When is War Justified?

I'm sure I can state with confidence that no sane person wants war. For all but the victorious kings and generals, war means only misery and death. So when can a war be justified?

We read in the Old Testament how Israel conquered the land of Canaan. Critics say it was a war of aggression but the Lord gave them the land. Exodus 6:4 (Bible in Basic English) plainly states, "And I made an agreement with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their wanderings."

God was justified in dealing with the Canaanite's by driving them out of their land and replacing them with Israelites. Leviticus 18:24 and 25 (BBE) tells us why. "Do not make yourself unclean in any of these ways; for so have those nations whom I am driving out from before you made themselves unclean: And the land itself has become unclean; so that I have sent on it the reward of its wrongdoing, and the land itself puts out those who are living in it."

Another thing those critics of Scripture miss is the barbarity of the Canaanite's. Even Israel's King Ahaz copied the horrendous ways of the pagans, as we read in 2 Chronicles 28:3 (BBE). "More than this, he had offerings burned in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and made his children go through fire, copying the disgusting ways of the nations whom the Lord had sent out of the land before the children of Israel."

Since we don't hear from God directly these days, how are we to decide if a war is justifiable? God has given governments the task of protecting their people from foreign and domestic enemies. Therefore, we Christians must pray for our nation. As we read in 1 Peter 3:12 (BBE), "For the eyes of the Lord are on the upright, and his ears are open to their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."

What a relief that God is in charge and whatever happens is his will. He raises up nations and brings them down. The Lord punishes nations and people through bad government and wars. A day will come when we find out why things happened the way they did and we'll be totally amazed at his genius.

And if Christ hasn't returned by Thursday, I plan on posting about why Christ is called the Prince of Peace.