WHAT THE PRIEST SHALL SAY

“When you are about to go into battle, the priest shall come forward and address the army. He shall say: ‘Hear, O Israel, today you are going into battle against your enemies. Do not be fainthearted or afraid; do not be terrified or give way to panic before them. For the LORD your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.’ ” —Deuteronomy 20:2–4

Deuteronomy 20 gives a fascinating insight into the war culture of the people of Israel. It sets out various speeches required from different leaders who would address those soon marching out to battle. One might imagine the solemn ceremonies that could accompany these speeches as the soldiers prepared for battle. An important observation is the seriousness with which war was undertaken, talked about, and embarked upon.

A key message is, “Do not be afraid,” even when setting out on such a grim assignment. But what if we applied this same logic and commitment to the task of making peace, as Jesus taught (see Matthew 5:9)? Rarely has humanity invested in nonviolence or peacemaking at anything like the scale we have invested in war, violence, and their macabre industries and technologies. Perhaps, borrowing a phrase from philosopher William James, this calls for a personal and social investment in nonviolence with the “moral equivalence of war,” meaning that those who seek peace, justice, and freedom through nonviolence must be equally prepared to live, invest, train, and die for the cause as their militaristic counterparts.* Imagine if we embarked on peacemaking with the same kind of heroic self-sacrifice, comradeship, and discipline that are lauded on the battlefield. Again, the key message is “Do not be afraid.” In the name of Jesus, let us take this assignment seriously, stepping out into our communities and our world with courage, hope, and love, knowing that our God is with us, and He will be victorious.

* See Ronald J. Sider, Nonviolent Action: What Christian Ethics Demands but Most Christians Have Never Really Tried (Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos Press, 2015), 175–177.