in the city and she cries not, then the man that attacked her and the woman are to be taken out and stoned. If a young woman is attacked out in the field, the man only is to be put to death. Why? Well, the Bible gives us the answer. The Bible says if a woman in the city is being attacked, if she cried not out, what does that mean? That means she was evidently consenting to the sin and consenting to the crime. Therefore, since she was consenting, she too was worthy of death. The young woman out in the field, she could have cried, but no one would have heard her. So therefore, she's not to be put to death, only the man who attacked her.

Now, what is the implication of that? That means if a woman is in the city and she's being attacked and she cries out, what are the implications? Anyone who hears her has the duty, the responsibility, and the obligation to save her. You see, self-defense is obligatory. It's not only obligatory on our behalf, it's also obligatory upon us in helping preserve the life of innocent individuals. Now, I've just pointed out how that wars of self-defense are not unbiblical. I mean, if we were attacked by Cuba, we have the right as a nation to defend ourselves. If we're attacked by China, we have the right to defend ourselves. That's understandable.

But let me point out another truth that most people never really grasp. And that's simply this, that not all offensive wars are unbiblical, ungodly, and unjust. You see, it's easy for you and I to say if we are attacked, we have the right of self defense. But we don't want to start anything. But I've got news for you. There were times in the Bible when God and God's people started a war and they were right in starting a war. Let me show you.

Look in your Bibles just to a couple of illustrations. The first one's Numbers chapter 31. Numbers chapter 31. And I might add, it was God who ordered and ordained these offensive wars. Look at Numbers chapter 31, beginning there with verse 1. Look what God says. Numbers 31, verse 1.

Scripture Reading — Numbers 31:1-3

"And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites. Afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people. And Moses spake unto the people, saying, Arm some of yourselves unto the war, and let them go against the Midianites, and avenge the Lord of Midian."

And then he gives the directions of what is to take place. But notice, "And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites." And then Moses said, "All right, you arm yourselves, and you go out, and you attack the Midianites, and you destroy them." Now, very obviously, God here is directing an offensive war. It is true that the Midianites had troubled Israel. It is true that they had made them to sin. Back in Numbers 21. But there's a long period of time that has elapsed between 21 and 31. So this is not a defensive war. This is an offensive war. Look in your Bibles to the book of Deuteronomy, chapter 25. Deuteronomy 25. And look, if you would please, at verse 17. Deuteronomy 25, beginning there with verse 17.

The Bible says, "Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way when you were come forth out of Egypt." Now he's fixing to tell you what Amalek did. "How he met thee, by the way, and smote behind most of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary, and ye feared not God." So here's Amalek, who's ambushing the children of Israel, smiting the weak and the feeble, fears not God. Look in verse 19. "Therefore it shall be when the Lord thy God hath given thee rest from all thine enemies round about, in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, for it inheritances possess it, that thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. Thou shalt not forget it." Now God says, look here, after you get in the land, what do you do? You make war against Amalek. You never forget it. How long did the children of Israel wander in the wilderness? 40 years? It doesn't sound like this is a defensive war to me.

This is an offensive war 40 years after the fact. Look in your Bibles to Genesis chapter 15. Here's a passage that is an excellent illustration of an offensive war. Genesis chapter 15. Everyone knows the story about how the children of Israel went down into Egypt and were there for 400 years. But look what God tells Abram. Genesis 15, and let's begin reading there with verse 13.

Scripture Reading — Genesis 15:13-16

"And He said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them, and they shall afflict them four hundred years. And also that nation whom they shall serve will I judge, and afterwards shall they come out with great substance."

"And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace, and thou shalt be buried in a good old age. But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full." Now, wait a minute. Here's what God said. God said, "Abram, your people are going to go down into Egypt and they're going to be there for four hundred years. And I'm going to bring them out. And I'm going to judge that nation when I bring them out. But I'm going to do something more than that. When I bring them out, I'm going to put a sword in their hand and say, kill all of these Amorites. For the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full." Now, the amazing thing is that God gave them 400 years. God waited 400 years. But when the cup of their iniquity was full, God told His people, "Go in and slay every one of them. Kill them all."

Now, that's certainly not a defensive war. That's an offensive. Let me just tell you something. I had someone ask me a question like this this week. Someone says, "I don't see how God could just send His people in to dispossess someone else and to take their land from them and to take their homes from them." First of all, the land was not theirs, it belongs to God. "The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the world and they that dwell therein." Let me ask you, if you owned rental properties, and you had families in your rental houses that would not pay you rent, not just for one month, but consistently and constantly, they failed to pay for six months, would you allow them to stay in your rental properties? Would you have the right to kick them out because they did not give you your rent? Would you?

Well, of course you would. Well, I've got news for you folks. Even the heathen owe God. They owe Him glory. They owe Him praise. They owe Him worship. They owe Him tithes. And when they refuse to pay, God has an absolute right to dispossess them and put someone else in there that will give Him His rent. And that's exactly what he did to those nations. You see, not all war is wrong. Defensive wars are just and some offensive wars are just and right as well. Listen folks, all of the wars of Canaan were offensive wars, because when they got into Canaan land, the children of Israel took their sword and dispossessed all of those people and took their land and took their homes. That was an offensive war.

They were on the attack. They were not defending. Now, if you take the attitude, as some people do, "Well, all war is wrong. Period." If that is your attitude, then you have very serious theological problems. Well, how can you have very serious theological problems? The answer is because God not only uses war. The truth is that God himself is a warrior. I want you to look in your Bibles to the book of Exodus chapter 15. Exodus chapter 15.

And notice if you would please verse 3. Exodus 15, verse 3. Look what the Bible says. Exodus 15, verse 3.

God Is a Warrior

Weaver demonstrates from Exodus, Isaiah, and Revelation that God is a man of war, Christ makes war, and the calling of a warrior is holy when aligned with God's law.

Now, if you take the attitude, as some people do, "Well, all war is wrong. Period." If that is your attitude, then you have very serious theological problems. Well, how can you have very serious theological problems? The answer is because God not only uses war. The truth is that God himself is a warrior. I want you to look in your Bibles to the book of Exodus chapter 15. Exodus chapter 15.

And notice if you would please verse 3. Exodus 15, verse 3. Look what the Bible says. Exodus 15, verse 3.

Now remember, someone says, "Well, all war is wrong. All fighting is wrong." Well, how do you explain this verse?

Scripture Reading — Exodus 15:3

"The Lord is a man of war. The Lord is His name."

The Lord is a man of war. Well, if all war is wrong, if all fighting is wrong, how can he who is the sinless sovereign of the universe be a man of war? Look in Exodus chapter 17 and verse 16. Exodus 17 and verse 16. Look at this verse. "For he said, Because the Lord has sworn that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation." The Lord is a man of war, and God said, "I'm going to be fighting from generation to generation against Amalek." Look in your Bibles to Isaiah 42. Isaiah 42. And notice, if you would please, verse 13. Isaiah 42, verse 13. We've seen that God is a God of war. We've seen that God has said He's going to have war with Amalek from generation to generation. Now, in Isaiah 42 and verse 13, look at what the Bible says.

Talking about God now. Isaiah 42, verse 13, "The Lord shall go forth as a mighty man. He shall stir up jealousy like a man of war. He shall cry, yea, roar! He shall prevail against His enemies." Now, if you think all war is wrong and fighting is wrong, then you have serious theological problems because God is a man of war and God fights. God attacks His enemies. Neither war nor warriors are evil in and of themselves. The calling of a warrior is a holy calling if the warrior fights for God and in accordance with God's law.

Listen to this statement, please. God does not raise up antinomian warriors. He does not raise up warriors against His law, but He does raise up warriors who fight according to His law. Those who fight must fight according to His word. Again, if someone says, "Well, all war and all warriors and all fighting is wrong." Well, if you're going to take that position again, you've got very serious theological problems. Why? Look in your Bibles to the book of Revelation chapter 6. Revelation chapter 6. And notice, if you would please, verse 2 to begin with. Revelation 6 verse 2. Revelation 6 verse 2. In fact, we can read verse 1. Look what is happening. Revelation 6, verse 1, "And I saw when the Lamb, the Lord Jesus, opened one of the seals, and I heard as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. And I saw, and behold, a white horse, and he that sat on him had a bow, and a crown was given unto him, and he went forth conquering, and to conquer."

This is none other than Christ himself. Now, let me just show you. How do I know that this is Christ? Well, the Bible is consistent. And if you look in Revelation chapter 19 and verse 11, you will find the identification of this man who's sitting on the white horse who goes forth conquering and to conquer. Revelation Chapter 19, notice if you would please, verse 11, the Bible says,

Scripture Reading — Revelation 19:11

"And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse, and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True,"

that's Christ,

Scripture Reading — Revelation 19:11

"and in righteousness he doth judge and make war."

What does our Lord do? He makes war. He's a fighter. He's a warrior. He's a conqueror. So the first thing when David said, "It is God who teaches me to war." We've got to learn that war and fighting are not inherently evil. Here's the second thing we learned from Psalm 18 and verse 34. It is just right and good to teach the martial arts to others and especially our children. Notice, if you would, what David said, "It is God who teacheth my hands to war." Now, here's my second point. It is just right and good to teach the martial arts to others and especially to our children. In order to validate this point, I need only ask one question.

It Is Right to Teach Martial Arts to Others

Weaver asserts that since God taught David to fight, parents should teach their children the proper use of force, distinguishing physical skills from pagan religions, and noting that God left enemies in the land to teach Israel war.

Are we to emulate our Heavenly Father? And the answer is yes. Well, what did our heavenly father do? Our heavenly father taught one of his children, David, the art of war. David said, "He teacheth my hands to war."

Now, let me tell you, the Hebrew word for "teacheth" is the word "Lamad," which means to instruct, to teach, to teach diligently, expertly, skillfully and to be trained. Thus, what David is actually saying in Psalm 18, verse 34, is it is God who expertly and skillfully trained me in war. Well, if God can teach His child to fight, can we not teach our children to fight? I'm going to explain that. But I want to show you how thorough God was in teaching David. Turn over to Psalm 144 and look at verse one. Psalm 144 and verse one. Notice, if you would, Psalm 144 and verse one. I love this verse, David says it like this, "Blessed be the Lord, my strength, who teacheth my hands to war and my fingers to fight." Now notice what he said. He teacheth my hands to war and my fingers to fight. So it was not only God who taught David to fight. Are you listening? I might add, he taught David to use every member of his body in fighting because he said, "He teacheth my hands to war and my fingers to fight."

There is even a proper use of fingers in fighting. The truth is that we need to teach our children the biblical and proper use of force. Our children need to know how to safely handle weapons, how to defend themselves, their families and their neighbors. There is nothing wrong with learning to fight. Let me point something out. I said we need to teach our children the proper use of force. If we do not teach them the proper use of force, I can assure you the TV and the movies and the video games will teach them the improper use of force.

When I say that there's nothing wrong with fighting and learning to fight, I certainly am not endorsing the Eastern religions and their meditative techniques. Yet let me point out that the purely physical acts of judo and karate and other martial arts are not evil in and of themselves. The physical fighting skills are not wrong. The pagan and the heathen religions may be wrong, but the ability to fight is not wrong. What did the Apostle Paul say in 1 Timothy chapter 4 and verse 8? Listen carefully. He said,

Scripture Reading — 1 Timothy 4:8

"For bodily exercise profiteth little, but godliness is profitable in all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come."

Now listen to what he said. Bodily exercise profiteth little. It may only profit little, but it profits some. So there's nothing wrong with learning to fight. Calvin rightly points out, and let me just give you his quote, listen carefully, that all the skillfulness and art in training men for war, the use of armor in marshalling of armies, informing sieges and all other military tactics are all from God. Wow.

Do you know one of the reasons why God allowed some of Israel's enemies to remain in the land? You remember Israel did not slay all of their enemies. Nor did they drive them all out. Some lived amongst them in the land. Do you know one of the reasons why God allowed some to stay in the land? Let me show you. Look in your Bibles to the book of Judges chapter 3.

Here it is spelled out for you in black and white. The Book of Judges, chapter 3, and let's begin reading there with verse 1. Judges, chapter 3, verse 1.

Scripture Reading — Judges 3:1-2

"Now these are the nations which the Lord left to prove Israel by them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan."

Watch this. There were some now who were not involved in the war. Time has elapsed. So they were not involved in the war. They never got in any of the fighting. Watch verse 2.

