Take Up Your Swords
I actually have a sword. Actually, two. But that's beside the point. Sort of.
The point is (yes, I'm getting to it at the beginning of the post!) that I want to know what role our swords play, and how actively?
We have lots of scriptures about swords. There are the various references to the armor of God, which are very useful because they define the sword as the Spirit. There is the burying of swords by the people of Ammon. We have Captain Moroni and the sons of Helaman doing the opposite. The Ancient Israelites used their swords quite a bit, and Nephi acquired one in a remarkable way, after which he made more just like it. That sword became something of a legendary artifact. To be honest though, every time I think of swords in a scriptural context, this is the first thing that comes to mind:
And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. (Isaiah 2:4)
I suppose that this is something to be looked forward to more than it is something that we have and do right now, but is that supposition correct? I've commented before that one of Elder Eyring's first General Conference talks as an Apostle was all about the war in which we are engaged, while his first Ensign message after becoming President Eyring focused on peace. This is one of the most difficult paradoxes I face (which is probably why I'm writing about it again): proclaiming peace vs. fighting the good fight.
I suppose it could also be framed in terms of love-hate balance, or love of God vs. hatred of the devil. You see, I think that God gave us hatred just like he gave us love - speaking to Lucifer in the garden of Eden he "put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.?" This was done, in my opinion, for the purpose of keeping separation between Satan and the children of men. I know there are other interpretations of this verse, but I think mine does not diminish them. The idea is that God gave us hatred so that we could keep the devil at a distance. If we don't hate Satan, how do we feel about him? This doesn't justify our hating anyone else, however.
Back to the point, we don't want to be obsessed with feelings of hatred towards anyone, devil included. We don't focus on that tool all the time, because we love God and focus on that. There are times, however, when we bring out the hate (which doesn't imply rage, by the way) and employ it in righteousness to separate ourselves from sin. This is war, in my mind - the sword. Of course, the sword can also be wielded with love, but we more often characterize loving actions as peaceful.
Anyway, before I get in any deeper, I would like your thoughts, if you will offer them, on what I've said so far. I'm just trying to put out ideas and stimulate thought - as I said, this is a tough one for me. Lets discuss and try to help each other.
The point is (yes, I'm getting to it at the beginning of the post!) that I want to know what role our swords play, and how actively?
We have lots of scriptures about swords. There are the various references to the armor of God, which are very useful because they define the sword as the Spirit. There is the burying of swords by the people of Ammon. We have Captain Moroni and the sons of Helaman doing the opposite. The Ancient Israelites used their swords quite a bit, and Nephi acquired one in a remarkable way, after which he made more just like it. That sword became something of a legendary artifact. To be honest though, every time I think of swords in a scriptural context, this is the first thing that comes to mind:
And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. (Isaiah 2:4)
I suppose that this is something to be looked forward to more than it is something that we have and do right now, but is that supposition correct? I've commented before that one of Elder Eyring's first General Conference talks as an Apostle was all about the war in which we are engaged, while his first Ensign message after becoming President Eyring focused on peace. This is one of the most difficult paradoxes I face (which is probably why I'm writing about it again): proclaiming peace vs. fighting the good fight.
I suppose it could also be framed in terms of love-hate balance, or love of God vs. hatred of the devil. You see, I think that God gave us hatred just like he gave us love - speaking to Lucifer in the garden of Eden he "put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.?" This was done, in my opinion, for the purpose of keeping separation between Satan and the children of men. I know there are other interpretations of this verse, but I think mine does not diminish them. The idea is that God gave us hatred so that we could keep the devil at a distance. If we don't hate Satan, how do we feel about him? This doesn't justify our hating anyone else, however.
Back to the point, we don't want to be obsessed with feelings of hatred towards anyone, devil included. We don't focus on that tool all the time, because we love God and focus on that. There are times, however, when we bring out the hate (which doesn't imply rage, by the way) and employ it in righteousness to separate ourselves from sin. This is war, in my mind - the sword. Of course, the sword can also be wielded with love, but we more often characterize loving actions as peaceful.
Anyway, before I get in any deeper, I would like your thoughts, if you will offer them, on what I've said so far. I'm just trying to put out ideas and stimulate thought - as I said, this is a tough one for me. Lets discuss and try to help each other.
Comments
Embracing the Lord will by definition entail rejection of Satan and all his enticings. Again, is rejection and hatred that same beast?
Certainly enmity is important, such protects us from losing our self-direction, independence; in short, our soul. I do not consider it synonymous with hate. Maybe I'm just splitting hairs with semantics.
"Maybe I'm just splitting hairs with semantics."
Possibly, but let's explore it a bit. Perhaps we can come to a mutual understanding. How do you define the difference between hatred and enmity? This is the entire definition in the Guide to the Scriptures on the Church website: "In the scriptures, antagonism, hostility, and hate."
Also, Alma 26:34 says, "But behold how many of these have laid down their lives; and we know that they have gone to their God, because of their love and of their hatred to sin" (emphasis added).
Gone to God because of hatred, or the combination of it with divine love? Remember that this is a description of the Anti-Nephi Lehies, the people described in the same chapter as having the greatest love in all the land. This suggests that hatred can indeed go hand in hand with love of God, but it must be singularly directed towards evil. I am well aware of the many verses that testify to the negativity of hatred, but their abundance as opposed to the rarity of scriptures casting hatred in a positive light may be evidence of how difficult it is to do correctly. You notice in most cases that the scriptures name the object of the hatred, and it's usually other mortals or their cultures, kingdoms, etc., not the devil or sin.
Also consider the principle of opposition in all things here. All things.
You are right to make the distinction you do concerning rejection and your point about Heaven weeping is interesting. Moses 7 gives an insightful perspective on that. I don't think it too far fetched that a person (or a God) could mourn for the suffering that is the inevitable result of actions worthy of hate. God may hate Satan as a matter of being bound by divine law to do so. This is just theoretical, of course. The important point is the one we agree on, which you summed up nicely in your last paragraph.
A few other scriptures to ponder:
"The Lord GOD hath sworn by himself, saith the LORD the God of hosts, I abhor the excellency of Jacob, and hate his palaces: therefore will I deliver up the city with all that is therein" (Amos 6:8).
"Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate" (Amos 5:15). Is this not a question of judgment at its root?
"Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows" Psalm 45:7.
"Therefore, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will prepare thee unto blood, and blood shall pursue thee: sith thou hast not hated blood, even blood shall pursue thee" (Ezekiel 35:6).
"Save yourselves from this untoward generation, and come forth out of the fire, hating even the garments spotted with the flesh" (D&C 36:6).
I'm not quoting all these to be belligerent or to stop conversation, I just want you to see where I'm coming from.
One of the more poignant - and consistent - aspects of the scriptures you've listed is the focus of the hate. Although not scripture, I'm sure you've heard the petition to hate the sin but love the sinner. In each of these references, the hate is not directed at a person. I think this is key.