Divine Judgment and Repentance in Old Testament Warfare

Biblical texts revive ancient ideas of war as an instrument that God uses to regulate human behavior. In these narratives, war is not seen as a random event or an exclusively human drama, but rather as a measure aimed at correcting accumulated sins. This understanding transforms military actions into a sign of God's discontent, manifesting as a harsh yet predictable response to a brutal deviation from the commandments.

On the other hand, the concept of repentance holds a special place in the Old Testament, allowing people—through liturgical worship and purifying rituals similar to the ancient Day of Atonement—to restore their lost connection with God. This spiritual path becomes an alternative to destructive military measures, as sincere repentance and the observance of ritual practices enable one to avoid divine condemnation and re-establish the moral order. Thus, we see how the interplay between divine judgment and genuine repentance forms the cornerstone of ancient religious thought, urging individuals to engage in self-examination and the pursuit of true righteousness.

Can wars be considered manifestations of divine allowance, and how is the idea of repentance related to military actions in the Old Testament?

The answer can be formulated as follows. In several cited texts, there is a perspective that views wars not as random or merely human events, but as expressions of divine permission or even as God’s judgment responsible for punishing human sins. For instance, in one of the excerpts (99_492.txt), the author writes:
"You are angry with me because in the book War and the Bible I write that the Lord allows wars because of human sins, just as famine and plague do. Everything that I wrote, I wrote not by my own judgment, but according to the Holy Scripture of God..."
This quotation indicates that war is regarded as a phenomenon permitted by God, serving as a measure of punishment for accumulated human transgressions.

Regarding the connection between the idea of repentance and military actions in the Old Testament, there is a clear separation of functional spheres. The notion of repentance in the Old Testament is closely associated with liturgical worship and purifying rituals, as emphasized in the excerpt (1303_6513.txt):
"Repentance and confession of sins in the Old and New Testaments. Since the times of the Old Testament, repentance has been linked to liturgical worship. One of the most important institutions of the Old Testament cult was the 'Great Day of Atonement' (Yom Kippur)..."
Thus, the process of repentance was presented as a means of returning to a righteous state and restoring one's relationship with God. In this context, military actions—often seen as manifestations of God’s judgment and punishment for unrepentant sins (as noted, for example, in the text 'Military Actions as God’s Judgment' from source 1257_6282.txt)—can be understood as the negative outcome of a persistent turning away from the path of repentance and the observance of commandments. In other words, if the people fail to turn to repentance, God may allow war as an instrument to correct the situation.

Thus, according to the materials cited, wars in the Old Testament are often interpreted as manifestations of divine permission—a measure intended to draw attention to humanity’s moral decline—while sincere repentance, expressed through specific rituals, served as a means to restore lost blessings and avoid such severe measures.

Supporting citation(s):
"You are angry with me because in the book War and the Bible I write that the Lord allows wars because of human sins, just as famine and plague do. Everything that I wrote, I wrote not by my own judgment, but according to God's Holy Scripture..." (source: 99_492.txt)
"Repentance and confession of sins in the Old and New Testaments. Since the times of the Old Testament, repentance has been linked to liturgical worship. One of the most important institutions of the Old Testament cult was the 'Great Day of Atonement' (Yom Kippur)..." (source: 1303_6513.txt)
"Military actions as God's judgment... The righteous cause may be defeated because of the human pride of its defenders..." (source: 1257_6282.txt)