When The Church Spills Innocent Blood

A shocking revelation 

Last week, God highlighted a past transgression of our Church that needed rectifying. During our monthly day of prayer and fasting, our Church focused on the theme of “undetected sin” and, following David’s words in Psalm 139:23-24, we asked God to search our hearts to see if there was any wicked or grievous way in us.

You can imagine my utmost surprise when God told me our Church was guilty of bloodshed, of spilling innocent blood, a transgression that, while belonging to a generation that was mostly dead (or not too far off from it!), was still very much alive!

Saul, David and the Gibeonites

This brief but powerful revelation (which required so much more explaining on the part of God!) came to me as the leader of one of the prayer sessions led us to the account of 2Samuel 21:1-14. Israel had already transitioned from Saul’s faithlessness to David’s faithfulness – and was already experiencing significant blessings as a result, as David realigned the nation to their God. As such, David could not understand the three consecutive years of famine (due to severe drought) that scourged the nation. For in the land of promise, the land “flowing with milk and honey”, when the heavens were shut something was spiritually amiss (Deuteronomy 11:8-17). So we read that David enquired of God, who told him that “there is bloodguilt on Saul and on his house, because he put the Gibeonites to death” (v. 1).

The Gibeonites were a minority ethnic group (natives of Canaan) that Israel swore to spare and protect by covenant in the days of Joshua (see Joshua 9). However, in disregard of this binding covenant before God, Saul decided to do some ethnic cleansing “in his zeal for the people of Israel and Judah” (v.2). Now, apart from the obvious human tragedy, David was faced with quite a problem. On the one hand, from a divine perspective, innocent blood “pollutes” the land – bringing separation from God’s blessing and favour (hence the three years of drought and famine). On the other, in Old Testament times, no atonement was available for bloodshed “except by the blood of the one who shed it” (Numbers 35:33-34). This meant that the land could only be cleansed by spilling Saul’s own blood. Saul had died in battle a few years prior, so the Gibeonites suggested that seven of his sons be killed instead. After their execution “before the Lord”, the rains came just in time for the barley harvest and Israel’s right standing before God was restored.

To someone who is not accustomed to Biblical theology, this account will sound outrageous and ruthless. I don’t really have time to delve into this, but I’ll take a short detour to state two things. Firstly, if we are outraged by stories like these is because we fail to realise the seriousness of sin. Like cancer that cannot be cured by some paracetamol and a good night’s sleep, sin cannot just be forgiven. It can only be “cured” (atoned) by far more radical means – namely, capital death. Hence the need for the saviour of humanity (Jesus) to die as a man for humanity – not just in body on the cross, but in spirit through the fires of hell otherwise reserved for us. Secondly, aren’t you glad Jesus died for our sin and rose again for our forgiveness and justification? Aren’t you glad that, no matter its extent and severity, the price for our mess has already been fully paid? He could have sent us all to hell. Instead, he chose to suffer his own punishment just to create a way out for us – one that only requires obedient faith to walk.

Spiritual bloodshed

Anyway, going back to the passage and God’s surprising revelation of our Church’s sin of bloodshed, he soon clarified that the innocent blood we spilt wasn’t literal but equally severe in his eyes. Almost two generations ago, in fact, our Church had tolerated very abusive behaviour from “leaders” and members alike. God meant for us to become a city of refuge, a place of protection, care and growth for the lost, broken and thirsty, but instead we became a house of pain for many innocent souls, members and even pastors who were deeply wounded by a “pharisaic spirit”, by weapons of legalism, religiosity and a “letter that kills” (2Corinthians 3:4-6) rather than builds up, by individuals who “have a form of godliness, but deny its power” (2Timothy 3:5). For ultimately, the pharisaic spirit is a murderous spirit! As Jesus told the Pharisees in his days “You seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God… You are doing the works your father did… You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (John 8:41-44).

I had heard many horror stories (which I will not repeat here) about that chapter of our history, a period where the Church was led (hijacked rather) by unelected elders. My predecessor was the first to stand up against that status quo, but certain evils run deep. I too had to deal with a considerable overspill of those days when I first joined as assistant pastor and then took on the senior leadership of the Church. I spilt copious amounts of my own blood, sweat and tears to fight that religious monster and I am happy to report that that Church no longer exists. If anything, over the years it has become a safe haven for people severely wounded and abused by other churches. However, the Lord revealed to me that while Saul was dead, his transgression was still very much alive. As he told murderous Cain, “The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground”, and standing as an obstacle to greater degrees of God’s presence and blessings in our midst. For how can we expect God to move with healing power in a house of pain? How can we expect him to draw lost souls to a house of abuse?

Repenting of the past

In response, as our Church gathered for our evening session. I shared what I had received from the Lord and some of those horror stories to a congregation that, for the vast majority, was not there when those things happened. I then called the few who were present in those days and together we started to confess the sins of the past and perform what is technically termed identificational (or vicarious) repentance. It was a simple yet powerful and deeply moving moment in God’s presence – one that I will never forget.

Incidentally, the following Sunday and in a way that was wholly planned by the Holy Spirit, one of our house Church leaders shared her story of deep hurt caused by former Churches and her ongoing journey of restoration in our Church. After the service, a former (and wholly transformed) sexual abuser opened up to a former (and wholly restored) sexual victim – praying for each other. What a powerful moment! Only the power of Jesus can bring offenders and victims to love one another and worship God together, offering transformation rather than mere reformation.

Why am I writing this?

The reason I write this is twofold. On the one hand, I want to make our confession even more open and, therefore, meaningful. On the other, I observe that this type of abuse is often typical of a post-revival generation, a generation that witnessed some of the “old glories” but often allowed the pursuit of holiness to be turned into pharisaism. As such, there are many Churches and ministries out there whose fruitfulness may still be capped by a sin of bloodshed that must be atoned for, a very present transgression of a bygone generation. My prayer is that we uncover that past, confess it and see it completely removed by the once-for-all spilt blood of Jesus.

We may not be able to change the past, but we can surely see it washed!