Chapter 15   Chapter 16

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS
CONCERNING WAR
SOME CAUSES OF WAR


†Gen. 6:13-"Satan had great dominion among men, and raged in their hearts; and from thenceforth came wars and bloodshed."

I Chron. 21:1-7-"Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel. And David said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go number Israel . . . And Joab answered. . . . why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel ? . . . And God was displeased with this thing; therefore he smote Israel."

2 Chron. 13:5-16-"Jeroboam the son of Nebat. . . . rebelled against his lord. And there are gathered unto him vain men, the children of Belial, . . . God smote Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. And the children of Israel fled before Judah; and God delivered them into their hand."

*Ps. 55:20, 21-"They have put forth their hands against such as be at peace with them; they have broken the Lord's covenant. The words of their mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in their heart. Their words were softer than oil, yet they have drawn swords."

James 4:l-"From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?"

I Pet. 2:1l-"Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul."

MAKING OF WAR CONDEMNED

I Chron. 22:8-"The word of the Lord came to me, saying, Thou hast shed blood abundantly, and hast made great wars; thou shalt not build an house unto my name, because thou hast shed much blood."

Ps. 68:30-"Rebuke the company of spearmen, scatter thou the people that delight in war."

Ps. 120:6, 7-"My soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace. I am for peace: but when I speak, they are for war."

Ps. 140:1, 2-"Preserve me from the violent man; which imagine mischiefs in their heart; continually are they gathered together for war."

*Matt. 26:50-"Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into its place; for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword" (52).

Rev. 13:10-"He that leadeth into captive shall go into captivity! he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints."

WAR AS JUDGMENTS FOR SIN

Lev. 26:23-25-"If ye will not be reformed by me by these things, but will walk contrary unto me; . . . I will bring a sword upon you, that shall avenge the quarrel of my covenant."

Deut. 28:15-25-"If thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God. . . . The Lord shall smite thee with a consumption, . . . and with the sword, . . . The Lord shall cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies."

2 Chron. 15:3-6-"Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God, And nation was destroyed of nation, and city of city."

2 Chron. 24:24-"The army of the Syrians came with a small company of men, and the Lord delivered a very great host into their hand, because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers."

WAR COMMANDED OR JUSTIFIED BY GOD

Num. 31:1, 4-"The Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Of every tribe a thousand, throughout all the tribes of Israel, shall ye send to the war."

Deut. 3:18-"The Lord your God hath given you this land to possess it: ye shall pass over armed before your brethren the children of Israel, all that are meet for the war."

Deut. 20:4-"The Lord your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you."

Judg. 6:16-"The Lord said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man."

Rev. 17:14-"These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings; and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful."

*Rev. 19:1l-"Behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war."

D. and C. 95:3, 6-"Renounce war and proclaim peace. . . . And if any nation, tongue, or people should proclaim war against them, they should first lift a standard of peace unto that people, nation, or tongue, and if that people will not accept the offering of peace, neither the second nor the third time, they should bring these testimonies before the Lord; then, I, the Lord, would give unto them a commandment, and justify them in going out to battle against that nation, tongue, or people."

PROPHECIES OF WAR

†Gen. 7:8-"Behold the people of Cainan which are numerous shall go forth in battle array against the people of Shum, and shall slay them, that they shall be utterly destroyed."

Dan. 7:21, 22-"I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them, until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom."

Zech. 14:2, 3-"For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity. . . .Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations."

*Matt. 24:25-"You also shall hear of wars, and rumors of wars; see that ye be not troubled; for all I have told you must come to pass"(6).

Rev. 6:4-"And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword."

*Rev. 12:6, 7-"And there was war in heaven; Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought against Michael; and the dragon prevailed not against Michael, neither the child, nor the woman which was the church of God" (7, 8).

Rev. 16:14, 16-"Which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. . . . And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon."

D. and C. 1:6-"The hour is not yet, but is nigh at hand, when peace shall be taken from the earth, and the Devil shall have power over his own dominion."