Scripture Reading — Judges 3:1-2

"Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know to teach them war at the least such as before knew nothing thereof."

God said, "I'm going to leave a few enemies in the land so that your children and your children's children who never knew anything about fighting a war, I'm going to leave them there to teach you how to fight, to teach you the art of war, to keep you on your toes, to keep your powder dry." That's what he's saying.

Now let me ask you a question. If God places a premium on training in the art of war, if God places a premium on the ability to fight, why do we think so little concerning it? Why are we so reticent about learning to fight and defend ourselves? I can ask another question. Why do most profession Christians somehow think that weapons and weaponry are evil in and of themselves? "Oh, I'd never touch a rifle. Oh, I'd never touch a pistol. Oh, don't bring that sword in my house." Why do we think that something inanimate is evil? Are you listening? Evil is not in weaponry. I don't care what kind of weapon you're talking about. Evil is in the hearts of men. An AR-15, an AK-47, a .50 caliber rifle, those are only tools just like a hoe and a shovel are tools. They're not evil in and of themselves. It is how you use that tool that makes it either good or evil. But the evil does not come from the tool. It comes from the man using it out of his evil, wicked heart. There's no weapon this evil in and of itself, period.

God said that to let these enemies in the land that his people might learn to fight. Let me give you another quote. Listen to what Charles Haddon Spurgeon said on verse 34 when David said, "It is God who taught me." Here's what Spurgeon said, "Martial powers and skill in the use of weapons are gratefully acknowledged to be the result of divine teaching. No sacrifice is offered at the shrine of self in praise of natural dexterity or acquired skillfulness. But regarding all warlike powers as a gift of heavenly favor, thankfulness is presented to the giver. The Holy Spirit is the great drillmaster of heavenly soldiers." God is the great drillmaster. He is the great teacher. So what is David doing in Psalm 18 and verse 34? He said, "It is God

God Sanctifies War by Using and Empowering His People

Weaver shows that God delivered Israel by war, initiated many wars, and empowered warriors like Joshua, Caleb, Othniel, and the heroes of faith, sanctifying war through His involvement.

Thirdly, I want to point out that God sanctifies war not only by using it himself, but also by enabling and empowering his people in war. Let me ask you a question. Don't answer out loud, but just think about this. How did God deliver the children of Israel from Egypt? What was the means that he used? I want you to look back in your Bibles to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 4, and let me give you the answer from the scripture. What means did God use to deliver the children of Israel from Egypt? Look in Deuteronomy 4 and verse 34. Deuteronomy 4, verse 34. Notice Scripture says, "Or hath God assayed to go and take him a nation from the midst of another nation by temptations, by signs, and by wonders, and by war, and by a mighty hand and a stretched out arm, and by great terrors, according to all the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes." What did God use to deliver the children of Israel? War. He made war upon the false gods of Egypt.

He made war upon Pharaoh and his army. He destroyed them. And God said, "I used war." Now, let's ask a question. Does God use war? The answer is most definitely yes. He uses war to destroy his enemies and to deliver his people. Let me show you. Turn in your Bibles to 1 Chronicles chapter 5 and verse 22. 1 Chronicles chapter 5 verse 22. 1 Chronicles 5. Notice verse 22.

Here is a passage that is amazing. 1 Chronicles 5 verse 22. Are you there? Here it is.

Scripture Reading — 1 Chronicles 5:22

"For there fell down many slain because the war was of God."

What? There fell down many slain because the war was of God. Does God use war? Well, of course he does. He did when he delivered the children of Israel out of Egypt. He used it here in 1 Chronicles. He used it innumerable times.

Let me ask you a question. And I know you don't know the answer to this, and I'm asking just so I can show you. How many wars did God initiate? How many wars did God commence? How many wars did God begin? You say, "Well, I don't know the exact number." No, neither do I. But I do want you to look. In the book of Numbers chapter 21 and verse 14, I will tell you. Although I do not know the exact number of how many wars God commenced and initiated and began, I can tell you that there was a multitude of wars, so much so that there was a book concerning the wars. Notice in the book of Numbers chapter 21 and verse 14, the Bible says, "Wherefore it is said in the book of the wars of the Lord what it is in Red Sea and in the books of Arnon." Notice, "Wherefore it is said in the book of the wars of the Lord." Wars is plural and there was enough for a book.

Does God use war? The answer is yes. God not only sanctifies war by using himself, and I finished this point by saying, but he also enables and empowers his people in war. I'm sure that you're well aware of how God empowered his people on numerous occasions. But I want you to think specifically of the promise that God gave Joshua. In Joshua 1 in verse 9. When God says to Joshua, "Have not I commanded thee?

Be strong and of good courage. Be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed, for the Lord thy God is with thee, whithersoever thou goest." What was Joshua about to do? He is about to lead the people into Canaan land and fight against the enemies of God. Do you remember that passage in Joshua chapter 5? It's found in verses 13 through 15 when Joshua saw a man standing with a sword drawn. And of course, that man was none other than our Lord Himself. And when Joshua saw the man standing with a sword drawn, he asked Him, "Art thou for us or for our adversaries?" Do you remember the answer? The man said, "Neither, but as captain of the Lord's host am I now come. Take off my shoes. The ground whereon thou standest is holy ground." And there stood our Lord with a sword and our Lord said, "I have come as captain of the host of the Lord." I want you to look in the book of Joshua chapter 14.

Turn right over if you would. Joshua 14 just showing you how God empowers and strengthens his people during time of war. You'll remember that Joshua and Caleb were the two men that brought back the good report. All the others brought back an evil report when they went to check out Canaan land. And all those other evil men died, but Joshua said, Caleb and Joshua, they're going to be the men who go in. So look, if you would please, in Joshua chapter 14, verse 11, look at what Caleb said. In fact, let's read verse 10. Caleb says this, "And now, behold, the Lord hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty-five years, ever since the Lord spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness. And now, lo, I am this day eighty-five years old, and as yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me, as my strength was then, even so is my strength now for war.

Both to go out and to come in." I got news for you. I would not have wanted to have fought that 85-year-old man. Joshua said, "I'm just as strong and as able to fight now at 85 as I was at 40." Why? Because God enabled him. God empowered him. Look in the book of Judges, turn right over, Joshua Judges, Judges chapter three, look at verse 10. This is what is said of Othniel, Caleb's nephew. Notice Judges chapter three and verse 10. Judges three, verse 10. Judges three, verse 10. "And the spirit of the Lord came upon him." Whoa, wait a minute now. Notice God is sanctifying war by using, by enabling, by empowering his people. "And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him at his Othniel, and he judged Israel and went out to war. And the Lord delivered Cushan-rishathaim, king of Mesopotamia, into his hand, and his hand prevailed against Cushan-rishathaim." Notice, if you would, the Spirit of the Lord came upon him. And when the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, what did he do? He went out to war. When the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, he went out to war, and when he went out to war, God delivered the enemies into his hand.

I could multiply illustrations, but turn to Hebrews 11. Turn to that chapter of faith. Everyone loves this passage. Hebrews chapter 11. We're talking about men of faith, but let me show you something that we often overlook concerning these men of faith. Look in Hebrews chapter 11. And let's begin reading there with verse 32. Hebrews 11 verse 32. Watch now. Hebrews 11 verse 32. "And what shall I more say?

For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthah, of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets. Now look who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens." What were these men of faith doing? They were fighting. They were making war. And what was God doing? God was enabling them, empowering them. And the author of the book of Hebrews said, "Time would fail me to tell how God blessed and helped these men." God does indeed sanctify war by using it. And by enabling and empowering his people in times of war. Here's my fourth point today, when David said, "God teacheth my hands to war. So much so that a bow of steel is broken in my arms." The fourth thing is this. War is a fact and reality of life in a fallen, sinful world.

War Is a Reality in a Fallen World

Weaver emphasizes that war is inevitable due to sin, citing Ecclesiastes and Matthew 24, and urges preparation rather than passive hope, while avoiding the extremes of denying means or trusting means without God.

Let me say that again. War is a fact and reality of life in a sinful, fallen world. There is no escaping this simple fact. Scripture declares in Ecclesiastes 3 in verse 8, "A time to love and a time to hate, a time of war and a time of peace." What did he said? There's going to be a time of war. Do you know what our Lord said in Matthew 24 in verse 6? He said this, "You shall hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you may not trouble. For all of these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet." What is the Lord saying? As long as you're around, there's going to be wars. Don't get upset about it. It's a fact of life. It's a simple reality. Men are sinful. Men are depraved. There are going to be wars. We know, or at least we should know, because of man's fallen, depraved nature, that there's going to be wars and rebellions.

Now, let me ask you, if we know based upon our Lord's own words there's going to be wars and rebellions, would it not be advisable? Would it not be the part of common sense as well as scriptural sense to prepare and be able to defend ourselves to know how to fight? Let me ask the question other way. We could ask this question like this. Would it not be absolutely foolish and senseless to sit around and just hope that nothing ever happens to us? "Oh, we know it's out there, but it's never, ever going to touch me." That's the height of stupidity. If we know what's out there, we need to be prepared ourselves, and I've got news for you folks. Inevitably, it's going to touch us. It'll touch our families. It'll touch our church. It'll touch our nation. Our Lord has declared the reality of war. Shall we sit back and abdicate our responsibility? We must know how to fight. Whether or not we ever need to fight. Listen. I pray that I will never have to fight.

But I'll tell you this. I had rather know how to fight and never need it and never use it, then to need it and not have the ability to fight. I don't want to be backed into a corner. I'm not interested in hurting anyone. I have no desire to hurt anybody. I don't care who it is. I have no desire to hurt anyone. But I'm not interested in anyone hurting me either. I'm not interested in anyone hurting my family. And by the grace and power of God, I'd rather know how to fight and never need it than to be backed into a corner and wish I knew what to do.

Let me show you something. I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Jeremiah chapter 51. And I want you to see what God said concerning his people. Jeremiah 51. And then let me ask you a question based upon this verse. Find Jeremiah 51. I want everyone to see this. Jeremiah 51. Now look in verse. Let's read verse 19, that's not the verse, but I'm going to read this first.

"The portion of Jacob is not like them," that is, we're not like the wicked. "For he," God, "is the former of all things, and Israel is the rod of his inheritance. The Lord opposes his name." Look what God says concerning his people. "Thou art my battle axe and weapons of war. For with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms. With thee will I break in pieces the horse and the rider, and with thee will I break in pieces the chariot and the rider. With thee also will I break in pieces the man and the woman, and with thee will I break in pieces old and young, and with thee will I break in pieces the young man and the maid. I will also break in pieces with thee the shepherd of his flock," and he goes on down the line. Notice what he said in verse 20 to his people. "Thou art my battle axe and my weapons of war." Here's my question. What kind of battle axe are you?

Now, I'm not talking about my mother-in-law. She said it's smart that I don't talk about her like that. What kind of battleaxe? What kind of weapon of war? What kind of ability do you have to fight or defend yourself or your family? God said, "They aren't my battleaxe. They aren't my weapons of war. And with you, I'm going to subdue kingdoms. I'm going to do this. I'm going to do that." Well, what kind of battleaxe are you? What kind of weapons of war are you?

Now let me point out this. Most Christians, when it comes to war or fighting or self-defense, fall into either one or two errors. This is very important, so please listen. We either, on the one hand, deny the means, or on the other hand, deny the power that makes the means effectual. One of two errors that most Christians normally fall into. You either on the one hand deny the means, or on the other hand, you deny the power that makes the means effectual. Now let me explain. Denial of the means simply means this. That there is a denial of the fact and of the reality that we need to know how to shoot, how to fight, how to defend ourselves.

God has given us the responsibility to defend our personal lives, our families, our church, our neighbors. But you know what most Christians do? Most Christians are not interested in learning how to fight or how to shoot or how to do anything. They sit there and they say, "I'm trusting in the Lord to protect me." Well, for all practical purposes, they are practicing pacifists. Although they may deny it intellectually, they say that they are trusting in God to defend them, but they will not lift a finger to defend themselves. That is a denial of the means. God has given us a scriptural right and common sense. On the other hand, there are other Christians and other people who are more than willing to use the means that God has ordained. Yet what they do is they trust in the means instead of the God who makes those means effectual. Do you realize that no weapon is sufficient without divine influence and protection?

