Is Yahweh a God of War or Peace?
It’s easy to become confused while reading the prophets’ depictions of God. Malachi, for instance, warns that God is a powerful warrior who will consume all evildoers in the fire of his judgment ( Mal 4:1 ). In contrast, Isaiah anticipates God’s kingdom as a time of peace—when nations will beat their weapons into farming tools ( Isa 2:2–4 ). God himself looks forward to the day that “They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” ( Isa 11:9 ). So, is God for war or for peace? God is a warrior Among the sixth- and fifth-century BC Minor Prophets, three prophets—Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi—repeatedly call God “Lord of Hosts.” This title portrays God enthroned among his heavenly assembly , whom he sometimes leads into battle. It can also be translated “Lord of Armies” in some contexts. For these prophets, it epitomizes God’s identity as the mighty warrior-king who rules over all. Like t