BIBLICAL SUPPORT FOR THE USE OF VIOLENCE (SELF-DEFENSE)

***another scripture to add to the exceptions of 'thou shalt not kill'***

the two witnesses kill people in the book of Revelation:

"[3] And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two
hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.

[4] These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.

[5] And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their
enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.

[6] These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have
power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as
they will." - Revelation 11:3-6

- Commandments to protect

your family - if any provide not for his own

"[8] But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied
the faith, and is worse than an infidel." - I Timothy 5:8

"[14] And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of
the people, Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight
for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses." - Nehemiah
4:14

your property - the opposite of thou shalt not steal

"Thou shalt not steal." - Exodus 20:15

"[2] If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten that he die, there shall no blood be shed for
him.

[3] If the sun be risen upon him, there shall be blood shed for him; for he should make full
restitution; if he have nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft." - Exodus 22:2,3
strangers being attacked - the woman being raped

"[23] If a damsel that is a virgin be betrothed unto an husband, and a man find her in the city,
and lie with her;

[24] Then ye shall bring them both out unto the gate of that city, and ye shall stone them with
stones that they die; the damsel, because she cried not, being in the city; and the man, because
he hath humbled his neighbour's wife: so thou shalt put away evil from among you.

[25] But if a man find a betrothed damsel in the field, and the man force her, and lie with her:
then the man only that lay with her shall die:

[26] But unto the damsel thou shalt do nothing; there is in the damsel no sin worthy of death:
for as when a man riseth against his neighbour, and slayeth him, even so is this matter:

[27] For he found her in the field, and the betrothed damsel cried, and there was none to save
her." - Deuteronomy 22:23-27

When a woman is being raped and she cries out, anyone close enough to hear it is obligated to
go and "save her", which means subduing the male attacker. It doesn't say call the cops, it says if
you hear the cry, you go and help. This is built into the DNA of men.

poor and needy - deliver them out of the hand of the wicked

"[3] Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.

[4] Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked." - Psalms 82:3,4

We are obligated to deliver the oppressed and the innocent out of the hands of wicked men.

"[11] If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be
slain;

[12] If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it?
and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man
according to his works?" - Proverbs 24:11,12

"[2] And say, Hear the word of the LORD, O king of Judah, that sittest upon the throne of David,
thou, and thy servants, and thy people that enter in by these gates:

[3] Thus saith the LORD; Execute ye judgment and righteousness, and deliver the spoiled out of
the hand of the oppressor: and do no wrong, do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, nor
the widow, neither shed innocent blood in this place." - Jeremiah 22:2,3

"[16] Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease
to do evil;

[17] Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the
widow." - Isaiah 1:16,17

- Military service not rebuked by John the Baptist, Jesus, or Peter

John the Baptist:

[14] And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto
them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages." -
Luke 3:14

Jesus:

"[5] And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching
him,

[6] And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.

[7] And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.

[8] The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my
roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.

[9] For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he
goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.

[10] When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I
have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

[11] And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with
Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.

[12] But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be
weeping and gnashing of teeth.

[13] And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto
thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour." - Matthew 8:5-13

Peter:

"[1] There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the
Italian band,

[2] A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the
people, and prayed to God alway.

[34] Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of
persons:

[35] But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.

[47] Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy
Ghost as well as we?

[48] And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to
tarry certain days." - Acts 10:1,2,34,35,47,48

Neither John the Baptist, nor Jesus, nor Peter condemned the soldiers for being soldiers.

Did you ever consider that it was soldiers with weapons that delivered Paul from a crowd of
people trying to kill him?

"[30] And all the city was moved, and the people ran together: and they took Paul, and drew him
out of the temple: and forthwith the doors were shut.

[31] And as they went about to kill him, tidings came unto the chief captain of the band, that all
Jerusalem was in an uproar.

[32] Who immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down unto them: and when they
saw the chief captain and the soldiers, they left beating of Paul.

[33] Then the chief captain came near, and took him, and commanded him to be bound with two
chains; and demanded who he was, and what he had done.

[34] And some cried one thing, some another, among the multitude: and when he could not
know the certainty for the tumult, he commanded him to be carried into the castle.

[35] And when he came upon the stairs, so it was, that he was borne of the soldiers for the
violence of the people." - Acts 21:30-35

we are not supposed to fight for an earthly kingdom to convert people at the edge of the
sword, but it is Biblical to fight to protect family, neighbors, and country from
invaders/terrorists/tyrants

"[36] Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then
would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not
from hence." - John 18:36

each man will have to make the individual decision whether joining the military in his country
would cause him to compromise and obey sinful orders or not

you also don't have to join the military to be in shape, trained, and armed

- war is not in and of itself evil or else God would not be called a man of war

the Lord is a man of war

"The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name." - Exodus 15:3

"[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." - Isaiah 42:13

"[11] And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called
Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war." - Revelation 19:11

God teaches the righteous how to fight in war

"[33] God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect.