D. and C. 38:6 (Great wars in far countries).

D. and C. 45:4, 11 (Wars and rumors of wars in foreign countries and in your own lands).

D. and C. 63:9 (War decreed, and wicked shall slay the wicked).

I Nephi 7:27, 28 (War against Israel).

2 Nephi 11:60 (Great Wars among my people).

WAR TO BE ABOLISHED

Ps. 72:2, 3, 7-"He shall judge thy people with righteousness. . . The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness. . . . In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth."

Isa. 2:4-"They shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more."

Isa. 9:6, 7-"The government shall be upon his shoulder: . . . Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever.

Micah 4:3-"And they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more."

Alma 21:135-139 (War only for defense, never give offensive).

Mormon 3:26 (Renounce war).

Ps. 46:9, 10; 68:30; Isa. 11:9; 65:25; Hosea 2:18.

Alma 14:27, 28, 34-41, 49, 50; 15:4, seq. 20:12.

PEACE

Ps. 37:37-"Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright; for the end of that man is peace."

Prov. 16:7-"When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him."

Rom. 12:18-"If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men."

Rom. 14:17-"For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost."

Prov. 12:20; Isa 32:17; Nahum 1:15; *Matt. 5:11; 10:30.

D. and C, 36:6-"Peace, justice, and truth is the habitation of your throne. "

D. and C. 45:12-"A land of peace, a city of refuge, a place of safety for the saints of the most high God; and the glory of the Lord shall be there."

D. and C. 95:3-"Renounce war and proclaim peace.

D. and C. 102:11-"I say unto you, Sue for peace, not only the people that have smitten you, but also to all people; and lift up an ensign of peace, and make a proclamation for peace unto the ends of the earth; and make proposals for peace, unto those who have smitten you, according to the voice of the Spirit which is in you, and all things shall work together for your good."

PEACE OF CHRIST

John 14:27-"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you."

John 16:33; Acts 10:36; Rom. 5:11 I Cor. 1:3; 2 Cor. 1:2; Eph. 2:14; Col. 1:20.

SEEK PEACE

Rom. 14:19-"Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another."

Heb. 12:14-"Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord."

I Pet. 3:11.

Alma 14:27-54; 15:4, 20:12 (Nephi-Lehi would not fight).

Alma 24:74-76; 26:54 (Helaman's young sons, for defense only).

Alma 26:66, 101 (Not one lost).

SYMBOLISM

THE NUMBER SEVEN

Dr. Zenos, professor of ecclesiastical history, states:

"Among the Hebrews 7 became the sacred number par excellence. The sacred times of the calendar were based upon it."-Standard Bible Dictionary, page 592.

The week of seven days ends in rest. The seven days of Noah in the ark ended in a flood (Gen. 7:4). Seven years of plenty preceded seven years of famine (Gen. 41:1-3). Sprinkling of blood seven times (Lev. 4:6; 14:7). Seven animals to be sacrificed (Lev. 23:18; Num. 23:1). Jericho encompassed seven times by seven priests with seven trumpets (Josh. 6:4). Elisha sought rain seven times (I Kings 18:43). Naaman dipped seven times in Jordan to be clean (2 Kings 5:14). Ezekiel sees seven steps to temple (Ezek. 40:22, 26). Seven times passed over Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. 4:25). Seven churches in Asia rebuked (Rev. 2, 3). Seven stars and seven candlesticks (Rev. 1:20). Book sealed with seven seals (Rev. 5:1). Seven angels and seven trumpets in seven periods (Rev. 8:2-13; 9:1-21; 10:1-7). Seven angels with seven plagues (Rev 15:1-8; 16:1-21). Many hold that the Millennium will complete seven thousand years of the earth's ages."

THE WASHING OF FEET

*John 13:4, 5, 12, 14-"He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. After that he poureth water into a basin, and he began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. . . . So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? . . . If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet."