I've told you this before and I will tell you again. You could have two shotguns in each corner of your bedroom. You could have an AR-15 laying on your dresser drawer, and you can have .357 Magnums under your pillar. If somebody breaks in on you, if God does not awaken you in time or enable you to shoot straight, none of those weapons are going to help you at all. You understand that? What we have forgotten is this. We have forgotten the proverb in Proverbs 21, verse 31, when the Bible says, "The horse is prepared against the day of battle, but safety is of the Lord." If God doesn't protect us, we're not protected. We have forgotten. Yes, it is true that Israel of old fought with their weapons. They did actually fight. They used their weapons. But it was not their weapons that delivered them. It was God who delivered them, for God fought for them.

Let me give you just three very quick passages. Look in your Bibles to Deuteronomy chapter 3. Deuteronomy 3. And notice, if you would, verse 22. Deuteronomy 3, verse 22. Look what God says. Tells His people concerning their enemies, "You shall not fear them." Why? "For the Lord your God, He shall fight for you." For the Lord your God, He shall fight for you. Turn over to Deuteronomy 20 and look if you would please at verse 4. Deuteronomy 20 and verse 4. Here again, God says it like this. "For the Lord your God is He that goeth with you to fight for you against your enemies to save you."

Did Israel use their weapons? Yes. Who went with them? God. Who fought for them? God. Who empowered them? Who enabled them? God.

Now, I want you to look in Psalm 44, because these two things are put together. Look in Psalm 44, and let's begin reading there with verse 3. Psalm 44, verse 3. Here it is. Psalm 44, verse 3. In fact, let's read verse 1. Come on, it's a simple passage. The psalmist said, "We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us what work thou didst in their days and times of old." In other words, we heard about all those miracles that you did. Look in verse 2, "How thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantest them," that is, Israel, "and how thou didst afflict the people," that is, the enemies, "and cast them out. For they," Israel, "got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own right arm save them, but thy right hand and thine arm in the light of thy countenance, because thou hast a favor unto them. Thou art my king, O God, command deliverances for Jacob." Now, here it is.

Did Israel fight? Yes. Was it their sword? Was it their bow and arrow that delivered them? No. It was God. God made those weapons effectual. God used those means to deliver His people and to destroy His enemies.

Now, let's go back to verse 4. Let me read just a few more verses. Here's what the psalmist is saying in verse 4. "My king, O God, command deliverances for Jacob." In other words, "God, you used to deliver us. You used to empower us. Lord, please do it again." And then he goes on to say, "Through thee we will push down our enemies. Through thy name we will tread them under that rise up against us."

"For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me. But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us. In God we boast all the day long and praise thy name forever." I could read that. I will not trust in my AK-47, my AR-15. I will not trust in my tank. I will not trust in my jet. For thou art he that saved us. And God will boast in thee all the day long. In other words, it's God who makes those weapons effectual. We must not separate what God has joined together. God has joined together the use of means and His blessing and power upon those means that will make them effectual. If you trust in the means alone, you're wrong. If you trust in God without the means, you're still wrong. You must use the means that God has ordained and seek His blessing and power upon them. One last point. The fifth one very quickly.

No Permanent Peace Until Christ Returns

Weaver explains that only Christ's return will bring lasting peace, referencing Micah 4, and warns against disarming prematurely, urging readiness for physical and spiritual conflict.

There will not be any permanent peace until the Prince of Peace returns. Yes, there may be times of temporary peace, but no permanent peace. God does, at times, give temporary peace. Let me just show you. He did so for Jehoshaphat. In 2 Chronicles 17 and verse 10, the Bible says this, "And the fear of the Lord fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Judah, so that no man made war against Jehoshaphat." God can, indeed, give us a temporary peace. He gave a temporary peace to Solomon. In 1 Kings 4, verse 24, we read, "For he," Solomon, "had dominion over all the region on this side of the river, from Tiphsah even to Azzah, over all the kings on this side of the river, and he had peace on all sides round about him." What did God do? God marvelously and miraculously gave him peace. Now, there's a principle, and I've enunciated it before, found in Proverbs 16, verse 7, "When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him."

Yes, God can give a temporary peace. In fact, the Bible says in Psalm 46 in verse 9, "He," God, "maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth. He breaketh the bow and cutteth the spear and thunder. He burneth the chariot in the fire." Yes, and God has given us some temporary peace in this land, in our time. But I got news for you. There's been nothing but constant war for the last hundred years. And some parts of the world. Constant, consistent war.

Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles to the little book of Micah. Micah chapter 4. One of the minor prophets. Right after the book of Jonah, you'll find the book of Micah. And the book of Nahum is right under after Micah, so Micah, chapter four. Here's the fifth and final point that I was enunciating to you. There will not be any peace, any permanent peace until the Prince of Peace returns. Now look at Micah, chapter four. At verse three. Look at what the Bible says. Micah 4 verse 3.

"And he," that is Christ, "shall judge among many people and rebuke strong nations afar off, and they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nations shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more." When our Lord returns, you may safely beat your weapons into plowshares. But I can assure you, if before He returns and fully and completely and totally establishes His Kingdom, if before He does that, you beat your weapons into plowshares, you will be plowing for those who didn't. Now. Until our Lord returns, we must expect wars and rebellions. And in this day and time in our country, with all the confusion and anarchy and chaos that's going on and will probably continue, you better know how to fight and how to defend yourself and your family. We may never be the warrior that David was, and that's fine, because God does not call everyone to be a warrior like David. He does, however, call each one of us to fulfill our responsibility and our obligation to be fully prepared in every area of our life. We don't have to be a David. I could probably never be a David. I'm too old to be a David.

Applications: Recovering Martial Spirit and Spiritual Warfare

Weaver laments the loss of martial spirit among Christian men, calls for godly courage like Lee and Jackson, and connects physical unwillingness to fight with spiritual weakness, ending with a prayer for God to teach us to fight.

But let me tell you something, folks. I've got two implications, and I want you to listen carefully. Here's the first one. One of our greatest weaknesses as the people of God is that we have lost all of our martial spirit. There was a song you used to hear all the time, "Onward Christian soldiers, marching as to war, with the cross of Jesus going on before." But we have lost all of our martial spirit. Our men, both young and old, have been feminized and sanitized and neutralized. In this day and time, most Christian men will not stand for anything. And therefore, they will fall for everything. We will not resist temptation and sin and corruption in our personal lives, our family lives, our ecclesiastical lives, or even our national life. We are not only afraid to fight, we don't even know how to fight. And the scariest thing is, we've lost our will to fight. Certainly, without endorsing him or his values, to give you a quote by Arnold Schwarzenegger, "We've become a nation of girly men." And you know, that's the truth. You know, that's the absolute truth.

And happily, our young people are willing to fight. But they're willing to fight the wrong people and for the wrong reason. And they really don't know how to fight biblically or scripturally. And so, what they fight are their parents and their teachers. I want you to think about this, folks. It was Taylor Caldwell who said, "The strongest sign of the decay of a nation is the feminization of the men and the masculinization of the women." We need to pray that God would give us men like Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson who combined godliness with a martial spirit. Here's a second application. The principles of warfare apply both the physical and spiritual warfare. Listen carefully. I am afraid that those who do not know how to fight physically may not understand how to fight spiritually, since there is a correlation between attitude and action. If we are unwilling to fight physically in order to defend ourselves and others, will we not be unwilling to fight to defend ourselves spiritually?

A man who will quickly and easily and readily give in to the wicked and corrupt demands of evil men in all probability does not have the courage or determination to resist temptation and wickedness and sin in his personal life. The principles of self-defense apply physically, but they also apply spiritually. Remember, the Apostle Paul said something about Satan. He said, "For we're not ignorant of his devices, we're not ignorant of his tactics."

But the truth is, most people are. And if we're unwilling to fight physically, in all probability will be unable to fight spiritually. So our prayer should be like David's. Our prayer should be, "Lord, teach us to fight." As you taught David, teach us physically, yes, but spiritually as well. So that a bow of steel is broken in our arms. In other words, we have the power and the ability given to us by God to withstand the greatest temptations and the greatest corruptions, personally, physically, and spiritually. Lord, teach us to fight. Let's pray. Father, we ask in the name of Jesus Christ today that you would indeed teach us as you taught David. Give us once again, Lord, a biblical attitude that we might have a biblical action. Teach us, Lord, the importance of learning to fight in every area of life. Make us holy. Make us godly.

And may we learn to fight only upon Your terms, in accordance with Your law, that we may be scriptural and honoring unto Thee. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray, Amen.

Study Guide

Major Themes

The Nature of War and Fighting

Summary: War and fighting are not inherently evil; God teaches and uses war, and there are just wars, both defensive and offensive, according to Scripture.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'war and fighting are not inherently evil' and cites God teaching David's hands to war, the sixth commandment's implication of self-defense, and God-ordained offensive wars in Numbers 31 and Deuteronomy 25.

God as Warrior and Teacher

Summary: God is a man of war who fights for His people, teaches them martial skills, and empowers them in battle, making Him the ultimate drillmaster.

Evidence: Weaver quotes Exodus 15:3, 'The Lord is a man of war,' and Psalm 144:1, 'who teacheth my hands to war and my fingers to fight,' and cites Spurgeon calling the Holy Spirit 'the great drillmaster of heavenly soldiers.'

Biblical Obligation for Self-Defense and Training

Summary: Christians have a duty to preserve life, teach children to fight, and be prepared for physical conflict, as God ordained means of defense.

Evidence: Weaver argues from Deuteronomy 22 that those who hear a cry for help must act, and from Judges 3 that God left enemies to teach Israel war, concluding 'we need to teach our children the biblical and proper use of force.'

The Two Errors: Denying Means or Denying God's Power

Summary: Christians often err by either refusing to use physical means of defense (pacifism) or trusting in weapons without relying on God who makes them effectual.

Evidence: Weaver explains, 'Denial of the means simply means... we need to know how to shoot, how to fight... On the other hand, there are other Christians... they trust in the means instead of the God who makes those means effectual.'

The Inevitability of War Until Christ's Return

Summary: War is a constant reality in a fallen world; permanent peace will only come when the Prince of Peace establishes His kingdom.

Evidence: Weaver cites Ecclesiastes 3:8, Matthew 24:6, and Micah 4:3, warning, 'if before He returns... you beat your weapons into plowshares, you will be plowing for those who didn't.'

Loss of Martial Spirit and Its Spiritual Consequences

Summary: Modern Christian men have been feminized and lost the will to fight physically, which correlates with an inability to fight spiritually against sin and temptation.

Evidence: Weaver laments, 'Our men, both young and old, have been feminized and sanitized and neutralized... we've lost our will to fight,' and connects this to spiritual warfare: 'if we're unwilling to fight physically, in all probability will be unable to fight spiritually.'

Key Arguments

War is not inherently evil because God teaches and commands it

Summary: Since God taught David to war and cannot tempt to evil, war cannot be inherently evil; Scripture records God-ordained offensive wars.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'God is not going to teach any man to do that which is wicked and wrong in and of itself,' and cites Numbers 31 and Deuteronomy 25 as offensive wars commanded by God.

Self-defense is a biblical obligation rooted in the sixth commandment

Summary: The command 'Thou shalt not kill' implies a positive duty to preserve life, making self-defense and defense of others obligatory.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'The Sixth Commandment... has the policy Thou shalt preserve life. That means you must preserve your life and you must preserve the lives of others.'

God uses war as a means of judgment and deliverance

Summary: God delivered Israel from Egypt by war, initiated wars against the Amorites and Amalek, and is called a man of war, sanctifying war as His instrument.

Evidence: Weaver points to Deuteronomy 4:34, 'by war, and by a mighty hand,' and Exodus 15:3, 'The Lord is a man of war,' and Genesis 15:16 where God waits for Amorite iniquity to be full before commanding their destruction.

Parents should teach children martial skills as God taught David

Summary: If God expertly trained David in war, it is right for parents to teach their children to fight, using means God has ordained.

Evidence: Weaver asks, 'If God can teach His child to fight, can we not teach our children to fight?' and cites Psalm 144:1 and Judges 3:1-2.

Weapons are not evil; evil resides in the human heart

Summary: Inanimate objects like rifles or swords are tools; their moral quality depends on the user's heart, not the object itself.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'Evil is not in weaponry... Evil is in the hearts of men. An AR-15, an AK-47... are only tools just like a hoe and a shovel are tools.'

