Ishihara, Kiyoshi. Translated by Gilbert Zinke. "Bible Interpretations that Bring Forth Extremist Fundamentalism" (過激な原理主義を生み出す聖書の解釈). Japan Evangelical Association Theological Commission Pamphlet 6 (May 2006): 5-15.
Link to pages: [ 1 ] [ 2 ] [ 3 ] [ 4 ] [ 5 ] [ 6 ]
III. THE KINGS OF THE MONARCHIAL PERIOD, THE ESCHATOLOGY OF THE PROPHETS, AND EXTREMIST FUNDAMENTALISTS
The Monarchy of Israel that began with Saul really began to blossom with David and Solomon. For them battle with foreign nations, for purposes of expanding their domain or for defense of their nation, was an unavoidable issue. Expansion of military power, together with murder in battle increased in awfulness.
Though after Solomon the nation was split north and south, in the Southern Kingdom, Judah, there were religious reformations under good kings. Kings such as Asa, Jehoshaphat, Uzziah, Hezekiah, Josiah et. al., in order to repair the temple or to wipe out Baal worship, broke down Baal’s altars. There were times when Baal worshipers were murdered. In the Northern Kingdom, cruel records have been left to us of how, under Jehu, 70 sons of Ahab were murdered, and the household of Ahab was wiped out .
Now then, for the kings of the monarchial period, whether called “good king” or “bad king,” their wars were “holy wars,” girded with religious coloring. Even if a battle looked like a political conflict on the surface, the shadows were always imbued with religious conflict, and therein a high volume of murders took place. Nor was that all; both Northern and Southern Kingdoms were threatened by foreign powers, and they were threatened by daily-increasing fear of being wiped out.
On the one hand, the writing prophets, that followed Elijah and Elisha, set their focus on the ethics of the people’s religious life, and did not desire bloody battles like Elijah’s. They believed that God’s righteousness would be revealed at the end of the world, and entrusting themselves to that work of God, did not stoop to shed blood with their own hands. Rather, they waited in hope for the true peace brought about by the Messiah who would appear at the end of the world.
That is to say, the prophets prophesied the destruction of their own countries by Assyria or Babylonia, and continued to warn. At the same time, they turned their eyes to the Messiah-King who would bring true peace on the earth, and earnestly desired His arrival. Isaiah declared that when Messiah would arrive and establish His kingdom, “They will hammer their swords into plowshares and their swords into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, and never again will they learn war” (Isaiah 2:4), thereby expounding the fact that Messiah alone will be the bringer of true peace on earth.
His prophecy will be fulfilled by that Christ who was crucified, descended into hell, rose from the dead and will come again. Christ alone will be the One who will bring about the true peace that every earthly king has failed to achieve, and who will establish His rule. However, it appears that extremist fundamentalists are trying to follow in the ways of the kings of the Kingdom of Israel. There only destruction by military force, that paints blood upon blood, and insatiable expansion of power are intended. They expect that, by such means, the Kingdom will be established on earth.
What lies behind this? That is the Battle of Har Mageddon described in The Apocalypse [Revelation] of John, in the New Testament. At one time, under the Reagan Administration, this Har Mageddon of the Apocalypse of John, written in the New Testament, was tied to the last battle of the world, and its inevitability was believed without a doubt. They saw the Soviet Union as “the Evil Empire” and promoted a massive buildup of nuclear arms. Again, the thinking that led President Bush to declare such countries as Iraq and North Korea an “Axis of Evil” could be called a resurrection of the Reagan Era. Such eschatological views were suggested by extremist fundamentalism, which has tended to gain the adherence of many people because of 9/11.
However, Jesus, just before he went to the cross, said to Peter who, in an attempt to defend Him, had taken a sword and cut off the ear of the high priest’s servant, “Put your sword back into its place; for all who take up the sword shall perish by the sword. Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?” (Matthew 2:52~53), rejecting the notion of taking the sword to establish the Kingdom of God. Not only so, but to Pilates face, Jesus declared, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would fight, that I might not be delivered up to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm” (John 18:36). Thus, it is meaningless for extremist fundamentalists, in order to be victorious in the Battle of Har Mageddon, to prepare and enhance nuclear arms. That is because it is Christ that will be victorious.
Publications
