Center for Creative Ministry A research organization and research center for Seventh-day Adventist pastors and their congregations
Rules of Engagement
There are rules of engagement in war, especially when it comes to the treatment of civilians. Doctors Without Borders has compiled a Practical Guide to Humanitarian Law, including a section entitled “Prohibition on Arbitrary Detention.”
“Detaining an individual without judgment is prohibited by all international human rights texts, as well as the criminal laws of most States,” it explains. “All individuals have the right to liberty and security of person. No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest or detention, or deprived of his or her liberty.”
Amnesty International applies this law in their assessment of the hostage negotiation situation in Israel and Gaza. They accuse both sides of violating these humanitarian rules of engagement in their treatment of civilian hostages.
“Israeli and foreign hostages and Palestinian detainees must not be treated as political pawns in a despicable power struggle over the next phase of the ceasefire deal,” says Amnesty International’s Erika Guevara Rosas. “Hostage taking is a war crime. There can be no justification for abducting anyone to use as a hostage, nor for the prolonged, arbitrary detention of individuals to serve as bargaining chips.”
Amnesty International reports that Hamas has abused several of the 250 hostages it took during its October 7, 2023 raid into Israeli territory. “Some released hostages described being held in tunnels while in chains, deprived of food and with very limited exposure to daylight,” they testify. “They also reported being subjected to torture and other ill-treatment.” At least six bodies that Israel retrieved in August 2024 reveal that they were shot at close range shortly before their recovery.
For its part, Israel has detained over 4,000 Palestinians without charge or trial, violating international law. At least 60 of these detainees have died in Israeli custody since the October 7 raid.
Although not always adhered to, following humanitarian rules of engagement is in everyone’s best interest.
Just as in human wars, there are also rules of engagement involved in the great conflict between Christ and Satan, even though one side bends the rules as much as possible.
God follows self-imposed restrictions. One restriction is not using undue coercion. Jesus allowed the rich young ruler to just walk away (Matthew 19:16-24). Another is not using miraculous power to gain an unfair advantage. For example, Jesus wouldn’t turn stones into bread to feed Himself, or submit to any of Satan’s temptations to use His heavenly powers (Matthew 4:1-11).
Probably the most important self-imposed restriction is that God honors our freedom of choice. God gives us what we need to choose righteousness and then says in Isaiah 1:18, “Come, let’s reason together.”
Satan, on the other hand, tries every means possible to destroy humanity. He would have killed Job if God hadn’t restricted him (Job 1:1-12; 2:1-7). He lies (Genesis 3:4-5), and he steals, kills and destroys (John 10:10).
While the Bible is transparent regarding God’s work to save humanity, Satan tries his best to stop us from learning about the plan of salvation. An example of this is when he opposed the angel who brought a message of hope in Daniel 10:1-14. God could have miraculously bypassed Satan, but God’s self-imposed rules of engagement meant the angel had to proceed according to the same limitations placed on the devil.
It may not always make sense to us now, but God’s actions in this great conflict actually work to expose Satan’s true character. By following these rules of engagement, we can compare God’s honorable character vs. Satan’s duplicity and make our decisions for eternity accordingly.
For Reflection
Connecting: What rule did your parents enforce in your home that you didn’t understand at the time? Did you ever hear the phrase, “Because I said so”? Do your parents’ rules make sense to you now?
Sharing: Revelation 13:1-8 describes God allowing the dragon and the beast to wage war against the saints. Why do you think God consents to this?
- Since Jesus had to suffer on the cross, it’s only fair that we suffer also
- We have to show the heavenly universe that we are worthy to gain access to eternity
- Our suffering is used to show Satan’s true character to the unfallen worlds
- It’s not as bad as it sounds, since God doesn’t allow us to suffer more than we can endure (see 1 Corinthians 10:13)
- Our sufferings reveal to us that we really are written in the Lamb’s book of life
- Other:
Applying: Are there any “church rules” that seem arbitrary to you? What rules would you discard, change, or add? Please discuss these kindly among your study group.
Valuing: Have you ever found yourself angry at another person, only to realize that they’ve been duped by the devil? Is it easier to separate the person from their aggravating actions when you consider this? Prayerfully contemplate Matthew 5:43-48, and reflect on any situations where you may need to pray for someone who bothers you.
~ Chuck Burkeen
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