Weaponizing Ourselves in Gospel Risk: Nehemiah did it...Why Shouldn't We?
You can’t have a New Testament outcome without a New Testament life style.
What are we called to?
There are those serving in Gospel advancement in dangerous areas using Nehemiah 4 to rationalize why they think it's Biblically okay to carry guns and knives as they carry out missionary activity such as church planting, translation work, and community development projects:
Firstly, there's the esoteric excuse: "I feel called by God to carry gun to protect myself like Nehemiah and the Jews."
No one can argue with the "I feel called by God." This is the equivalent of using mystery and no biblical/theological rational for formulating a dogmatic approach to missiology in a dangerous area.
Secondly, the Eisegesis approach: "Nehemiah did it, so I can to."
(Eisegesis is reading application/meaning into the text instead of exegesis (out of the text).)
I think we'd all agree that the Old Testament approach to fornication and adultery (stoning) is not something we want to happen to those of us guilty of this sin today.
God's revelation is progressive. Understanding His ways is explained progressively through history in the Old Testament and New Testament to Israel and to those of us us grafted into Abraham's family through faith in Jesus Christ.
Nehemiah's time was a unique time and a unique task. A detailed study of the Hebrew words used would significantly shed additional light on the use of weapons, when they were used, as well as understanding the context of Nehemiah's calling within the entire Biblical framework.
"This is one of the most important reasons why we must not atomize the Bible or use it for proof-texting. To dip arbitrarily into one part of the Bible and yank out a verse or phrase in an attempt to support a predetermined meaning/application is engaging in the questionable practice of eisegesis."(1)
Let's examine Nehemiah’s situation more closely:
One says that the meaning of Nehemiah's giving weapons to his men as they built the wall is that we should also carry weapons when we go out to advance the Gospel in high risk places. There was a significantly different goal in mind for those men building the walls of Jerusalem than we have as global workers.
However, Jesus also said in Luke 10 - to carry nothing - not humanitarian aid, money, guns, NOTHING with us but the cloaks on our back when we go to a new place to share the Good News. And if a town and a home should receive us in peace, then very well. But if it doesn't, then we should leave immediately and shake the dust off of our sandals.
We are to go in need, not in weapons.
Furthermore, Jewish ideals as well as Jesus amplification in Matt 5 place huge emphasis on the sanctity of life. There are only 3 times when it is acceptable to become a martyr, and this has to do with the killing of another:
“One can only become a martyr if the option is between death and performing acts of idolatry, illegitimate sexual intercourse, or murder.” (Sanhedrin 74a-b)(2)
We know when we go into high risk areas that there is the chance of our being killed, so weaponizing and the implication that we may kill another would be murder.
But let me ask it this way:
Do you really want to go to preach the Good News where people do not know him, but you will shoot a man dead if he attacks you? You will be sealing his eternal damnation in hell giving him NO chance to repent, while you continue in eternal life which you already have (John 17.3). His (or her) blood will be on your soul, and there will be a time of accountability before the Father for that.
This (weaponizing in a high risk area) is an abhorrent approach to sharing the Gospel. We are not soldiers of any government. We are citizens of a different Kingdom, and our King is one who utilizes the weapon of love in the face of evil, not guns.
Missionaries are called to a higher calling, to a different calling than soldiers being paid by a legitimate government. We are called to love, to lay down our lives, to demonstrate the reality of the Kingdom Already Come, Eternal Life Now, which is Knowing the Father and Jesus Christ, the One He Sent.
This is what we are called to, not guns.
(1) Exploring our Hebraic Heritage: A Christian Theology of Roots and Renewal by Marvin Wilson, KL948
(2) https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/pikuach-nefesh