[34] He maketh my feet like hinds' feet: and setteth me upon my high places.

[35] He teacheth my hands to war; so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms." - II Samuel
22:33-35

"[32] It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.

[33] He maketh my feet like hinds' feet, and setteth me upon my high places.

[34] He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms." - Psalms
18:32-34

"[1] Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight:

[2] My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and he in whom I
trust; who subdueth my people under me." - Psalms 144:1,2

Most wars today are bad and James gives us the reason why they are fought:

"[1] From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts
that war in your members?

[2] Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye
have not, because ye ask not.

[3] Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts." -
James 4:1-3
A righteous war needs to be fought by righteous people for a righteous cause in righteous way or
else it is wicked. War to defend your country against a invading country is much different then
fighting a war to expand your global empire and gain more resources.

- Jesus said sell your garment to buy a sword -

"[35] And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any
thing? And they said, Nothing.

[36] Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip:
and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.

[37] For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was
reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end.

[38] And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said unto them, It is enough." -
Luke 22:35-38

Two quick points

it was not symbolic or else the purse, scrip, and shoes were symbolic too

he never told his disciples not to have a sword, in fact he told them to buy one

Jesus was teaching them that God will always provide and not to walk by sight, but by faith. He
was teaching them not to trust in physical things. This doesn't mean they never need physical
things which is exactly why he tells them, "BUT NOW..." buy all these things and take them with
you.

Which ties into the next point:

- God always uses means

God says He will provide food and clothing for you, but does that mean that you do not work to
provide for food an clothing? in the same way, do you expect God to protect your family while
you stand by idly and do nothing while they are attacked?

Don't trust in the means, but we still use means

"[31] The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD." - Proverbs 21:31

"[16] There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much
strength.

[17] An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength.
[18] Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;

[19] To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.

[20] Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he is our help and our shield.

[21] For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name.

[22] Let thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us, according as we hope in thee." - Psalms 33:16-22

David said the battle is the Lord's, but he was the one to kill Goliath with a stone. He also killed
"his ten thousands" with a sword

Samson got his strength from God, but he used the jawbone of an ass to kill 1,000 Philistines

- If we do fight, it must always be biblical

we should not be looking for a fight - try to avoid violence at all costs, if you can run, always do
that first - always try to de-escalate a situation, which means stay calm and be careful how you
talk to people who are worked up - pastors told not to be a brawler or striker

if you have to fight, always try to use non-lethal force to stop a threat unless your life is in danger
i.e. if someone has a firearm - ending a life is very serious and permanent

we should not fight over trivial matters, just because you were insulted and your ego hurt

we should not jump in every situation that we see to be a hero, meddling with others' strife

we must never seek personal revenge against anyone - if someone has escaped after committing
a crime, it must be left up to the civil government to execute justice on them

never put your trust in your muscles or weapon - only God - do not walk around like Rambo

sometimes there are situations where we have no choice, but to suffer and deal with an attack
especially when it comes to preaching the Gospel and standing for righteousness. This is not a
situation where you are protecting your family or other innocent people. In this scenario, we
need to just pray for faith and patience to endure the trial that God may get the glory. Jesus is
our example to look to for enduring suffering. Many saints also endured torture and death for
standing for the faith throughout history. Throughout that time of persecution, they maintained
a good testimony.

If while you are preaching on the street someone spits on you or pushes you, take it patiently
and do not retaliate or "return reviling for reviling". This is different than someone pulling a knife
or gun on you.
- practical tips

you need to stay in shape and train your body to be able to protect your family, other innocent
people, and to be able to run away from danger - this includes learning a few basic self defense
techniques

if you carry a firearm, you need to train yourself how to use it and practice regularly or else you
will not be ready to deal with a threat. it is said that you only perform 50% as good under
pressure as you do normally, which means to need to train muscle memory and reflexes
especially to react quickly enough

criminals can tell if you are confident with a firearm and will use it or not. just brandishing a gun
will not scare a criminal away 80% of the time which has been documented by law enforcement,
it is also illegal to brandish a weapon unless you intend to use it to eliminate a threat to your life

use wisdom, you dont need to open carry and needlessly draw attention to yourself just to
"exercise your rights"

situational awareness is the most important skill to have to avoid danger and conflict