Christians must avoid both pacifism and self-reliance in defense

Summary: The biblical balance is to use means of defense while trusting God to make them effectual, as seen in Psalm 44:3-6.

Evidence: Weaver explains, 'If you trust in the means alone, you're wrong. If you trust in God without the means, you're still wrong. You must use the means that God has ordained and seek His blessing and power upon them.'

Physical and spiritual warfare are correlated

Summary: Unwillingness to fight physically likely indicates an inability to fight spiritually, as both require courage and determination.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'A man who will quickly and easily and readily give in to the wicked and corrupt demands of evil men in all probability does not have the courage or determination to resist temptation and wickedness and sin in his personal life.'

Scripture References

Psalm 18:34

Context: The primary text: 'He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken in mine arms.'

Psalm 18:29-33

Context: Weaver reads verses 29-33 to set the context of God enabling David in battle.

1 Samuel 18:7

Context: Cited to show David's prowess: 'Saul has slain his thousands and David his tens of thousands.'

Job 36:22

Context: Used to emphasize God's unique teaching ability: 'Behold, God, exalted by his power, who teacheth like him?'

James 1:13

Context: Cited to argue God does not tempt to evil, so His teaching of war cannot be evil.

Deuteronomy 22:23-27

Context: Used to demonstrate the obligation to preserve innocent life and the duty to respond to cries for help.

Numbers 31:1-3

Context: Example of God commanding an offensive war against the Midianites.

Deuteronomy 25:17-19

Context: God commands Israel to blot out Amalek long after the initial attack, an offensive war.

Genesis 15:13-16

Context: God tells Abram his descendants will dispossess the Amorites when their iniquity is full, an offensive war.

Exodus 15:3

Context: Declares 'The Lord is a man of war,' supporting that war is not inherently evil.

Exodus 17:16

Context: God swears war against Amalek from generation to generation.

Isaiah 42:13

Context: Describes God going forth as a mighty man of war, crying and prevailing.

Revelation 6:2

Context: Christ on a white horse going forth conquering and to conquer.

Revelation 19:11

Context: Christ called Faithful and True, in righteousness He judges and makes war.

Psalm 144:1

Context: David blesses God who teaches his hands to war and fingers to fight.

1 Timothy 4:8

Context: Bodily exercise profits little, used to support physical training including martial skills.

Judges 3:1-2

Context: God left nations to teach Israel war, showing His premium on martial training.

Deuteronomy 4:34

Context: God delivered Israel by war, signs, and wonders.

1 Chronicles 5:22

Context: Many slain because the war was of God.

Numbers 21:14

Context: Mentions the 'book of the wars of the Lord,' indicating many wars God initiated.

Historical References

David's slaying of Goliath and his reputation as a warrior

Context: Weaver recounts David's feats: slaying a lion and bear as a shepherd, killing Goliath, and being celebrated for slaying tens of thousands.

Sesostris, king of Egypt

Context: Contrasted with David: Sesostris boasted in his own strength, while David credited God for his martial skills.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon's commentary on Psalm 18:34

Context: Spurgeon is quoted: 'Martial powers and skill in the use of weapons are gratefully acknowledged to be the result of divine teaching... The Holy Spirit is the great drillmaster of heavenly soldiers.'

John Calvin's view on military skill

Context: Weaver paraphrases Calvin: 'all the skillfulness and art in training men for war... are all from God.'

Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson

Context: Held up as examples of men who combined godliness with a martial spirit.

Taylor Caldwell quote

Context: Quoted: 'The strongest sign of the decay of a nation is the feminization of the men and the masculinization of the women.'

Arnold Schwarzenegger quote

Context: Quoted: 'We've become a nation of girly men,' used to illustrate loss of martial spirit, though Weaver does not endorse his values.

Important Quotes

He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken in mine arms.

Significance: The central verse of the sermon, establishing that God is the source of David's martial skill.

War and fighting are not inherently evil.

Significance: The foundational thesis of the sermon, challenging pacifist assumptions.

The Lord is a man of war. The Lord is His name.

Significance: Key proof text that God Himself is a warrior, making war not inherently sinful.

Thou art my battle axe and weapons of war.

Significance: God's description of His people as instruments of war, implying a call to martial readiness.

If you trust in the means alone, you're wrong. If you trust in God without the means, you're still wrong. You must use the means that God has ordained and seek His blessing and power upon them.

Significance: The balanced biblical approach to self-defense, avoiding both pacifism and self-reliance.

I had rather know how to fight and never need it and never use it, then to need it and not have the ability to fight.

Significance: Practical wisdom on preparedness, reflecting the sermon's emphasis on training.

Our men, both young and old, have been feminized and sanitized and neutralized.

Significance: A sharp critique of the loss of martial spirit in the modern church.

Lord, teach us to fight.

Significance: The concluding prayer and title of the sermon, encapsulating the plea for divine instruction in both physical and spiritual warfare.

Discussion Questions

How does the sixth commandment imply a duty of self-defense, and what are the limits of that duty?

Context: Weaver argues that 'Thou shalt not kill' includes the positive command to preserve life, making self-defense obligatory.

What biblical examples of offensive war challenge the idea that all war is wrong, and how do we reconcile them with God's character?

Context: Weaver cites Numbers 31, Deuteronomy 25, and Genesis 15 as God-ordained offensive wars.

In what ways does God's identity as a warrior (Exodus 15:3, Revelation 19:11) shape our understanding of the Christian's relationship to conflict?

Context: Weaver emphasizes that God is a man of war and Christ makes war, sanctifying the warrior calling.

How can parents practically teach their children the 'biblical and proper use of force' without endorsing pagan philosophies or violence for its own sake?

Context: Weaver advocates teaching martial arts while distinguishing physical skills from Eastern religions.

What does it mean to avoid both 'denying the means' and 'denying the power that makes the means effectual' in personal and national defense?

Context: Weaver warns against pacifism and self-reliance, urging use of means with dependence on God.

How does the promise of permanent peace only at Christ's return affect our posture toward current conflicts and disarmament?

Context: Weaver cites Micah 4:3 and warns against beating swords into plowshares prematurely.

What evidence do you see of the 'feminization of men' in the church today, and how can we recover a godly martial spirit?

Context: Weaver laments the loss of martial spirit and calls for men like Lee and Jackson.

How might a lack of willingness to fight physically correlate with spiritual weakness, and what steps can we take to strengthen both?

Context: Weaver argues that physical cowardice likely indicates spiritual cowardice in resisting temptation.

Applications

Learn and teach self-defense skills

Summary: Christians should acquire the ability to defend themselves and their families, and parents should train their children in the proper use of force.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'Our children need to know how to safely handle weapons, how to defend themselves, their families and their neighbors.'

Avoid pacifism and self-reliance

Summary: Believers must neither refuse to use means of defense nor trust in those means apart from God's enabling power.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'If you trust in the means alone, you're wrong. If you trust in God without the means, you're still wrong.'

Prepare for inevitable conflict

Summary: Since war is a reality in a fallen world, Christians should be prepared rather than naively hoping trouble will never come.

Evidence: Weaver warns, 'If we know what's out there, we need to be prepared ourselves... Inevitably, it's going to touch us.'

Recover a godly martial spirit

Summary: Christian men especially should reject feminization and cultivate courage, standing for truth and resisting evil in all spheres.

Evidence: Weaver exhorts, 'We need to pray that God would give us men like Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson who combined godliness with a martial spirit.'

Apply warfare principles to spiritual battles

Summary: The same courage and determination needed for physical self-defense are required to resist temptation and spiritual enemies.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'If we're unwilling to fight physically, in all probability will be unable to fight spiritually.'

Pray for God's teaching in fighting

Summary: Believers should pray, 'Lord, teach us to fight,' seeking divine instruction for both physical and spiritual warfare.

Evidence: Weaver concludes with the prayer, 'Lord, teach us to fight. As you taught David, teach us physically, yes, but spiritually as well.'

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-06T03:55:05Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T16:31:48Z

