There are perhaps several dozen experiences in Scripture permitted of God that do not fit the clear standards followed by his most faithful children – as Esther, Samson, David illustrate. There appear exceptions for a few, as there are exceptions for purpose in our natural order of life. We conjecture the reasons for some events. Involved persons may pay dearly for involvement. They may offer special events for good/ill that do not follow righteous excellence in the devout – in particular circumstances. There appears the clash of divine love and anger, and the power of judgment in the plan of God. Sin and holiness clash, and we may expect something out of order to follow for God, man and the creation. God admits to us that his holy anger can be revealed. Some of the understanding is in zeal. God is zealous for mankind. When zeal is found in us, it is fashioned from the zeal of God for us. This is the burden of Psalm 69:9 – For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me. The Old Testament zealot for God sometimes showed his zeal in sackcloth, in fasting, in various odd markings related to lifestyle. John the Baptist illustrates the point. When understood and balanced for the normal person of zeal, it is personal, presumed in the expectations of God. Paul the Apostle noted a bit reluctantly his zeal for God, and we are amazed at the treatment imposed on him. Included in this exceptional group are those about whom we say: The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church. Several friends and classmates of mine walked that road. They took the spoiling of themselves, for the purposes of God. (Hebrews 10:34) In appearing to lose they won. God accepts our motives on occasion even when our actions may be deplored. His human permissions are sometimes dramatic to his standards.
The Apostle Paul pressed the point, especially with those with whom he worked closely. That understanding may provide reasons for his approach to Christian ministry. He wrote to the Galatian Church: But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing. (Galatians 4:18) Zeal in the Old Testament may occur in bloody events including warfare. In the Christian era it is replaced in the sacrifice of the Christian, in the shadow of the crucified Christ, the sacrifice for sin. It can mean violence. On one occasion Jesus expressed this zeal, related to God’s house, triggered by the disregard for God. He took a whip and cracked it over the heads of the money changers. Some persons ducked from the lash. His words were stern – with visage full of anger. His purpose was to make spiritual emphasis. There were crowds present. It was the first day of the week. Booths were open for business. Of a sudden this quiet man did a violent thing. Here was bravery, determination, power they could not confront. Some expositors treat the biblical report gingerly. Perhaps Jesus deserved one bad day. It is in this zeal, a jealousy for God, that we explain the acts of Noah and his generation, of David and the Hittites, of some Priests like Phinehas, of prophets like Elijah, and of Jesus on entry to the Temple area. In zeal for God, and hatred for evil, a fearful confrontation took place. The zeal for God in Christ became physical. It was dramatic that day. Christ seemed to be Elijah – for a few minutes. The meaning was in his words, not in the swirling lash. He did not want his meekness to be misunderstood. There is judgment to be borne – the cross sure.
It is a story, not for the faint hearted. Vignettes of judgment say something to us about God’s tolerance limitations. They serve the ministry to conclusions. There is a spiritual bravery found in some, verified of God – just enough to gain attention. Those persons must have the proof of God in them. They must also be willing to pay a severe price for it. All this relates to the context of mankind related not only to earth, but to whatever will touch eternity. It is a part of the mystery. God is competent to permit the blood-letting from time to time so to speak in mankind’s language. It is the warlike spirit, and when mankind ventures too far afield people will die prematurely. I have read a number of books relating to the American Civil War, and remain perplexed that brother-American could kill brother-American over differences that persons of good will could surely solve in righteous context. Loss of life in violence followed human folly. It still does. Warfare is the worst. *Mark W. Lee, Sr. — 2016, 2020