Violence, war, and genocide are found lurking throughout the pages of the Old Testament, often blessed or even commanded by God. This poses troubling questions for those who receive the Old Testament as Christian scripture but read it through the nonviolent and peacemaking words of Christ. Those who take seriously Jesus’ teachings often wrestle with the paradox of Old Testament violence, proposing various approaches and answers. However, as important as these discussions are, there is another narrative thread running throughout the Hebrew Bible which anticipates the peaceful kingdom of Jesus Christ as the fulfillment of the kingdom of Israel’s God.

Might God have already been preparing his people to love their enemies, even in the Old Testament?