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THE TREATMENT OF VICTIMS OF WAR
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 28
Deuteronomy 20:10-20

1 Timothy 2:1-4

 

“For this is good and acceptable

in the sight of God our Saviour.”

 

THE TREATMENT OF VICTIMS OF WAR
 
The law that Moses gave them was applicable in the battles that Israel fought. It specified the people who were to die in the battle. Those who were not armed would not be killed. All males were to die by the edge of the sword, for they were always armed or they would also be potential fighters. The unarmed would be the women and children and these were spared and taken captive. The cattle also and other valuables would be taken as the spoils of war. Israel was to apply these laws in all strange cities outside of the Promised Land in subsequent wars.
 
Today, there are laws among nations that govern the treatment of prisoners-of-war. Nations and individuals who break these laws may be liable for trial for war crimes. The genesis of those laws is the law that Moses had delivered to Israel from the Lord. The nature of the conquest of Canaanite cities depended on what God commanded. In some instances Israel was commanded not to leave anything that had breath. They were to destroy all because their mandate was not only to capture their land but it was a means of punishment for their idolatry and all their wickedness. The list of the nations they had to destroy is given in Deuteronomy 20:17. The destruction was also to ensure that they could not teach Israel their abominable form of worship.
 
Direction was given on the manner of besieging a city. In the siege, they were not to cut down the trees because a tree of the field was a man’s life. Trees that had no fruit may be destroyed and out of these they could build bulwarks against the city and subdue it. These were concluding details that helped Israel to wage a war that would not disadvantage them and, at the same time, showed that they were obedient to God. The siege would continue until the enemy surrendered. The enemy might choose to fight back and one party would win, the other lose.
 
THOUGHT: War is the product of human sin and depravity.
PRAYER: Father, set us free from the dark chapter of war and let us express love one for another

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