Clean Transcript

Lord, Teach Us To Fight

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

Let's open our Bibles to Psalm 18 today. We're going to take up where we left off last week, Psalm 18, and verse 34 is where we begin today. Psalm 18, verse 34. Look what David said. In fact, let's go back and begin reading with verse 29. I preached on 29 through 33 last week, but let me just read it, put it in the context. Psalm 18 verse 29.
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"For by thee have I run through a troop, and by my God have I leaped over a wall. As for God, His way is perfect. The word of the Lord is tried. He's a buckler to all those that trust in Him. For who has God saved the Lord? Who is a rock save our God? It is God that girdeth me with strength and maketh my way perfect. He maketh my feet like hinds' feet.
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He set me upon my high places." Now verse 34. "He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken in mine arms." The message today is based upon verse 34, and here is the title, "Lord, Teach Us To Fight."
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Now, very quickly, let me just give you where we've been in Psalm 18 so you can tie this entire psalm together. We begin with verse one. We saw David's determination to love the Lord. He said, "I will love thee, O Lord." And of course, we showed you from Scripture that love is comprised of attitude, affection and action. Those three things are the irreducible minimum. If you have the biblical attitude, you will have biblical affection. If you have a biblical affection, you will always have a biblical action. And then we saw the reasons why David said, "I will love the Lord." We saw first his response under that determination and the reasons, of course, he gave the Lord, "I will love you, Lord, my strength."
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And then he went on to say that the Lord is my rock, my fortress, my deliverer, my God, my strength and whom I trust, my buckler, the horn of my salvation and my high tower. So we looked then at the reasons and showed you all of those names of God and what they implied. And then we looked at David's distress in verses 4 through 6, including verse 3 there. And he said, showed the distress that David was in, which literally made him cry out to God. And then verses 7 through 19, we saw David's deliverer. And that is, of course, how God himself sovereignly, graciously and mercifully delivered David. And then we looked at David's deportment. If you would notice there in Psalm 18, he said this, "The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness in verse 20, according to the cleanness of my hands, hath he recompensed me?"
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And I explained all of that. And we came down then to that last passage in verse 29. And we looked at David's defense where he is saying it's God who enabled him to run through a troop. That is a literal troop of men. God enabled him to run through the troop. God enabled him to leap over a wall to scale the walls to conquer. And then he said it's God who girdeth me with strength. That is, God is buckling on the war harness for David. And it's God who makes his feet like hinds' feet.
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That is, he doesn't slip, not even in high dangerous places. And so God is indeed his buckler.
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Now, today, we're going to come to verse 34, where David says he teaches my hands to war so that a bow of steel is broken in my arms. Now, David was indeed a mighty warrior. There's no two ways about that. In fact, the Bible tells us in 1 Samuel, chapter 18, verse seven, this about David. And the women answered one another as they played and said, "Saul has slain his thousands and David his tens of thousands." So David was quite a warrior. You've got to remember that David as a boy was a shepherd. But of course, David certainly had to protect his father's sheep. And the Bible tells us during that time, as he was a shepherd boy, he did slay a lion and a bear.
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It takes quite a fearless young man to do something like that. But he did slay the lion and the bear. And while he was a young man, when he went to visit his brothers to see how they were doing in the war, that is when he challenged Goliath and Goliath challenged him. And you know the story how he took a sling and a rock and slew Goliath of Gath. And Goliath was a giant by anyone's standard of measurement, that is for sure. Moreover, when it came to war, David was a tactical genius. He was fearless. He was brave. He was courageous.
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He knew how to conduct himself. Now, the question that has to be asked is this. How did a shepherd boy learn all these skills? Where did a shepherd boy acquire all of this knowledge? And David answers that for us in verse 34 when he says, "He," that is God, "teacheth my hands to war." Now watch verse 32. "It is God that girdeth me with strength." Verse 33. "He," God, "maketh my feet like hinds' feet." And now verse 34. "He," God, "teacheth my hands to war so that a bow of steel is broken in mine arms." So it was God then who taught David how to make war. We must admit that David had the greatest teacher in the universe. The Bible tells us in the book of Job, chapter 36 and verse 22, this statement, "Behold, God, exalted by his power, who teacheth like him?"
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I want to tell you, you might forget my sermons, but the ones that God teaches you, you will never forget. You will learn. Who teacheth like God?
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Now, there's a number of truths that we can learn from verse 34. And I want to give you several of them this morning. Notice verse 34, David says, "He teacheth my hands to war so that a bow of steel is broken in my arm." First of all, I want you to note that war and fighting are not inherently evil. War and fighting are not inherently evil. And by inherent, I mean they're not evil in and of themselves. God taught David's hand to war. In war, fighting is a necessity. We know that God is not evil. Neither does God tempt men to do that which is evil. The Bible says in the book of James, chapter 1 and verse 13, "Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God. For God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth He any man." So God is not going to teach any man to do that which is wicked and wrong in and of itself. Now, just simply because war exists does not mean that all war is evil.
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There is such a thing as a just war, as a biblical war, as a godly war, and those wars are not evil. Fighting to defend oneself or fighting to offend another is not evil and cannot be evil. Now, I realize there are a number of people that just condemn all war outright. There are even supposedly Christian people who will make the statement that all war is wicked and evil. But that's not true. In fact, there cries simply this, "war is not the answer." Well, let me just tell you very up front. I grant you that war is not always the answer. But sometimes it is indeed the answer. Is a war of self-defense unlawful, unbiblical, and unjust? And the answer is no. Each person, each family, each church, each nation have the right, the biblical right, of self-defense. Now, let me just point out the fact, whenever we are attacked, we must respond in kind.
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By that I mean this, when King Ahab attacked Elijah and he said to Elijah, "Art thou he that troubleth Israel?" Elijah didn't pick up a sword and cut off King Ahab's neck, no. What had Ahab done? He had attacked Elijah with words. And how did Elijah defend himself? The answer is with words. He said, "It's not me you wicked reprobate. It's you and your filthy wife. You're the ones who messed up Israel. It's not me. You're the troubles of Israel." Now, while we're attacked with words, we can defend ourselves with words. If we're attacked legally, we can defend ourselves legally.
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But I've got news for you people. If folks are shooting at us, we respond in kind. We don't say, "Whoa, whoa, stop your shooting while I just try to reason with you or while I try to file some papers down at the local courthouse." No, if they're shooting, you shoot back.
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Now, you remember the sixth commandment, "Thou shalt not kill." The sixth commandment teaches us and gives us the right of self-defense. How can the Sixth Commandment give us the right of self-defense? May I remind you that every negative has a positive and every positive has a negative. The Sixth Commandment, "Thou shalt not kill," has the policy "Thou shalt preserve life." That means you must preserve your life and you must preserve the lives of others. So that means that each of us, then, therefore, have a biblical responsibility to preserve our life.
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You could say it like this. Self-defense is obligatory based upon the sixth commandment. Defensive wars, therefore, are not unbiblical, nor are they unjust. Moreover, we have a responsibility not only to defend our lives, but the lives of innocent people. Let me show you. Hold Psalm 18, but turn in your Bibles to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 22. Deuteronomy 22. And look, if you would please, beginning with verse 23. Deuteronomy 22 and verse 23. Just demonstrating to you that we have a responsibility to preserve innocent life. Notice Deuteronomy 22 and let's begin reading there verse 23. Are you there? Here we go.
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"If a damsel that is a virgin be betrothed to a husband and a man find her in the city and lie with her. Then you shall bring them both out of the gate of that city and you shall stone them with stones that they die. The damsel because she cried not being in the city and the man because he is humble as neighbors wife. So thou shalt put away evil from among you. But the man find him a trough damsel in the field and the man force her and lie with her. Then the man only that lay with her shall die. But in the damsel thou shalt do nothing. There is in the damsel no sin worthy of death. For as when a man riseth against his neighbor, enslave him, even so it is in this matter. For he found her in the field, and the damsel cried, and there was none to save her."
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Now isn't it interesting that God says if a woman is attacked in the city and she cries not, then the man that attacked her and the woman are to be taken out and stoned. If a young woman is attacked out in the field, the man only is to be put to death. Why? Well, the Bible gives us the answer. The Bible says if a woman in the city is being attacked, if she cried not out, what does that mean?
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That means she was evidently consenting to the sin and consenting to the crime. Therefore, since she was consenting, she too was worthy of death. The young woman out in the field, she could have cried, but no one would have heard her. So therefore, she's not to be put to death, only the man who attacked her.
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Now, what is the implication of that? That means if a woman is in the city and she's being attacked and she cries out, what are the implications? Anyone who hears her has the duty, the responsibility, and the obligation to save her. You see, self-defense is obligatory. It's not only obligatory on our behalf, it's also obligatory upon us in helping preserve the life of innocent individuals. Now, I've just pointed out how that wars of self-defense are not unbiblical. I mean, if we were attacked by Cuba, we have the right as a nation to defend ourselves. If we're attacked by China, we have the right to defend ourselves. That's understandable.
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But let me point out another truth that most people never really grasp. And that's simply this, that not all offensive wars are unbiblical, ungodly, and unjust. You see, it's easy for you and I to say if we are attacked, we have the right of self defense. But we don't want to start anything. But I've got news for you. There were times in the Bible when God and God's people started a war and they were right in starting a war. Let me show you.
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Look in your Bibles just to a couple of illustrations. The first one's Numbers chapter 31. Numbers chapter 31. And I might add, it was God who ordered and ordained these offensive wars. Look at Numbers chapter 31, beginning there with verse 1. Look what God says. Numbers 31, verse 1. "And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites. Afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people. And Moses spake unto the people, saying, Arm some of yourselves unto the war, and let them go against the Midianites, and avenge the Lord of Midian."
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And then he gives the directions of what is to take place. But notice, "And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites." And then Moses said, "All right, you arm yourselves, and you go out, and you attack the Midianites, and you destroy them."
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Now, very obviously, God here is directing an offensive war. It is true that the Midianites had troubled Israel. It is true that they had made them to sin. Back in Numbers 21. But there's a long period of time that has elapsed between 21 and 31. So this is not a defensive war. This is an offensive war. Look in your Bibles to the book of Deuteronomy, chapter 25. Deuteronomy 25. And look, if you would please, at verse 17. Deuteronomy 25, beginning there with verse 17.
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The Bible says, "Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way when you were come forth out of Egypt." Now he's fixing to tell you what Amalek did. "How he met thee, by the way, and smote behind most of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary, and ye feared not God." So here's Amalek, who's ambushing the children of Israel, smiting the weak and the feeble, fears not God. Look in verse 19. "Therefore it shall be when the Lord thy God hath given thee rest from all thine enemies round about, in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, for it inheritances possess it, that thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. Thou shalt not forget it." Now God says, look here, after you get in the land, what do you do? You make war against Amalek. You never forget it. How long did the children of Israel wander in the wilderness? 40 years? It doesn't sound like this is a defensive war to me.
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This is an offensive war 40 years after the fact. Look in your Bibles to Genesis chapter 15. Here's a passage that is an excellent illustration of an offensive war. Genesis chapter 15. Everyone knows the story about how the children of Israel went down into Egypt and were there for 400 years. But look what God tells Abram. Genesis 15, and let's begin reading there with verse 13. "And He said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them, and they shall afflict them four hundred years. And also that nation whom they shall serve will I judge, and afterwards shall they come out with great substance."
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"And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace, and thou shalt be buried in a good old age. But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full." Now, wait a minute. Here's what God said. God said, "Abram, your people are going to go down into Egypt and they're going to be there for four hundred years. And I'm going to bring them out. And I'm going to judge that nation when I bring them out. But I'm going to do something more than that. When I bring them out, I'm going to put a sword in their hand and say, kill all of these Amorites. For the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full." Now, the amazing thing is that God gave them 400 years. God waited 400 years. But when the cup of their iniquity was full, God told His people, "Go in and slay every one of them. Kill them all."
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Now, that's certainly not a defensive war. That's an offensive. Let me just tell you something. I had someone ask me a question like this this week. Someone says, "I don't see how God could just send His people in to dispossess someone else and to take their land from them and to take their homes from them." First of all, the land was not theirs, it belongs to God.
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"The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the world and they that dwell therein." Let me ask you, if you owned rental properties, and you had families in your rental houses that would not pay you rent, not just for one month, but consistently and constantly, they failed to pay for six months, would you allow them to stay in your rental properties? Would you have the right to kick them out because they did not give you your rent? Would you?
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Well, of course you would. Well, I've got news for you folks. Even the heathen owe God. They owe Him glory. They owe Him praise. They owe Him worship. They owe Him tithes. And when they refuse to pay, God has an absolute right to dispossess them and put someone else in there that will give Him His rent. And that's exactly what he did to those nations. You see, not all war is wrong. Defensive wars are just and some offensive wars are just and right as well. Listen folks, all of the wars of Canaan were offensive wars, because when they got into Canaan land, the children of Israel took their sword and dispossessed all of those people and took their land and took their homes. That was an offensive war.
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They were on the attack. They were not defending.
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Now, if you take the attitude, as some people do, "Well, all war is wrong. Period." If that is your attitude, then you have very serious theological problems. Well, how can you have very serious theological problems? The answer is because God not only uses war. The truth is that God himself is a warrior. I want you to look in your Bibles to the book of Exodus chapter 15. Exodus chapter 15.
