THE WAY OF THE WARRIOR
The LORD is a man of war; the LORD is his name. (Exod. 15:3 ESV)
To understand the legacy of what a warrior is, and how he matures into a great warrior, viewing the life of the greatest warrior of history is surely a guide for us. Oddly, most of mankind has overlooked the greatest warrior, the most noble, and heroic man of all time. Looking into his past, is a bit of a tangled web, since his legacy has been misdirected. Come journey with us into the book of Genesis.
These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens. (Gen. 2:4 ESV). Moses in writing his account of Creation is making a clear distinction, identifying the person of the Trinity who is responsible making everything. In Genesis 1, Moses gives an introduction, a broad expanse, then Moses changes his approach, noting a member of the Godhead that is the prime mover, the Lord God. Genesis 1 Moses just notes that ‘God’ said, in Genesis 2, he will identify – Jesus as the Creator!
What a bizarre claim! Jesus was actually the Creator? Yes.
Here’s the proof.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. (John. 1:1-3 ESV). And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us… (Jn. 1:14 ESV). That is Jesus my friend.
Here’s more proof.
In Colossians 1 Paul is referring to Jesus Christ, when he states: For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities– all things were created through him and for him. (Col. 1:16 ESV). All things were created through him – Jesus made the Universe… and for him. The Creation is a gift of privilege by God the Father to His Son. It was the Father’s delight to give Jesus this gift.
Here’s more proof.
But in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. (Heb. 1:2 ESV). The Son created the world!
Slam dunk. This might shake the foundations of your previous beliefs. Don’t run away.
Now when you read the Old Testament and see a corporeal appearing of the Lord, note that as Jesus. Jesus says: not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is from God; he has seen the Father. (Jn. 6:46 ESV), the Father must be worshipped in spirit: God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth. (Jn. 4:24 ESV).
All this is background for seeing Jesus’ as ‘the’ Warrior.
First, we want to see Jesus’ desire for justice. When a moral outrage is perpetrated, Jesus immediately reacts. Genesis 3 introduces us to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. This is not myth, or legend, or a metaphor, it is historical narrative. You remember the story, Adam and Eve had one prohibition, one thing they should not do. They had overwhelming freedom, but only one command to obey: And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” (Gen. 2:16, 17 ESV). Adam was given the command, but Eve in Genesis 3 did not obey, and Adam did not stop her: So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. (Gen. 3:6 ESV).
You gotta be kidding!! Nope, they were driven by desires. Eve replaced the Lord with stuff, Adam replaced the Lord with the woman. They thought they found something better. Kind of the legacy of mankind.
How is Jesus going to manage the situation? Is everything blown up, by one tiny, itsy bitsy failure? This is Jesus’ magnum opus, His beautiful Creation. What is he going to do?
If the Sistine Chapel got shot up by paint ball guns, we’d be outraged. Think of Michaelanglo’s response his work of art, if it got defaced!
Jesus’ shows up, he does not make an announcement, no fanfare, no panic, unflappable. And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. (Gen. 3:8 ESV). Jesus’ hair was not on fire, no anger flashing in his eyes, he is pursuing mankind. Mankind had just tried to replace him! (I’d be puckered!).
Jesus is not going to let the charade continue: But the LORD God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” (Gen. 3:9 ESV). Jesus is going to address the problem, not ignore it, nor dismiss it as an ‘oversight.’ Goodness they only took a piece of fruit! They weren’t beating one another, in a raging lunatic frenzy, or killing ‘Fluffy’ the bunny. One little itsy, bitsy mistake.
Jesus was in control, beginning to manage their rebellion. Be sure, he is going to flatten them, but he is targeting redemption. He is about to bring justice into his Creation, something that was not needed until now. He is going to make his Creation an immeasurably more noble place, by revealing moral attributes on grand scale. Things like courage, equity, brotherhood, family, bonding, respect will be added to the creative mix.
The heartache of failure also becomes present. Poignant things invade Creation. Difficult things. Challenges.
Don’t misunderstand, the Lord is not a walking robot, unaffected by Adam & Eve’s faceplant. He is on a mission to redeem mankind and save them from themselves. But he’s up to the challenge, he manages his approach with sober wisdom.
Read the rest of Genesis 3. You’ll find this as a courtroom setting. The Lord as Judge, he questions the defendant’s Adam and Eve. The Lord questions Adam (3:11) then Eve (3:13), giving each an opportunity to testify to their own defense. They refused to confess to their wrong-doing, instead blaming someone else.
Adam blames Eve and the Lord! Huh? The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” (Gen. 3:12 ESV). In a courtroom you would not want to blame the judge, but Adam is a little naïve. Yes, Adam’s sure of it. The Lord is the problem! If I was his defense attorney, I’d be covering my face, shaking my head.
Just let me say, if I was the Lord I would be shocked, and a bit peeved, and I of course would blister him. Unfazed the Lord turns to Eve, and gives her the chance to confess. Well she had to be listening to her husband’s defense, and nobody would buy that, so she tries blaming – Satan! Talk about courtroom drama! What a couple of knuckleheads! Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” (Gen. 3:13 ESV).
Neither truly confesses. Aren’t you glad you’re not like them. You’d confess, right?
Well the third person on trial now gets the Lord’s attention. Satan. The Lord never gives him the opportunity to confess, he knows he’s a liar (John 8:44) and Satan has no standing and is not entitled to a defense. The Lord hands out his sentence. The Lord is going to be ruthless and remorseless. You’d better understand something about him, justice is the opportunity to make things right, and often the way is through severe consequences.
I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” (Gen. 3:15 ESV). The second half of Jesus’ sentence, (the first 3:14) is catastrophic. There will be eternal animosity and eternal conflict. There is no reconciliation. What about turn the other cheek?
Is this way out of proportion for eating one piece of fruit?
Here is a Holy Judge knowing what the consequences to his people and his Creation were, even if others do not. He does not offer mercy, and he does not compromise his attribute of holiness. One mistake is lethal – that is just!
Gen 3:15 is like two combatants in a ring before a fight doing the stare-down routine. But the Lord assures Satan he will be squashed like a bug. Jesus is hard-edged and looking right through the eyes of his antagonist, Satan, and promising him that he will be ‘crushed.’ Like squishing a grape. Satan’s chances are nil.
The odd thing, is Satan will get in a swipe: you shall bruise his heel… (3:15). Why would the Lord ever let himself suffer? He could escape unscathed, but Adam and Eve and all the woman’s seed need a savior: For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Cor. 5:21 ESV). Purity, holiness is still the goal, but Jesus will pay for our sins with his own death.
What a marvelous noble God who intercedes on our behalf, even when we do not deserve his devotion to us. He should earn the Medal of Honor for sacrificing himself for us. Jesus, is a Special Forces stud. He destroys our enemy and dies instead of us. How absolutely morally admirable. That is leader who will call you to follow him – what a privilege.
The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. (1 Jn. 3:8 ESV)
We will continue with our series. Thanks.
