Today the Islamic State otherwise known as ISIS or ISIL released a horrific and graphic video of the beheading of Steven Sotloff. This follows the beheading of James Foley a few weeks ago. As Americans and as Christians we must pray for the families of Mr. Foley and Mr. Sotloff. We must continue to pray for the others held captive by this evil group of people as well as the many religious and ethnic minorities terrorized by this evil group.
There is a point where depravity is so great that it almost extends beyond the definition of evil. This describes what ISIS is. It must be dealt with decisively now. As you read you this you might be thinking what a pastor is doing writing about a terrorist organization. I write this because all religions are being threatened and because this is not the first time that Christians like other religions have had to deal with this kind of evil barbaric terrorism. To this we turn to the Old Testament.
In 1 Samuel 15:3, God commanded Israel via its King Saul to “attack the Amalekites and totally destroyall that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.” This is a passage that several theologians consider a passage of “terror.” At this point I would say that this is not terror this is justice. The Amalekites, like ISIS now, are evil people using terror tactics to abuse unarmed peaceful religious and ethnic minorities.
Several groups like Amnesty international and Crisis Relief International have reported that ISIS, which practices the most extreme interpretation of Islam, has systematically worked through their plan of ethnic and religiously cleansing anyone who will not adhere to their so called Caliphate.
Crisis Relief International (CIR) recently reported this, "We lost the city of Queragosh (Qaraqosh). It fell to ISIS and they are beheading children systematically. This is the city we have been smuggling food to. ISIS has pushed back Peshmerga (Kurdish forces), is within 10 minutes of where our CRI team is working. Thousands more fled into the city of Erbil last night. The UN evacuated its staff in Erbil. Our team is unmoved and will stay. Prayer cover needed."
There is no justification for the actions of ISIS like there was no justification for the Amalekites treatment of Israel. God called Saul to destroy everyone and everything that was Amalekite because it was evil and because “what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from Egypt.” (1 Samuel 15:2)
We find out what the Amalekites actually did to Israel in Deuteronomy 25:17-19. It says “Remember what the Amalekites did to you along the way when you came out of Egypt. When you were weary and worn out, they met you on your journey and attacked all who were lagging behind; they had no fear of God. When the Lord your God gives you rest from all the enemies around you in the land he is giving you to possess as an inheritance, you shall blot out the name of Amalek from under heaven. Do not forget.”
The Amalekites, like ISIS now, has systematically gone after those that are peaceful which they deem to be weaker. This cannot continue. This is not just a threat to Christianity it is a threat to all religions and too peace everywhere. ISIS only wants one form of religion and in the process they desire the destruction of the West along with Israel and anyone Muslim or not.
The President of the United States last week said there was no strategy yet on what to do with ISIS. Perhaps the president should take advice from God’s strategy which we find in Deuteronomy 20:10-13. This passage is found both in the Christian Bible and the Torah. God tells Israel: “When you march up to attack a city, make its people an offer of peace. If they accept and open their gates, all the people in it shall be subject to forced labor and shall work for you. If they refuse to make peace and they engage you in battle, lay siege to that city. When the Lord your God delivers it into your hand, put to the sword all the men in it.”
God is love and the Father of Jesus Christ whom we call the Prince of Peace. God is also a just God with no tolerance for evil. No one wants to enter into another war. No one wants to have more of our men and women risk their lives in a foreign land. We all want peace and security. Sometimes though that peace is rejected at which point there is only one option as we just read above.
ISIS does not want peace. They want death to come to Christians, Jews, and anyone that will not bow down to their form of Islam. Mr. Sotloff, Mr. Foley, their families, as well as the thousands of Christian, religious and ethnic minority families many facing the reality of beheaded children, raped women, tortured and murdered men, all deserve peace. This peace will come when they have justice. Like with the Amalekites before them there is only one option with this kind of evil. We must, as God says, “blot out the name” in this case ISIS “from under the Heaven.”
About Rev. Marcos O. Almonte
Rev. Marcos O. Almonte is senior pastor at Brandywine Baptist Church, the oldest Baptist Church west of Philadelphia. Pastor Marcos is a graduate of Palmer Theological Seminary with more than 10 years working with families with an expertise in theology, trauma and addictions. Pastor Marcos and his wife Mary have three children, Carmen, Joseph, and Lincoln.
(27 votes, average: 4.15 out of 5)
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I give 5 stars to pastor Marcos’s article on September 3rd. I tried to rate it but touching the stars did not respond.