One of the more difficult Sunday school lessons for Christian adults is one dealing with the topic of war, specifically religious wars. What are justifiable reasons for going to war? Do your students believe such reasons exist?

Begin with this passage from Deuteronomy to start your Sunday school class and discussion.

Deuteronomy 20:1, 10-14
“When you go to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army greater than yours, do not be afraid of them, because the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt, will be with you.

When you march up to attack a city, make its people an offer of peace.  If they accept and open their gates, all the people in it shall be subject to forced labor and shall work for you.  If they refuse to make peace and they engage you in battle, lay siege to that city.  When the Lord your God delivers it into your hand, put to the sword all the men in it.  As for the women, the children, the livestock and everything else in the city, you may take these as plunder for yourselves.”

God called the Israelites to enter this war with the peoples of the land He was giving them because He said that if they did not destroy the populations, those peoples would lead the Israelites into idolatry and pagan worship.  However, even though He put forward this rule for the land He was giving them, He laid out a process for war in general.

First, the aggressors must try for peace.  If the people do not accept, then the aggressors may attack.  This passage says not to fear if it looks as if you will lose, because the Lord is behind you, but that only applies when it is a battle that the Lord has led His people into.  If it is a senseless, unjustifiable war, the Lord will not assure His people victory.

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