war and Christians

2 Take the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, from twenty years old and upward, throughout their fathers' house, all that are able to go to war in Israel.

Why are Israelites allowed to go to war but not Christians?

The Israelites were allowed to go to war (past) because God told them to, even though we read in the commandments "thou shalt not kill". Since Jesus came all is different, Christians are regarded as spiritual Israel.

I think that every nation had their own Probation, when they could accept God. However history records show they did not accept Him as their God. Then, the Israelites were used as instruments of justice the same way some other nations were use even to punish God's people.

I want to share a quote regarding Noah's time where it talks about probation, but does not talk about Israelites going to war, yet what I want to emphasize is that "the cup of the unjust was full" whenever destruction reached them.


"But the time comes when the last appeal of Noah is made to the guilty race. He bids them yet once again heed the message of warning and find refuge in the ark. He stretches out his hands in supplication with voice full of sympathy. With quivering lip and tearful eye, he tells them his work is done, but the loud, coarse mocking and scoffs and insults more determined are heaped upon Noah. Enthusiast, fanatic, crazy, falls upon his ear. He bids them all farewell, he and his family enter the ark, and God shut the door. That door that shut Noah in, shut out the world. It was a shut door in Noah's time. And the Lord shut him in. Up to that time, God had opened a door whereby the inhabitants of the old world might find refuge if they believed the message sent to them from God. But that door was now shut and no man could open it. Probation was ended." This Day with God, p. 235.3

"The cup of the unjust was full":

"The long forbearance of God had ceased, the figures in the books of God's reckoning had been accumulating, the cup of the unjust was full. Mercy then ceased and justice took the sword of vengeance...." This Day with God, p. 235.4

A shut door to the nations:

"There was a shut door in Noah's time. There was a shut door to the unbelievers in the destruction of Sodom, but an open door to Lot. There was a shut door to the inhabitants of Tyrus, a shut door to the inhabitants of Jerusalem ...who disbelieved, but an open door to the humble, the believing, those who obeyed God. Thus it will be at the end of time.—Manuscript 17, August 14, 1885, “Shipboard Meditations.” This Day with God, p. 235.5