Holy War
“Holy war” usually refers to wars in the Old Testament that God specifically commanded Israel to fight as acts of divine judgment and covenant obedience. It does not authorize the church to use violence to advance Christ’s kingdom.
At a Glance
“Holy war” usually refers to wars in the Old Testament that God specifically commanded Israel to fight as acts of divine judgment and covenant obedience. It does not authorize the church to use violence to advance Christ’s kingdom.
Description
“Holy war” is a theological label for particular Old Testament conflicts in which God expressly commanded Israel to go to battle, especially in connection with the conquest of Canaan and the defense of the covenant people. In these cases, Scripture presents the Lord as the true warrior who gives victory and who judges sin through historically specific acts tied to His covenant purposes. Because these wars were based on direct divine command and belonged to Israel’s role as a nation under the old covenant, they should not be universalized into a standing permission for God’s people to wage religious war. A careful evangelical reading therefore affirms both the justice of God in these biblical events and the clear New Testament pattern that Christ’s kingdom is not spread by force but by the proclamation of the gospel, discipleship, and faithful obedience.