Texts: Genesis 15:16; Leviticus 18:24–30; 2 Timothy 4:1, 8; Exodus 23:28–30; Deuteronomy 20:10, 15–18; Isaiah 9:6

After 34 years, DNA accomplished what detectives could never do–solve the 1991 Austin, Texas yogurt shop murders.

Thanks to advancements in DNA technology, the South Carolina state lab matched serial killer Robert Eugene Edwards to the scene, as well as to other crimes committed across the country.

One of Texas’ most haunting cases can now be put to rest, as well as the cloud of suspicion looming over previous suspects.

This resolution is one of the latest in a lengthy strand (pun intended) of cold cases solved by DNA direct matches and investigative genetic genealogy, which started to regularly make headlines after ancestral DNA identified Joseph DeAngelo as the Golden State Killer.

There’s now talk that forensic genetic genealogy could eradicate the mystery behind the infamous JonBenét Ramsey strangulation and possibly even the Jack the Ripper slayings.

As long as the justice system places faith in such forensic technologies, criminals face a new, fearsome justice that they cannot overcome.

Similarly, God fights for justice on the behalf of faithful believers. The Bible provides numerous examples of God intervening against adversaries which ultimately culminates in the greatest battle of all in which Christ defeats death and sin.

Some obvious examples of God stepping in to fight the battles of believers include the 10 Plagues, the trapping of the blinded Arameans (2 Kings 6:8–23) and the Angel of the Lord singlehandedly obliterating 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in response to the prayers of Judah’s faithful (2 Kings 18–19, Isaiah 36–37, 2 Chronicles 32).

Throughout the book of Joshua we also see how God helps the Israelites claim victory after victory over their pagan neighbors.

Of course, imagery like this can be troubling. Why would a loving God so violently wipe out entire communities?

Violence was never Plan A. Egypt and its pharaoh had 9 chances to repent before the death of the first born sons. Likewise, the surrounding nations were given the opportunity to witness the devastation of Egypt and the crossing of the Red Sea, as revealed in Rahab’s testimony (Joshua 2:8–13). One by one the kingdoms fell, each fall offering the witnessing neighbors another chance to repent.

But these nations stubbornly hardened their hearts against God and continued practicing abominable morality. This type of pride is clearly witnessed in the story of Sennacherib who directly challenged the God of Israel. Sennacherib claimed that he, too, defeated many kingdoms who claimed that their gods would save them (Isaiah 36:13–20).

What a shock it must have been for the king to wake up to the complete and utter annihilation of his army, knowing that the Israelites would have been incapable of doing so!

In this case, God did not help the Israelites; God fought the battle alone. What a response to Sennacherib’s mocking challenge!

God fights for justice (Joshua 5:13–15), so instead of asking God to pick our side when times get hard, we need to turn our thinking around. Do we choose to self-righteously fight our own battles, or hand over the reigns to the Angel of the Lord?

 

For Reflection

 

Connecting: Do you think God still participates in literal wars today?

Sharing: Are there ever times when we put too much trust in God to solve our problems?

1. We can never have too much faith
2. True, living faith is demonstrated through action (James 2:14–26)
3. God created us with logic for a reason
4. When we create our own problems we still need to face their consequences
5. I don’t know
6. Other

Applying: What role should Christians play in establishing peace in our communities?

Valuing: God does not arbitrarily give protection or annihilate people. In Scripture we see how Israelites lost their status through rebellion, and how Gentiles like Rahab and the Gibeonites came to honor God. Does this knowledge impact how you value your relationship with the Creator? Should it?

~ Stefani Leeper

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Did You Know?

According to new Barna data, drawn from The State of Today’s Family study, half of Christians or church attendees (50 percent) tells Barna, “Our pastor is understanding of the experiences of blended families and nontraditional family structures.” But the other half says this is not the case (27 percent) or that they are not sure (23 percent). Source: barna.com/trends/pastors-and-todays-families/

Additional Resources

What does it take to attract, develop and retain volunteers for church ministries? Several Outlook 100 Fastest-Growing Churches share advice and lessons learned along the way. Source: Outreach 100 Churches on Creating a Flourishing Volunteer Culture

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