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And notice if you would please verse 3. Exodus 15, verse 3. Look what the Bible says. Exodus 15, verse 3.
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Now remember, someone says, "Well, all war is wrong. All fighting is wrong." Well, how do you explain this verse? "The Lord is a man of war. The Lord is His name." The Lord is a man of war. Well, if all war is wrong, if all fighting is wrong, how can he who is the sinless sovereign of the universe be a man of war? Look in Exodus chapter 17 and verse 16. Exodus 17 and verse 16. Look at this verse. "For he said, Because the Lord has sworn that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation." The Lord is a man of war, and God said, "I'm going to be fighting from generation to generation against Amalek." Look in your Bibles to Isaiah 42. Isaiah 42. And notice, if you would please, verse 13. Isaiah 42, verse 13. We've seen that God is a God of war. We've seen that God has said He's going to have war with Amalek from generation to generation. Now, in Isaiah 42 and verse 13, look at what the Bible says.
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Talking about God now. Isaiah 42, verse 13, "The Lord shall go forth as a mighty man. He shall stir up jealousy like a man of war. He shall cry, yea, roar! He shall prevail against His enemies." Now, if you think all war is wrong and fighting is wrong, then you have serious theological problems because God is a man of war and God fights. God attacks His enemies. Neither war nor warriors are evil in and of themselves. The calling of a warrior is a holy calling if the warrior fights for God and in accordance with God's law.
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Listen to this statement, please. God does not raise up antinomian warriors. He does not raise up warriors against His law, but He does raise up warriors who fight according to His law. Those who fight must fight according to His word. Again, if someone says, "Well, all war and all warriors and all fighting is wrong." Well, if you're going to take that position again, you've got very serious theological problems. Why?
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Look in your Bibles to the book of Revelation chapter 6. Revelation chapter 6. And notice, if you would please, verse 2 to begin with. Revelation 6 verse 2. Revelation 6 verse 2. In fact, we can read verse 1. Look what is happening. Revelation 6, verse 1, "And I saw when the Lamb, the Lord Jesus, opened one of the seals, and I heard as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. And I saw, and behold, a white horse, and he that sat on him had a bow, and a crown was given unto him, and he went forth conquering, and to conquer."
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This is none other than Christ himself. Now, let me just show you. How do I know that this is Christ? Well, the Bible is consistent. And if you look in Revelation chapter 19 and verse 11, you will find the identification of this man who's sitting on the white horse who goes forth conquering and to conquer. Revelation Chapter 19, notice if you would please, verse 11, the Bible says, "And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse, and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True," that's Christ, "and in righteousness he doth judge and make war."
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What does our Lord do? He makes war. He's a fighter. He's a warrior. He's a conqueror. So the first thing when David said, "It is God who teaches me to war." We've got to learn that war and fighting are not inherently evil. Here's the second thing we learned from Psalm 18 and verse 34. It is just right and good to teach the martial arts to others and especially our children. Notice, if you would, what David said, "It is God who teacheth my hands to war." Now, here's my second point. It is just right and good to teach the martial arts to others and especially to our children. In order to validate this point, I need only ask one question.
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Are we to emulate our Heavenly Father? And the answer is yes. Well, what did our heavenly father do? Our heavenly father taught one of his children, David, the art of war. David said, "He teacheth my hands to war."
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Now, let me tell you, the Hebrew word for "teacheth" is the word "Lamad," which means to instruct, to teach, to teach diligently, expertly, skillfully and to be trained. Thus, what David is actually saying in Psalm 18, verse 34, is it is God who expertly and skillfully trained me in war. Well, if God can teach His child to fight, can we not teach our children to fight? I'm going to explain that. But I want to show you how thorough God was in teaching David. Turn over to Psalm 144 and look at verse one. Psalm 144 and verse one. Notice, if you would, Psalm 144 and verse one. I love this verse, David says it like this, "Blessed be the Lord, my strength, who teacheth my hands to war and my fingers to fight." Now notice what he said. He teacheth my hands to war and my fingers to fight. So it was not only God who taught David to fight. Are you listening? I might add, he taught David to use every member of his body in fighting because he said, "He teacheth my hands to war and my fingers to fight."
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There is even a proper use of fingers in fighting. The truth is that we need to teach our children the biblical and proper use of force. Our children need to know how to safely handle weapons, how to defend themselves, their families and their neighbors. There is nothing wrong with learning to fight. Let me point something out. I said we need to teach our children the proper use of force. If we do not teach them the proper use of force, I can assure you the TV and the movies and the video games will teach them the improper use of force.
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When I say that there's nothing wrong with fighting and learning to fight, I certainly am not endorsing the Eastern religions and their meditative techniques. Yet let me point out that the purely physical acts of judo and karate and other martial arts are not evil in and of themselves. The physical fighting skills are not wrong. The pagan and the heathen religions may be wrong, but the ability to fight is not wrong. What did the Apostle Paul say in 1 Timothy chapter 4 and verse 8? Listen carefully.
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He said, "For bodily exercise profiteth little, but godliness is profitable in all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come." Now listen to what he said. Bodily exercise profiteth little. It may only profit little, but it profits some. So there's nothing wrong with learning to fight. Calvin rightly points out, and let me just give you his quote, listen carefully, that all the skillfulness and art in training men for war, the use of armor in marshalling of armies, informing sieges and all other military tactics are all from God. Wow.
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Do you know one of the reasons why God allowed some of Israel's enemies to remain in the land? You remember Israel did not slay all of their enemies. Nor did they drive them all out. Some lived amongst them in the land. Do you know one of the reasons why God allowed some to stay in the land? Let me show you. Look in your Bibles to the book of Judges chapter 3.
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Here it is spelled out for you in black and white. The Book of Judges, chapter 3, and let's begin reading there with verse 1. Judges, chapter 3, verse 1.
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"Now these are the nations which the Lord left to prove Israel by them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan." Watch this. There were some now who were not involved in the war. Time has elapsed. So they were not involved in the war. They never got in any of the fighting. Watch verse 2. "Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know to teach them war at the least such as before knew nothing thereof." God said, "I'm going to leave a few enemies in the land so that your children and your children's children who never knew anything about fighting a war, I'm going to leave them there to teach you how to fight, to teach you the art of war, to keep you on your toes, to keep your powder dry." That's what he's saying.
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Now let me ask you a question. If God places a premium on training in the art of war, if God places a premium on the ability to fight, why do we think so little concerning it? Why are we so reticent about learning to fight and defend ourselves? I can ask another question. Why do most profession Christians somehow think that weapons and weaponry are evil in and of themselves?
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"Oh, I'd never touch a rifle. Oh, I'd never touch a pistol. Oh, don't bring that sword in my house." Why do we think that something inanimate is evil? Are you listening? Evil is not in weaponry. I don't care what kind of weapon you're talking about. Evil is in the hearts of men. An AR-15, an AK-47, a .50 caliber rifle, those are only tools just like a hoe and a shovel are tools. They're not evil in and of themselves. It is how you use that tool that makes it either good or evil. But the evil does not come from the tool. It comes from the man using it out of his evil, wicked heart. There's no weapon this evil in and of itself, period.
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God said that to let these enemies in the land that his people might learn to fight. Let me give you another quote. Listen to what Charles Haddon Spurgeon said on verse 34 when David said, "It is God who taught me." Here's what Spurgeon said, "Martial powers and skill in the use of weapons are gratefully acknowledged to be the result of divine teaching. No sacrifice is offered at the shrine of self in praise of natural dexterity or acquired skillfulness. But regarding all warlike powers as a gift of heavenly favor, thankfulness is presented to the giver. The Holy Spirit is the great drillmaster of heavenly soldiers." God is the great drillmaster. He is the great teacher. So what is David doing in Psalm 18 and verse 34? He said, "It is God
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who teaches my hands to war, so much so that a bow of steel is broken in my arms." In other words, what he's saying, it is God who has given me my skills and my abilities, and to Him goes all the praise, honor, and glory.
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Now, let me just show you the difference between David and a pagan. It is said of Sesostris, who was king of Egypt, that whenever he conquered any country, he set up pillars with these words engraved upon them, "This country I got by my own strength and power." Wow. What did David do? David said, "It is God who teaches my hands to war. It's God who girds me with strength. It's God who makes my feet like hinds' feet. It's God who's given me this ability." And David humbly bows to his divine teacher.
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So we've seen, first of all, that war and fighting are not evil, are not inherently evil. We've seen, secondly, it is right, just, holy and good to teach others the martial arts and especially our children.
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Thirdly, I want to point out that God sanctifies war not only by using it himself, but also by enabling and empowering his people in war. Let me ask you a question. Don't answer out loud, but just think about this. How did God deliver the children of Israel from Egypt? What was the means that he used? I want you to look back in your Bibles to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 4, and let me give you the answer from the scripture. What means did God use to deliver the children of Israel from Egypt? Look in Deuteronomy 4 and verse 34. Deuteronomy 4, verse 34. Notice Scripture says, "Or hath God assayed to go and take him a nation from the midst of another nation by temptations, by signs, and by wonders, and by war, and by a mighty hand and a stretched out arm, and by great terrors, according to all the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes." What did God use to deliver the children of Israel? War. He made war upon the false gods of Egypt.
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He made war upon Pharaoh and his army. He destroyed them. And God said, "I used war."
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Now, let's ask a question. Does God use war? The answer is most definitely yes. He uses war to destroy his enemies and to deliver his people. Let me show you. Turn in your Bibles to 1 Chronicles chapter 5 and verse 22. 1 Chronicles chapter 5 verse 22. 1 Chronicles 5. Notice verse 22.
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Here is a passage that is amazing. 1 Chronicles 5 verse 22. Are you there? Here it is. "For there fell down many slain because the war was of God." What? There fell down many slain because the war was of God. Does God use war? Well, of course he does. He did when he delivered the children of Israel out of Egypt. He used it here in 1 Chronicles. He used it innumerable times.
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Let me ask you a question. And I know you don't know the answer to this, and I'm asking just so I can show you. How many wars did God initiate? How many wars did God commence? How many wars did God begin? You say, "Well, I don't know the exact number." No, neither do I. But I do want you to look. In the book of Numbers chapter 21 and verse 14, I will tell you. Although I do not know the exact number of how many wars God commenced and initiated and began, I can tell you that there was a multitude of wars, so much so that there was a book concerning the wars. Notice in the book of Numbers chapter 21 and verse 14, the Bible says, "Wherefore it is said in the book of the wars of the Lord what it is in Red Sea and in the books of Arnon." Notice, "Wherefore it is said in the book of the wars of the Lord." Wars is plural and there was enough for a book.
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Does God use war? The answer is yes. God not only sanctifies war by using himself, and I finished this point by saying, but he also enables and empowers his people in war. I'm sure that you're well aware of how God empowered his people on numerous occasions. But I want you to think specifically of the promise that God gave Joshua. In Joshua 1 in verse 9. When God says to Joshua, "Have not I commanded thee?
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Be strong and of good courage. Be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed, for the Lord thy God is with thee, whithersoever thou goest." What was Joshua about to do? He is about to lead the people into Canaan land and fight against the enemies of God. Do you remember that passage in Joshua chapter 5? It's found in verses 13 through 15 when Joshua saw a man standing with a sword drawn. And of course, that man was none other than our Lord Himself. And when Joshua saw the man standing with a sword drawn, he asked Him, "Art thou for us or for our adversaries?" Do you remember the answer? The man said, "Neither, but as captain of the Lord's host am I now come. Take off my shoes. The ground whereon thou standest is holy ground." And there stood our Lord with a sword and our Lord said, "I have come as captain of the host of the Lord." I want you to look in the book of Joshua chapter 14.
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Turn right over if you would. Joshua 14 just showing you how God empowers and strengthens his people during time of war. You'll remember that Joshua and Caleb were the two men that brought back the good report. All the others brought back an evil report when they went to check out Canaan land. And all those other evil men died, but Joshua said, Caleb and Joshua, they're going to be the men who go in. So look, if you would please, in Joshua chapter 14, verse 11, look at what Caleb said. In fact, let's read verse 10. Caleb says this, "And now, behold, the Lord hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty-five years, ever since the Lord spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness. And now, lo, I am this day eighty-five years old, and as yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me, as my strength was then, even so is my strength now for war.
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Both to go out and to come in." I got news for you. I would not have wanted to have fought that 85-year-old man. Joshua said, "I'm just as strong and as able to fight now at 85 as I was at 40." Why? Because God enabled him. God empowered him. Look in the book of Judges, turn right over, Joshua Judges, Judges chapter three, look at verse 10.
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This is what is said of Othniel, Caleb's nephew. Notice Judges chapter three and verse 10. Judges three, verse 10. Judges three, verse 10. "And the spirit of the Lord came upon him." Whoa, wait a minute now. Notice God is sanctifying war by using, by enabling, by empowering his people. "And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him at his Othniel, and he judged Israel and went out to war. And the Lord delivered Cushan-rishathaim, king of Mesopotamia, into his hand, and his hand prevailed against Cushan-rishathaim." Notice, if you would, the Spirit of the Lord came upon him. And when the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, what did he do? He went out to war. When the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, he went out to war, and when he went out to war, God delivered the enemies into his hand.
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I could multiply illustrations, but turn to Hebrews 11. Turn to that chapter of faith. Everyone loves this passage. Hebrews chapter 11. We're talking about men of faith, but let me show you something that we often overlook concerning these men of faith. Look in Hebrews chapter 11. And let's begin reading there with verse 32. Hebrews 11 verse 32. Watch now. Hebrews 11 verse 32. "And what shall I more say?
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For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthah, of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets. Now look who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens." What were these men of faith doing? They were fighting. They were making war.