D. and C. 85:45, 46-"Ye shall not receive any among you into this school, save he is clean from the blood of this generation; and he shall be received by the ordinance of the washing of feet, for unto this end was the ordinance of the washing of feet instituted. . . . The ordinance . . . is to be administered by the president, or the presiding elder of the church. It is to be commenced with prayer; and after partaking of bread and wine, he is to gird himself, according to the pattern given in the thirteenth chapter of John's testimony concerning me."

SECRET COMBINATIONS

†Gen. 5:14-16, 35-37, 39-"And Satan said unto Cain, Swear unto me by thy throat, and if thou tell it thou shalt die; and swear thy brethren by their heads, and by the living God, that they tell it not; for if they tell it they shall surely die. . . . And Satan swear unto Cain, that he would do according to his commands. And all these things were done in secret. And Cain said, Truly I am Mahan, the master of this great secret, that I may murder and get gain. Wherefore Cain was called Master Mahan; and he gloried in his wickedness. . . . For, Lamech having entered into a covenant with Satan, after the manner of Cain, wherein he became Master Mahan, master of that great secret which was administered unto Cain by Satan; And Irad, the son of Enoch, having known their secret, began to reveal it unto the sons of Adam; wherefore, Lamech, being angry, slew him, not like unto Cain his brother Abel for the sake of getting gain; but he slew him for the oath's sake; For from the days of Cain, there was a secret combination, and their works were in the dark, and they knew every man his brother. . . . And their works were abominations, and began to spread among all the sons of men."

2 Nephi 11:90, 93, 94-"And the Gentiles are lifted up in the pride of their eyes, and have stumbled, . . . and there are also secret combinations, even as in times of old, according to the combinations of the devil for he is the foundation of all these things, yea, the foundation of murder and works of darkness. . . . He leadeth them by the neck with a flaxen cord, until he bindeth them with his strong cords forever."

Helaman 2:146-"They did have . . . their secret signs, and their secret words; and this that they might distinguish a brother who had entered into the covenant, that whatsoever wickedness his brother should do, he should not be injured. . . .by those who did belong to his band."

Mormon 4:35-"And it shall come in a day when the blood of the saints shall cry unto the Lord, because of secret combinations and the works of darkness."

Ether 3:87-89-"And it came to pass that they all swear unto him by the God of heaven, and also by the heavens, and also by the earth, and by their heads, that . . . whoso should divulge whatsoever thing Akish made known unto them, the same should lose his life. . . . And Akish did administer unto them the oaths which were given by them of old, who also sought power, which had been handed down even from Cain, who was a murderer from the beginning."

Alma 17:52-58; Helaman 2:141-143, 146-156; 3:11-31; 4:12-14; 3 Nephi 2:7-12, 86-89; 3:31-41; 7:34; 4 Nephi 1:50; Ether 3:80-82, 83-102; John 18:20; Eph. 5:11-13.

WHAT IS "THE ROCK" OF THE SCRIPTURES?

Deut. 32:3, 4-"I will publish the name of the Lord; He is the Rock." (From the Song of Moses).

2 Sam. 22:1, 2-"And David spake unto the Lord the words of this song. . . . The Lord is my rock."

Ps. 62:1, 2 "Truly my soul waiteth upon God: . . . He only is my rock and my salvation.

Matt. 16:17-19-"And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona; for flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee, but my Father who is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" ( 16-18).

1 Cor. 10:4-"And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ."

I Nephi 3:186-"And in them shall be written my gospel, saith the Lamb, and my rock and my salvation."

I Nephi 4:20-"And then at that day, will they not rejoice and give praise unto their everlasting God, their rock and their salvation?"

Helaman 2:74-"Remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation."

D. and C. 10:11-"Build upon my rock, which is my gospel."

D. and C. 16:1-"The foundation of my church, my gospel, and my Rock."

D. and C. 36:10-"I am Messiah, the King of Zion; the rock of heaven."