What are a few instances of terrorism in the bible?

Question

I'm writing a paper for a scholarship about terrorism. The prompt asks me to take a stance on whether there is a solution towards worldwide terrorism or not. I don't believe there is, as differing opinions will always bring people to act against each other. I'd like to use the bible for support, since I remember that there are examples in the bible of terrorism. I just can't recall any specific instances, as I haven't studied since I've been out of religious school. It can be Old Testament, New Testament, anything. I just need a couple of examples to prove that terrorism has been around for thousands of years. Thanks.

I guess I need to specify what I mean by terrorism to get a clearer answer. In this case, I'm analyzing terrorism as an act by someone or a group to inspire fear in others with the hope of submitting them to their will. Basically, someone using violence or words to scare someone into believing something or scaring them into doing something.

And I've read the bible several times, that doesn't mean I've memorized it and can recall all of the specific instances in it.

Answer 1

Well, the fall of Jericho comes to mind.
Also, the story of the sun standing still when the Israelites fought the Amorites (scary stuff!)

Hey, and how about the plagues of Egypt? Moses (and God) used this bit of nastiness to get the Egyptians to allow the Israelites to leave the country. Check out the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, as well as Lot's wife being turned into a pillar of salt.

You need to read the Old Testament all the way through. There is tons of terrorist activity in there---used mostly by God to keep everyone in line.

Answer 2

Terrorism, being a concept, cannot itself be fought. As for instances of it in the Bible, the beheading of John the Baptist, The Crucifiction of Christ, The Great Flood, The destruction of Sodom and Gomorah. There are many, many accounts, depending on your definition.

Answer 3

(jeremiah 1:17) during the warfare of true believers....(ezekiel 2:7)......“There was a hoping for peace, but no good came; and for a time of healing, and, look! terror!”—Jer. 14:19...................and years and decades satan is causing terror on humans in revelation 12:7-9.and the effects are attitudes of people in the last days(2 timothy 3:1-5)and mathhew 24:7-8

Answer 4

-One largest example of terrorism in scripture can only be defined by non-beleivers. When the israelites entered Canaan and began killing everyone for their iniquities of worship. The israelites paved the way for Judaism and God.

Considering what the inhabitants were doing at the time, so be it. But, like I said- from non-beleivers point of view.

-The Romans forcing their Caesarian beleifs and occupying Judea. Barabas and his horde terrorizing Roman soldiers in rebellious fashion.

Answer 5

Try all of Leviticus, chapter 20 and Exodus 21 for starters. That's a whole lot of killing and forced submission.

How about the day Moses comes down from Mount Sinai with the stone tablets containing the Ten Commandments and discovers that the Israelites have created a golden calf? To punish the people, Moses gathers a group of men and takes the following action in the book of Exodus, Chapter 32:

"Then he [Moses] said to them, "This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: 'Each man strap a sword to his side. Go back and forth through the camp from one end to the other, each killing his brother and friend and neighbor.' "

The Levites did as Moses commanded, and that day about three thousand of the people died. So one minute we have God carving into stone, "Thou shalt not kill." Then the next minute we have God telling each man to strap a sword to his side and lay waste to thousands. The terrorists that strap bombs to themselves are also trying to kill as many people as possible for their God.

There are examples from Genesis as well. For her transgression of eating the fruit, God says to Eve:

"I will greatly increase your pains in Childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children."

This, of course, is torture. Inflicting excruciating pain on someone as punishment is the dictionary definition of torture, as you can see here:

tor·ture: Infliction of severe physical pain as a means of punishment or coercion. [ref]

So, according to the Bible, God is the universe's all-powerful torturer. Terrorists like torturing their victims, don't they?

And let's not forget the overall message of Christianity: do as God says or face the threat of eternal pain and torture in Hell. I'd call that terrorism on a grand scale!

Answer 6

I don't read the Bible much and I'm not sure of your definition of terrorism (does it have to include killing or just striking fear or can it include civil unrest).

Anyway, Jesus destroying the market could be an example.

Answer 7

Jesus was the biggest terrorist of his time.
1) Jesus turning over the moneychangers' tables and running them out of the temple.
2) Hanging out at the temple constantly challenging the Jews.
3) Tell the TRUTH which is one of the worst terrorist acts then and now. It got him killed by the Jews.
4) His actions were always inciting riots.

Answer 8

hebrews
10:31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God

ezekial
6:5 And I will lay the dead carcases of the children of Israel before their idols; and I will scatter your bones round about your altars

6:7 And the slain shall fall in the midst of you, and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

Answer 9

do plagues of Egypt count?
hurting many many civilians in order to get pharaoh to let Jews go (also to scare Jews into submission)

terrorism generally means killing some people to scare others into obedience. In this respect, almost any action of God in Old Testament qualifies.

Answer 10

What the Bible says about Terrorism

Genesis 35:5
The terror of God was upon the cities that were round about them.

Exodus 23:27
I will send my fear before thee.

Deuteronomy 2:25
This day will I begin to put the dread of thee and the fear of thee upon the nations that are under the whole heaven, who shall hear report of thee, and shall tremble, and be in anguish because of thee.

Deuteronomy 4:34
... by war, and by a mighty hand, and by a stretched out arm, and by great terrors....

Judges 16:27-30
Now the house was full of men and women ... about three thousand men and women.... And Samson called unto the LORD, and said ... strengthen me ... that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines.... And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house stood..... And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life.

These Biblical texts have been used by many violent Jewish and Christian groups. Crusaders used them against Muslims and Jews. Nazis used them against Jews. Recently Serbian Christians used them against Bosnian Muslims. Zionists are using them regularly against Palestinians.

Let me mention just a few verses from the Old Testament and New Testament and tell me what do you say about them:

“When the LORD your God brings you into the land where you are entering to possess it, and clears away many nations before you, the Hittites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Canaanites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and stronger than you. And when the LORD your God delivers them before you and you defeat them, then you shall utterly destroy them. You shall make no covenant with them and show no favor to them. (Deutronomy 7:1-2)

“When you approach a city to fight against it, you shall offer it terms of peace. If it agrees to make peace with you and opens to you, then all the people who are found in it shall become your forced labor and shall serve you. However, if it does not make peace with you, but makes war against you, then you shall besiege it. When the LORD your God gives it into your hand, you shall strike all the men in it with the edge of the sword. Only the women and the children and the animals and all that is in the city, all its spoil, you shall take as booty for yourself; and you shall use the spoil of your enemies which the LORD your God has given you… Only in the cities of these peoples that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, you shall not leave alive anything that breathes (Deuteronomy 20:10-17)

Now therefore, kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known man intimately. But all the girls who have not known man intimately, spare for yourselves. (Numbers 31:17-18)

Even in the New Testament we read the following statements attributed to Jesus saying to his disciples:

“I tell you that to everyone who has, more shall be given, but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. But these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slay them in my presence. (Luke 19:26-27)

"Do not think that I have come to send peace on earth. I did not come to send peace, but a sword. I am sent to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law" (Matthew 10:34-35)