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And what was God doing? God was enabling them, empowering them. And the author of the book of Hebrews said, "Time would fail me to tell how God blessed and helped these men." God does indeed sanctify war by using it. And by enabling and empowering his people in times of war. Here's my fourth point today, when David said, "God teacheth my hands to war. So much so that a bow of steel is broken in my arms." The fourth thing is this. War is a fact and reality of life in a fallen, sinful world.
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Let me say that again. War is a fact and reality of life in a sinful, fallen world. There is no escaping this simple fact. Scripture declares in Ecclesiastes 3 in verse 8, "A time to love and a time to hate, a time of war and a time of peace." What did he said? There's going to be a time of war. Do you know what our Lord said in Matthew 24 in verse 6?
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He said this, "You shall hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you may not trouble. For all of these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet." What is the Lord saying? As long as you're around, there's going to be wars. Don't get upset about it. It's a fact of life. It's a simple reality. Men are sinful. Men are depraved. There are going to be wars. We know, or at least we should know, because of man's fallen, depraved nature, that there's going to be wars and rebellions.
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Now, let me ask you, if we know based upon our Lord's own words there's going to be wars and rebellions, would it not be advisable? Would it not be the part of common sense as well as scriptural sense to prepare and be able to defend ourselves to know how to fight? Let me ask the question other way. We could ask this question like this. Would it not be absolutely foolish and senseless to sit around and just hope that nothing ever happens to us? "Oh, we know it's out there, but it's never, ever going to touch me."
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That's the height of stupidity. If we know what's out there, we need to be prepared ourselves, and I've got news for you folks. Inevitably, it's going to touch us. It'll touch our families. It'll touch our church. It'll touch our nation. Our Lord has declared the reality of war. Shall we sit back and abdicate our responsibility? We must know how to fight. Whether or not we ever need to fight. Listen. I pray that I will never have to fight.
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But I'll tell you this. I had rather know how to fight and never need it and never use it, then to need it and not have the ability to fight. I don't want to be backed into a corner. I'm not interested in hurting anyone. I have no desire to hurt anybody. I don't care who it is. I have no desire to hurt anyone. But I'm not interested in anyone hurting me either. I'm not interested in anyone hurting my family. And by the grace and power of God, I'd rather know how to fight and never need it than to be backed into a corner and wish I knew what to do.
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Let me show you something. I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Jeremiah chapter 51. And I want you to see what God said concerning his people. Jeremiah 51. And then let me ask you a question based upon this verse. Find Jeremiah 51. I want everyone to see this. Jeremiah 51. Now look in verse. Let's read verse 19, that's not the verse, but I'm going to read this first.
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"The portion of Jacob is not like them," that is, we're not like the wicked. "For he," God, "is the former of all things, and Israel is the rod of his inheritance. The Lord opposes his name." Look what God says concerning his people. "Thou art my battle axe and weapons of war. For with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms. With thee will I break in pieces the horse and the rider, and with thee will I break in pieces the chariot and the rider. With thee also will I break in pieces the man and the woman, and with thee will I break in pieces old and young, and with thee will I break in pieces the young man and the maid. I will also break in pieces with thee the shepherd of his flock," and he goes on down the line. Notice what he said in verse 20 to his people. "Thou art my battle axe and my weapons of war." Here's my question. What kind of battle axe are you?
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Now, I'm not talking about my mother-in-law. She said it's smart that I don't talk about her like that. What kind of battleaxe? What kind of weapon of war? What kind of ability do you have to fight or defend yourself or your family? God said, "They aren't my battleaxe. They aren't my weapons of war. And with you, I'm going to subdue kingdoms. I'm going to do this. I'm going to do that." Well, what kind of battleaxe are you? What kind of weapons of war are you?
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Now let me point out this. Most Christians, when it comes to war or fighting or self-defense, fall into either one or two errors. This is very important, so please listen. We either, on the one hand, deny the means, or on the other hand, deny the power that makes the means effectual. One of two errors that most Christians normally fall into. You either on the one hand deny the means, or on the other hand, you deny the power that makes the means effectual. Now let me explain. Denial of the means simply means this. That there is a denial of the fact and of the reality that we need to know how to shoot, how to fight, how to defend ourselves.
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God has given us the responsibility to defend our personal lives, our families, our church, our neighbors. But you know what most Christians do? Most Christians are not interested in learning how to fight or how to shoot or how to do anything. They sit there and they say, "I'm trusting in the Lord to protect me." Well, for all practical purposes, they are practicing pacifists. Although they may deny it intellectually, they say that they are trusting in God to defend them, but they will not lift a finger to defend themselves.
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That is a denial of the means. God has given us a scriptural right and common sense. On the other hand, there are other Christians and other people who are more than willing to use the means that God has ordained. Yet what they do is they trust in the means instead of the God who makes those means effectual. Do you realize that no weapon is sufficient without divine influence and protection?
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I've told you this before and I will tell you again. You could have two shotguns in each corner of your bedroom. You could have an AR-15 laying on your dresser drawer, and you can have .357 Magnums under your pillar. If somebody breaks in on you, if God does not awaken you in time or enable you to shoot straight, none of those weapons are going to help you at all. You understand that?
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What we have forgotten is this. We have forgotten the proverb in Proverbs 21, verse 31, when the Bible says, "The horse is prepared against the day of battle, but safety is of the Lord." If God doesn't protect us, we're not protected. We have forgotten. Yes, it is true that Israel of old fought with their weapons. They did actually fight. They used their weapons. But it was not their weapons that delivered them. It was God who delivered them, for God fought for them.
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Let me give you just three very quick passages. Look in your Bibles to Deuteronomy chapter 3. Deuteronomy 3. And notice, if you would, verse 22. Deuteronomy 3, verse 22. Look what God says. Tells His people concerning their enemies, "You shall not fear them." Why? "For the Lord your God, He shall fight for you." For the Lord your God, He shall fight for you. Turn over to Deuteronomy 20 and look if you would please at verse 4. Deuteronomy 20 and verse 4. Here again, God says it like this. "For the Lord your God is He that goeth with you to fight for you against your enemies to save you."
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Did Israel use their weapons? Yes. Who went with them? God. Who fought for them? God. Who empowered them? Who enabled them? God.
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Now, I want you to look in Psalm 44, because these two things are put together. Look in Psalm 44, and let's begin reading there with verse 3. Psalm 44, verse 3. Here it is. Psalm 44, verse 3. In fact, let's read verse 1. Come on, it's a simple passage. The psalmist said, "We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us what work thou didst in their days and times of old." In other words, we heard about all those miracles that you did. Look in verse 2, "How thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantest them," that is, Israel, "and how thou didst afflict the people," that is, the enemies, "and cast them out. For they," Israel, "got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own right arm save them, but thy right hand and thine arm in the light of thy countenance, because thou hast a favor unto them. Thou art my king, O God, command deliverances for Jacob." Now, here it is.
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Did Israel fight? Yes. Was it their sword? Was it their bow and arrow that delivered them? No. It was God. God made those weapons effectual. God used those means to deliver His people and to destroy His enemies.
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Now, let's go back to verse 4. Let me read just a few more verses. Here's what the psalmist is saying in verse 4. "My king, O God, command deliverances for Jacob." In other words, "God, you used to deliver us. You used to empower us. Lord, please do it again." And then he goes on to say, "Through thee we will push down our enemies. Through thy name we will tread them under that rise up against us."
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"For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me. But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us. In God we boast all the day long and praise thy name forever." I could read that. I will not trust in my AK-47, my AR-15. I will not trust in my tank. I will not trust in my jet. For thou art he that saved us. And God will boast in thee all the day long. In other words, it's God who makes those weapons effectual. We must not separate what God has joined together. God has joined together the use of means and His blessing and power upon those means that will make them effectual. If you trust in the means alone, you're wrong. If you trust in God without the means, you're still wrong. You must use the means that God has ordained and seek His blessing and power upon them. One last point. The fifth one very quickly.
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There will not be any permanent peace until the Prince of Peace returns. Yes, there may be times of temporary peace, but no permanent peace. God does, at times, give temporary peace. Let me just show you. He did so for Jehoshaphat. In 2 Chronicles 17 and verse 10, the Bible says this, "And the fear of the Lord fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Judah, so that no man made war against Jehoshaphat." God can, indeed, give us a temporary peace. He gave a temporary peace to Solomon. In 1 Kings 4, verse 24, we read, "For he," Solomon, "had dominion over all the region on this side of the river, from Tiphsah even to Azzah, over all the kings on this side of the river, and he had peace on all sides round about him." What did God do? God marvelously and miraculously gave him peace. Now, there's a principle, and I've enunciated it before, found in Proverbs 16, verse 7, "When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him."
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Yes, God can give a temporary peace. In fact, the Bible says in Psalm 46 in verse 9, "He," God, "maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth. He breaketh the bow and cutteth the spear and thunder. He burneth the chariot in the fire." Yes, and God has given us some temporary peace in this land, in our time. But I got news for you. There's been nothing but constant war for the last hundred years.
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And some parts of the world. Constant, consistent war.
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Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles to the little book of Micah. Micah chapter 4. One of the minor prophets. Right after the book of Jonah, you'll find the book of Micah. And the book of Nahum is right under after Micah, so Micah, chapter four. Here's the fifth and final point that I was enunciating to you. There will not be any peace, any permanent peace until the Prince of Peace returns. Now look at Micah, chapter four. At verse three. Look at what the Bible says. Micah 4 verse 3.
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"And he," that is Christ, "shall judge among many people and rebuke strong nations afar off, and they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nations shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more." When our Lord returns, you may safely beat your weapons into plowshares. But I can assure you, if before He returns and fully and completely and totally establishes His Kingdom, if before He does that, you beat your weapons into plowshares, you will be plowing for those who didn't. Now. Until our Lord returns, we must expect wars and rebellions.
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And in this day and time in our country, with all the confusion and anarchy and chaos that's going on and will probably continue, you better know how to fight and how to defend yourself and your family. We may never be the warrior that David was, and that's fine, because God does not call everyone to be a warrior like David. He does, however, call each one of us to fulfill our responsibility and our obligation to be fully prepared in every area of our life. We don't have to be a David. I could probably never be a David. I'm too old to be a David.
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But I've got news for you. That doesn't mean that I cannot be prepared to the best of my ability to be used by God. To defend myself and my family. And our church, our country if need be. I like that old saying and you laugh at it, but it's kind of true. "Don't mess with an old man. Because he can't fight and he'll just shoot you and get it over with." That's just about the truth.
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But let me tell you something, folks. I've got two implications, and I want you to listen carefully. Here's the first one. One of our greatest weaknesses as the people of God is that we have lost all of our martial spirit. There was a song you used to hear all the time, "Onward Christian soldiers, marching as to war, with the cross of Jesus going on before." But we have lost all of our martial spirit.
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Our men, both young and old, have been feminized and sanitized and neutralized. In this day and time, most Christian men will not stand for anything. And therefore, they will fall for everything. We will not resist temptation and sin and corruption in our personal lives, our family lives, our ecclesiastical lives, or even our national life. We are not only afraid to fight, we don't even know how to fight. And the scariest thing is, we've lost our will to fight. Certainly, without endorsing him or his values, to give you a quote by Arnold Schwarzenegger, "We've become a nation of girly men." And you know, that's the truth. You know, that's the absolute truth.
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And happily, our young people are willing to fight. But they're willing to fight the wrong people and for the wrong reason. And they really don't know how to fight biblically or scripturally. And so, what they fight are their parents and their teachers. I want you to think about this, folks. It was Taylor Caldwell who said, "The strongest sign of the decay of a nation is the feminization of the men and the masculinization of the women." We need to pray that God would give us men like Robert E.
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Lee and Stonewall Jackson who combined godliness with a martial spirit. Here's a second application. The principles of warfare apply both the physical and spiritual warfare. Listen carefully. I am afraid that those who do not know how to fight physically may not understand how to fight spiritually, since there is a correlation between attitude and action. If we are unwilling to fight physically in order to defend ourselves and others, will we not be unwilling to fight to defend ourselves spiritually?
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A man who will quickly and easily and readily give in to the wicked and corrupt demands of evil men in all probability does not have the courage or determination to resist temptation and wickedness and sin in his personal life. The principles of self-defense apply physically, but they also apply spiritually. Remember, the Apostle Paul said something about Satan. He said, "For we're not ignorant of his devices, we're not ignorant of his tactics."
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But the truth is, most people are. And if we're unwilling to fight physically, in all probability will be unable to fight spiritually. So our prayer should be like David's. Our prayer should be, "Lord, teach us to fight." As you taught David, teach us physically, yes, but spiritually as well. So that a bow of steel is broken in our arms. In other words, we have the power and the ability given to us by God to withstand the greatest temptations and the greatest corruptions, personally, physically, and spiritually. Lord, teach us to fight. Let's pray. Father, we ask in the name of Jesus Christ today that you would indeed teach us as you taught David. Give us once again, Lord, a biblical attitude that we might have a biblical action. Teach us, Lord, the importance of learning to fight in every area of life. Make us holy. Make us godly.
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And may we learn to fight only upon Your terms, in accordance with Your law, that we may be scriptural and honoring unto Thee. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray, Amen.
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-06T03:55:05Z

