The concept of "Holy War" in the Bible is primarily associated with the wars commanded by God in the Old Testament, particularly during the conquest of Canaan. These wars were seen as divinely sanctioned and were intended to fulfill God's promises to the Israelites and to execute His judgment on the nations inhabiting the Promised Land. The term "Holy War" itself is not explicitly used in the Bible, but the idea is encapsulated in the narratives of the conquest and the laws governing warfare.

In the Book of Deuteronomy, God instructs the Israelites on how to conduct warfare against the nations in Canaan. Deuteronomy 20:16-18 states, "However, in the cities of the nations the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, you must not leave alive anything that breathes. You must completely destroy them—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites—as the LORD your God has commanded you, so that they cannot teach you to do all the detestable things they do for their gods, and so cause you to sin against the LORD your God."

The purpose of these wars was not only to secure the land promised to the descendants of Abraham but also to purify the land from idolatry and moral corruption. The Israelites were to be an instrument of God's judgment, and their success in battle was contingent upon their obedience to God's commands. In Joshua 6, the fall of Jericho is a prime example of a holy war, where the Israelites, following God's specific instructions, achieved victory.

The concept of holy war is also seen in the spiritual realm in the New Testament. Ephesians 6:12 states, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world's darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." Here, the warfare is spiritual, emphasizing the believer's battle against sin and evil through the power of God.

Purity

Purity in the Bible is a multifaceted concept encompassing ritual, moral, and spiritual dimensions. It is a central theme in both the Old and New Testaments, reflecting God's holiness and His desire for His people to be set apart from sin and corruption.

In the Old Testament, purity is often associated with ritual cleanliness, as outlined in the Levitical laws. Leviticus 11-15 provides detailed instructions on clean and unclean foods, bodily discharges, and other aspects of daily life. These laws served to distinguish the Israelites from other nations and to teach them about the holiness required to approach God. Leviticus 19:2 commands, "Speak to the entire congregation of the Israelites and tell them: ‘Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.’"

Moral purity is also emphasized, with the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20) serving as a foundational ethical code. The call to purity extends beyond ritual observance to encompass justice, mercy, and love for one's neighbor.

In the New Testament, Jesus intensifies the call to purity by focusing on the heart's condition. In Matthew 5:8 , Jesus declares, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." Purity is not merely external but involves inner transformation through the Holy Spirit. The Apostle Paul echoes this in 1 Thessalonians 4:7 , "For God has not called us to impurity, but to holiness."

Purity is also linked to the believer's relationship with God and others. James 1:27 defines pure religion as "to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." This underscores the practical outworking of purity in acts of love and service.

Overall, purity in the biblical sense is about aligning one's life with God's will, reflecting His character, and living in a way that honors Him.