A recent spat of tragic gun incidents on national news is prompting me to talk about violence and the use of force. These incidents are not mass shootings or inappropriate police violence, which the Lord had me talk about before (see Uvalde and Black America vs Authority for more), but are made by ordinary citizens in circumstances that did not warrant the use of deadly force.
A teenage boy in Missouri was shot for going to the wrong house to pick up his siblings, a young woman was killed in New York state when the homeowner fired on a car that mistakenly came to his driveway, high school cheerleaders were shot because one of them mistakenly got into the wrong car, and today, I hear about a man shooting his neighbors who tried to get a ball that went into his yard[1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5].
All of these incidents happened within about one week across the nation[1.5], and I felt the Lord was trying point something out. Once I started working on writing about this, the Spirit noted it linked to prophecy I was working on in the last weeks...
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"Listen to the word of Yahovah, you children of Israel, for Yahovah has a case against the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. There is swearing, deception, murder, stealing, and adultery. They employ violence, so that bloodshed follows bloodshed" (Hosea 4:1-2).
Bloodshed follows bloodshed was what I recalled, and God notes in Hosea, it is because the people do not have knowledge of God, nor truth, nor mercy. None of these lethal gun incidents needed to happen. Many activists quickly try point out racism in cases like this, however, not all incidents were made by white people on black. These are cases where people have become overly anxious about harmless and meaningless circumstances, all of them gun owners who felt they had the right to use lethal force even when they were not truly threatened.
Some people have talked about the "Stand Your Ground" or "Shoot First" laws that went into effect in recent decades increasing gun violence in states where they were enacted[1.6, 1.7]. They tend to make gun owners feel empowered to use lethal force if they feel threatened. After I noted these laws give people excessive right to self-defense, I could see they are another reason why violence is running rampant.
In 2015, I made comment about it being too late for America to stem gun violence and death. American society is too saturated with violence and a culture of arrogance and sin that has made people quick to anger and use violence. During and after the COVID-19 pandemic, I noted how violent incidents were becoming much more common.
And now, after the Lord reminds all of this is connected to the people's sins, I continue to think it is too late. That is, for those who will not acknowledge God and true righteousness. I speak to believers in this, as well, for today, like in Hosea, God is speaking of His people. They do not truly know Him or what is right.
I noted religious leaders tried to get rid of Stand Your Ground laws in 2013 after a fatal shooting by a vigilante neighborhood watchman, but their efforts failed after government officials in Florida thought law should not be overturned[1.8]. It appears the nation is often in agreement with 35 out of 50 states having some kind of expanded self-defense law that applies outside of homes[1.9].
The jury that acquitted the vigilante, which was in a state with a Stand Your Ground law, stated, "if he was attacked in any place where he had a right to be, he had no duty to retreat and had the right to stand his ground and meet force with force"[1.8]. The "duty to retreat" refers to much older self-defense laws that say you should withdraw or retreat from a confrontation before using deadly retaliation.
These older laws make more sense, since a reasonable person should think that using deadly force is a last resort. Yet why are so many people thinking they can draw their guns and shoot people when it is not necessary?
This speaks not only to making law that is unrighteous, many of which are backed by right-leaning believers (the conservative religious, though, those on the left (liberal) cannot be held blameless either for backing unrighteous law and beliefs, like excessive abortion rights), but this mentality also speaks to the culture of fear that goes with increased violence and crime. I often see widespread paranoia in people. Simply approaching a stranger to have a friendly chat is often met with fear and skepticism, no matter what race or ethnicity the parties are. People publicly report any kind of door-to-door solicitation, and too often, any harmless, innocent activity as suspicious and criminal. I have to admit, the increase in crime and scams over the years also makes me wary of people, but I still greet strangers at the door.
What does God have to say about this? People often say "turn the other cheek" which came from the New Testament where Yeshua said, "But I tell you, do not resist an evil person, but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other toward him also" (Matthew 5:39; Luke 6:29). We are not to retaliate or get revenge, but be kind and overcome evil with good (Romans 12:19-21).