Lord, Teach Us To Fight

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

John Weaver expounds Psalm 18:34, arguing that war and fighting are not inherently evil, that God Himself is a warrior who teaches His people to fight, and that Christians have a biblical obligation to learn self-defense and martial skills. He warns against two errors: denying the means of defense or trusting in means without God's power. The sermon concludes with a call to recover a martial spirit and apply warfare principles to spiritual battles.

Introduction and Context of Psalm 18

Weaver reviews the previous sections of Psalm 18, summarizing David's determination to love the Lord, his distress, deliverance, deportment, and defense, leading into verse 34.

Scripture Reading — 1 Samuel 18:7

"Saul has slain his thousands and David his tens of thousands."

War and Fighting Are Not Inherently Evil

Scripture Reading — James 1:13

"Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God. For God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth He any man."

So God is not going to teach any man to do that which is wicked and wrong in and of itself. Now, just simply because war exists does not mean that all war is evil.

Scripture Reading — Numbers 31:1-3

"And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites. Afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people. And Moses spake unto the people, saying, Arm some of yourselves unto the war, and let them go against the Midianites, and avenge the Lord of Midian."

Scripture Reading — Genesis 15:13-16

"And He said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them, and they shall afflict them four hundred years. And also that nation whom they shall serve will I judge, and afterwards shall they come out with great substance."

And notice if you would please verse 3. Exodus 15, verse 3. Look what the Bible says. Exodus 15, verse 3.

God Is a Warrior

Weaver demonstrates from Exodus, Isaiah, and Revelation that God is a man of war, Christ makes war, and the calling of a warrior is holy when aligned with God's law.

And notice if you would please verse 3. Exodus 15, verse 3. Look what the Bible says. Exodus 15, verse 3.

Now remember, someone says, "Well, all war is wrong. All fighting is wrong." Well, how do you explain this verse?

Scripture Reading — Exodus 15:3

"The Lord is a man of war. The Lord is His name."

Scripture Reading — Revelation 19:11

"And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse, and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True,"

that's Christ,

Scripture Reading — Revelation 19:11

"and in righteousness he doth judge and make war."

It Is Right to Teach Martial Arts to Others

Scripture Reading — 1 Timothy 4:8

"For bodily exercise profiteth little, but godliness is profitable in all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come."

Here it is spelled out for you in black and white. The Book of Judges, chapter 3, and let's begin reading there with verse 1. Judges, chapter 3, verse 1.

Scripture Reading — Judges 3:1-2

"Now these are the nations which the Lord left to prove Israel by them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan."

Watch this. There were some now who were not involved in the war. Time has elapsed. So they were not involved in the war. They never got in any of the fighting. Watch verse 2.

Scripture Reading — Judges 3:1-2

"Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know to teach them war at the least such as before knew nothing thereof."

God Sanctifies War by Using and Empowering His People

Weaver shows that God delivered Israel by war, initiated many wars, and empowered warriors like Joshua, Caleb, Othniel, and the heroes of faith, sanctifying war through His involvement.

Here is a passage that is amazing. 1 Chronicles 5 verse 22. Are you there? Here it is.

Scripture Reading — 1 Chronicles 5:22

"For there fell down many slain because the war was of God."

War Is a Reality in a Fallen World

Did Israel use their weapons? Yes. Who went with them? God. Who fought for them? God. Who empowered them? Who enabled them? God.

No Permanent Peace Until Christ Returns

Weaver explains that only Christ's return will bring lasting peace, referencing Micah 4, and warns against disarming prematurely, urging readiness for physical and spiritual conflict.

Applications: Recovering Martial Spirit and Spiritual Warfare

And may we learn to fight only upon Your terms, in accordance with Your law, that we may be scriptural and honoring unto Thee. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray, Amen.

Lord, Teach Us To Fight

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	3408152401
Subject	New Testament Studies
Course	Revelation: Christ and the Churches
Genre	Sermon
Date	2008-02-10
Dictation Name
Book	Book 139: Revelation: Christ and the Churches — Chapter 4
Source Timed Segments	100

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction and Context of Psalm 18: Weaver reviews the previous sections of Psalm 18, summarizing David's determination to love the Lord, his distress, deliverance, deportment, and defense, leading into verse 34.
War and Fighting Are Not Inherently Evil: Weaver argues that war is not evil in itself, citing God's teaching of David's hands to war, the sixth commandment's implication of self-defense, and biblical examples of both defensive and offensive wars ordained by God.
God Is a Warrior: Weaver demonstrates from Exodus, Isaiah, and Revelation that God is a man of war, Christ makes war, and the calling of a warrior is holy when aligned with God's law.
It Is Right to Teach Martial Arts to Others: Weaver asserts that since God taught David to fight, parents should teach their children the proper use of force, distinguishing physical skills from pagan religions, and noting that God left enemies in the land to teach Israel war.
God Sanctifies War by Using and Empowering His People: Weaver shows that God delivered Israel by war, initiated many wars, and empowered warriors like Joshua, Caleb, Othniel, and the heroes of faith, sanctifying war through His involvement.
War Is a Reality in a Fallen World: Weaver emphasizes that war is inevitable due to sin, citing Ecclesiastes and Matthew 24, and urges preparation rather than passive hope, while avoiding the extremes of denying means or trusting means without God.
No Permanent Peace Until Christ Returns: Weaver explains that only Christ's return will bring lasting peace, referencing Micah 4, and warns against disarming prematurely, urging readiness for physical and spiritual conflict.
Applications: Recovering Martial Spirit and Spiritual Warfare: Weaver laments the loss of martial spirit among Christian men, calls for godly courage like Lee and Jackson, and connects physical unwillingness to fight with spiritual weakness, ending with a prayer for God to teach us to fight.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

War is not inherently evil because God teaches and commands it

Since God taught David to war and cannot tempt to evil, war cannot be inherently evil; Scripture records God-ordained offensive wars.

Weaver says, 'God is not going to teach any man to do that which is wicked and wrong in and of itself,' and cites Numbers 31 and Deuteronomy 25 as offensive wars commanded by God.

Self-defense is a biblical obligation rooted in the sixth commandment

The command 'Thou shalt not kill' implies a positive duty to preserve life, making self-defense and defense of others obligatory.

Weaver states, 'The Sixth Commandment... has the policy Thou shalt preserve life. That means you must preserve your life and you must preserve the lives of others.'

God uses war as a means of judgment and deliverance

God delivered Israel from Egypt by war, initiated wars against the Amorites and Amalek, and is called a man of war, sanctifying war as His instrument.

Weaver points to Deuteronomy 4:34, 'by war, and by a mighty hand,' and Exodus 15:3, 'The Lord is a man of war,' and Genesis 15:16 where God waits for Amorite iniquity to be full before commanding their destruction.

Parents should teach children martial skills as God taught David

If God expertly trained David in war, it is right for parents to teach their children to fight, using means God has ordained.

Weaver asks, 'If God can teach His child to fight, can we not teach our children to fight?' and cites Psalm 144:1 and Judges 3:1-2.

Weapons are not evil; evil resides in the human heart

Inanimate objects like rifles or swords are tools; their moral quality depends on the user's heart, not the object itself.

Weaver says, 'Evil is not in weaponry... Evil is in the hearts of men. An AR-15, an AK-47... are only tools just like a hoe and a shovel are tools.'

Christians must avoid both pacifism and self-reliance in defense

The biblical balance is to use means of defense while trusting God to make them effectual, as seen in Psalm 44:3-6.

Weaver explains, 'If you trust in the means alone, you're wrong. If you trust in God without the means, you're still wrong. You must use the means that God has ordained and seek His blessing and power upon them.'

Physical and spiritual warfare are correlated

Unwillingness to fight physically likely indicates an inability to fight spiritually, as both require courage and determination.

Weaver states, 'A man who will quickly and easily and readily give in to the wicked and corrupt demands of evil men in all probability does not have the courage or determination to resist temptation and wickedness and sin in his personal life.'

Scripture References

Psalm 18:34: The primary text: 'He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken in mine arms.'
Psalm 18:29-33: Weaver reads verses 29-33 to set the context of God enabling David in battle.
1 Samuel 18:7: Cited to show David's prowess: 'Saul has slain his thousands and David his tens of thousands.'
Job 36:22: Used to emphasize God's unique teaching ability: 'Behold, God, exalted by his power, who teacheth like him?'
James 1:13: Cited to argue God does not tempt to evil, so His teaching of war cannot be evil.
Deuteronomy 22:23-27: Used to demonstrate the obligation to preserve innocent life and the duty to respond to cries for help.
Numbers 31:1-3: Example of God commanding an offensive war against the Midianites.
Deuteronomy 25:17-19: God commands Israel to blot out Amalek long after the initial attack, an offensive war.
Genesis 15:13-16: God tells Abram his descendants will dispossess the Amorites when their iniquity is full, an offensive war.
Exodus 15:3: Declares 'The Lord is a man of war,' supporting that war is not inherently evil.
Exodus 17:16: God swears war against Amalek from generation to generation.
Isaiah 42:13: Describes God going forth as a mighty man of war, crying and prevailing.
Revelation 6:2: Christ on a white horse going forth conquering and to conquer.
Revelation 19:11: Christ called Faithful and True, in righteousness He judges and makes war.
Psalm 144:1: David blesses God who teaches his hands to war and fingers to fight.
1 Timothy 4:8: Bodily exercise profits little, used to support physical training including martial skills.
Judges 3:1-2: God left nations to teach Israel war, showing His premium on martial training.
Deuteronomy 4:34: God delivered Israel by war, signs, and wonders.
1 Chronicles 5:22: Many slain because the war was of God.
Numbers 21:14: Mentions the 'book of the wars of the Lord,' indicating many wars God initiated.

Historical References

David's slaying of Goliath and his reputation as a warrior: Weaver recounts David's feats: slaying a lion and bear as a shepherd, killing Goliath, and being celebrated for slaying tens of thousands.
Sesostris, king of Egypt: Contrasted with David: Sesostris boasted in his own strength, while David credited God for his martial skills.
Charles Haddon Spurgeon's commentary on Psalm 18:34: Spurgeon is quoted: 'Martial powers and skill in the use of weapons are gratefully acknowledged to be the result of divine teaching... The Holy Spirit is the great drillmaster of heavenly soldiers.'
John Calvin's view on military skill: Weaver paraphrases Calvin: 'all the skillfulness and art in training men for war... are all from God.'
Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson: Held up as examples of men who combined godliness with a martial spirit.
Taylor Caldwell quote: Quoted: 'The strongest sign of the decay of a nation is the feminization of the men and the masculinization of the women.'
Arnold Schwarzenegger quote: Quoted: 'We've become a nation of girly men,' used to illustrate loss of martial spirit, though Weaver does not endorse his values.

Important Quotes

He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken in mine arms.

The central verse of the sermon, establishing that God is the source of David's martial skill.

War and fighting are not inherently evil.

The foundational thesis of the sermon, challenging pacifist assumptions.

The Lord is a man of war. The Lord is His name.

Key proof text that God Himself is a warrior, making war not inherently sinful.

Thou art my battle axe and weapons of war.

God's description of His people as instruments of war, implying a call to martial readiness.

If you trust in the means alone, you're wrong. If you trust in God without the means, you're still wrong. You must use the means that God has ordained and seek His blessing and power upon them.

The balanced biblical approach to self-defense, avoiding both pacifism and self-reliance.

I had rather know how to fight and never need it and never use it, then to need it and not have the ability to fight.

Practical wisdom on preparedness, reflecting the sermon's emphasis on training.

Our men, both young and old, have been feminized and sanitized and neutralized.

A sharp critique of the loss of martial spirit in the modern church.

Lord, teach us to fight.

The concluding prayer and title of the sermon, encapsulating the plea for divine instruction in both physical and spiritual warfare.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

How does the sixth commandment imply a duty of self-defense, and what are the limits of that duty?

[Context]

Weaver argues that 'Thou shalt not kill' includes the positive command to preserve life, making self-defense obligatory.

[Question]

What biblical examples of offensive war challenge the idea that all war is wrong, and how do we reconcile them with God's character?

[Context]

Weaver cites Numbers 31, Deuteronomy 25, and Genesis 15 as God-ordained offensive wars.

[Question]

In what ways does God's identity as a warrior (Exodus 15:3, Revelation 19:11) shape our understanding of the Christian's relationship to conflict?

[Context]

Weaver emphasizes that God is a man of war and Christ makes war, sanctifying the warrior calling.

[Question]

How can parents practically teach their children the 'biblical and proper use of force' without endorsing pagan philosophies or violence for its own sake?

[Context]

Weaver advocates teaching martial arts while distinguishing physical skills from Eastern religions.

[Question]

What does it mean to avoid both 'denying the means' and 'denying the power that makes the means effectual' in personal and national defense?

[Context]

Weaver warns against pacifism and self-reliance, urging use of means with dependence on God.

[Question]

How does the promise of permanent peace only at Christ's return affect our posture toward current conflicts and disarmament?

[Context]

Weaver cites Micah 4:3 and warns against beating swords into plowshares prematurely.

[Question]

What evidence do you see of the 'feminization of men' in the church today, and how can we recover a godly martial spirit?

[Context]

Weaver laments the loss of martial spirit and calls for men like Lee and Jackson.

[Question]

How might a lack of willingness to fight physically correlate with spiritual weakness, and what steps can we take to strengthen both?

[Context]

Weaver argues that physical cowardice likely indicates spiritual cowardice in resisting temptation.

Applications

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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T16:31:48Z