1 Chronicles 22:8
“But 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 upon the earth in my sight.”
David deeply desired to build a house for the LORD but could not because he was a man of war. God told David that because he had “shed blood abundantly” and had fought many wars his son would be the one to build a house for the LORD.
It is interesting that when God talked about Solomon He said he would be “a man of rest.” Solomon would not have to fight the battles that David fought. Instead, he would enjoy the fruits of a generation who fought battles. The peace Solomon had in his day was not achieved because someone was a man of peace, but it was achieved because David fought the wars for the next generation.
We live in days when people loathe the idea of war. We live in times when people want to avoid wars at all cost. I’m referring to those in Christianity who despise the generation of men who fought many battles. These men fought battles against liberalism, compromise and lack of holiness. Yet, today there are so many Christians who want nothing to do with the type of Christianity that fights battles. They want everyone to just get along and be men of peace. There are several thoughts that we need to consider about being a man of war versus a man of peace.
First, the men of war gave us what we have today. You can criticize those men who fought battles in Christianity, but those men allowed us today to have the opportunity to have our nicer buildings and greater influence. You must be careful about demonizing a generation of men who sacrificed everything they had to give us a Christianity that has gained influence in this world.
Second, peace is never attained without war. Solomon enjoyed peace because David fought the wars. Yet, because Solomon never fought wars, his son had to fight wars. A generation who is not willing to take a stand against compromise is guaranteeing that the next generation will never enjoy the peace they presently enjoy. Go ahead and avoid the battles, but your children will never enjoy the Christianity you have. What you have today was fought for by men who were willing to be hated by present day men of peace. It’s time that Christians realize that peace is a result of battles.
Third, when you avoid battles today you are guaranteeing an absence of freedoms tomorrow. The problem with men of peace is that they never see that their inaction today carries grave consequences tomorrow. Certainly, nobody enjoys battles, but they must be fought if we are going to continue to enjoy freedom for generations to come.
Let’s be careful about criticizing the generation of men who were men of war. You enjoy what you have today because of them. Instead, take time to thank God for people who were willing to give their all to give you the Christianity you have today, then determine you will fight the battles needed so the next generation can continue to enjoy the peace that you’ve enjoyed.