Christ taught to love everyone, even enemies (Matthew 5:44; Luke 6:27-28; Romans 12:14-21), and not to judge anyone unrighteously (Matthew 7:1-5; Luke 6:37-38; 1 Corinthians 5:12-13; Romans 14:1-13). We are if possible, as far as it depends on us, live at peace with everyone (Romans 8:18).
This is obviously in opposition to Stand Your Ground and other excessive self-defense laws that give people so-called right to use deadly force for any perceived threat, whether it is a real threat or not. Truly, the carnal, worldly mind is enmity or hostility against God (Romans 8:6-8).
Apostle Paul notes that those who live and think by the flesh (worldly ways), set their minds on things of the flesh (worldly ways and thinking), not on things of the Spirit in line with God. They cannot submit to God and so cannot please Him (Romans 8:5-8).
I address believers in this because God's people are failing to truly know God, the truth, and mercy, just as He said in Hosea 4:1, and the land is full of swearing, deception, murder, stealing, and adultery. They employ violence so that bloodshed follows bloodshed, as stated in Hosea 4:2. This is the case God has against the people. He is making that evident for today, as He did in the prophet Hosea's time when God prophesied against His nation.
It is time to set your minds, and the minds of the peoples, to align with God in truth and not simply in faith. Because like with eternal salvation in Christ, faith is only the beginning and its teachings have been corrupted. Believing communities have no shortage of faith and seeking God, but it is only half of what the Lord said to seek - His kingdom (Matthew 6:33).
The other half is God's righteousness, that is, what it truly is and not what erroneous doctrine teaches. If one's righteousness is true and Godly, then fruits of the Spirit, like peace, patience, kindness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22), will have replaced what is hostile against God. The peoples need this more than ever now. If they would acknowledge and have knowledge of God, they need to understand Him and righteousness much better than they have known.
References
[1.1] Tim Sullivan and Aaron Morrison. "Distrust in America: Small mistakes, deep fear — and gunfire". Associated Press. 2023 Apr. 20. Retrieved 2023 Apr. 20.
<https://apnews.com/article/yarl-shooting-cheerleader-guns-distrust-suspicion-33b55328443734ba5f85192d14352150>
[1.2] Becky Sullivan and Jaclyn Diaz. "After days of outrage over the shooting of a Black teen, officials charge the gunman". NPR. 2023 Apr. 17. Retrieved 2023 Apr. 20.
<https://www.npr.org/2023/04/17/1170479923/ralph-yarl-kansas-city-teen-shooting>
[1.3] Dave Collins. "Man who shot Kaylin Gillis grew increasingly bitter about trespassers, neighbor says". Associated Press. 2023 Apr. 18. Retrieved 2023 Apr. 20.
<https://apnews.com/article/fatal-shooting-wrong-driveway-new-york-36fd62216cf3d9c20333d760148269a0>
[1.4] "Man shoots girl, six, and her parents after ball rolls into his backyard". The Guardian. Retrieved 2023 Apr. 20.
<https://taboolanews.com/article-page/8135463726086848693>
[1.5] "Common mistakes, uncommon reactions in 4 separate shootings". Associated Press. 2023 Apr. 20. Retrieved 2023 Apr. 20.
<https://apnews.com/article/wrong-place-shootings-3c6e5061adb30d889ac3d071893ef129>
[1.6] Caroline Light. "Stand Your Ground - A History of America's Love Affair with Lethal Self-Defense". Beacon Press. 2017. Print.
[1.7] "A License to Kill: Shoot First Laws, also known as Stand Your Ground". Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund. 2021 Jan. 25. Retrieved 2023 Apr. 20.
<https://everytownresearch.org/report/stand-your-ground-laws-are-a-license-to-kill>
[1.8] Pete Williams and Tracy Connor. "Holder speaks out against 'Stand Your Ground' laws after Zimmerman verdict". NBC News. 2013 Jul 17. Retrieved 2023 Apr. 20.
<https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/holder-speaks-out-against-stand-your-ground-laws-after-zimmerman-flna6c10654061>
[1.9] "The Effects of Stand-Your-Ground Laws". RAND. 2023 Jan. 10. Retrieved 2023 Apr. 20.
<https://www.rand.org/research/gun-policy/analysis/stand-your-ground.html>
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