Bible Study Seattle

“Moses saw that the people were running wild and that Aaron had let them get out of control and so become a laughingstock to their enemies.  So he stood at the entrance to the camp and said, “Whoever is for the Lord, come to me.” And all the Levites rallied to him. Then he said to them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Each man strap a sword to his side. Go back and forth through the camp from one end to the other, each killing his brother and friend and neighbor.’”  The Levites did as Moses commanded, and that day about three thousand of the people died.   Then Moses said, “You have been set apart to the Lord today, for you were against your own sons and brothers, and he has blessed you this day.” Exodus 32:25-29

At first blush, this appears to say that the Levites went and killed 3,000 random brothers and sisters. And they were rewarded for this?!? But this is not the case. Many times scripture is very spare leading us to some alarming conclusions. It should says that the Levites killed 3,000 leaders of the Golden Calf idolatry plot.

The point is that God rewards those who fight for him and against evil, even to the point of capitol punishment. The believers in God may be called to literally fight at the battle of Armageddon. “The Lord will save the dwellings of Judah first, so that the honor of the house of David and of Jerusalem’s inhabitants may not be greater than that of Judah.  On that day the Lord will shield those who live in Jerusalem, so that the feeblest among them will be like David, and the house of David will be like God, like the angel of the Lord going before them.  On that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that attack Jerusalem.” Zechariah 12:7-9