Without clear direction from God about attacking others for some Godly cause that He Himself has declared, the only justification for violence is in self defense or in the defense of the life of others. Very few times in the Bible did God call an offensive Holy War which was waged for His purposes and not for man's. He guaranteed the victory. Whenever the children of Israel went to war without the clear direction of God, it ended in disaster. In addition, there were very specific orders regarding how victory was to be carried out in a Holy War, as in, no profit taken. All belonged to the Almighty. The example was set by Abraham went he went to war to save Lot and others that were kidnapped. He was given victory for the saving of life. He took nothing for himself except the return of those captured. Most wars, even if they identify as Holy Wars, are fought for purely secular reasons and are therefore unsanctioned by God.

Since we are still in the season of Chanukah, if you want a case study in how and why a justified cause for violence against a strong authority was carried out and succeeded, the Maccabean Revolt is a good place to start. The issues that led to war during that time and in that place has many similarities to our current situation - an ungodly government and culture demanding assimilation and the forbidding of worshipping the Creator as He required in exchange for pagan worship. Under the Seleucid Greek authority it was against the law to practice the faith of the ancestors in service and worship to the God of Israel. Hellenistic philosophy, culture, language, and religion were to replace indigenous practices and the culture of those lands that were occupied in what remained of Alexander's empire which had later been divided among his four generals after his untimely death. Alexander had a practice of spreading Greek culture everywhere that he conquered. Some of the Jews in Israel refused to be assimilated into ungodly Greek culture. A ragtag band of priests and rebels rose up against the Hellenistic government of Antiochus IV and succeeded in overthrowing them despite being outnumbered.

A further lesson to the story is that even though the Maccabean Revolt was successful in overthrowing the foreign powers, the joy was short lived. The victors not only were established as priests in the rededicated Temple at the request of the people, but they also grasped the throne which was not lawful for them to do. They were only entitled to the priesthood as descendants of Aaron. The Hasmonean dynasty was established against the law of God that requires only a son of David to occupy the throne. They refused to relinquish power and this set the stage for the events of the life of Jesus during the Roman occupation and the brutal reign of the Herods.

The following videos are submitted for educational purposes of the Maccabean Revolt only and not to open a wider debate over Israel and the Jewish people.

THE VICTORY OF LIGHT OVER DARKENSS IN THE STORY OF HANUKKAH

Antiochus IV Epiphanes: A type of the Anti-Christ. Episode 11

And as far as the Christian perspective, the laws and principles regarding self defense laid out in the OT are not abrogated. Jesus himself understood violence in the world. And when he sent his disciples out after his death and resurrection he told them to... “Now however, the one with a purse should take it, and likewise a bag; and the one without a sword should sell his cloak and buy one." Luke 22.36

We do not go out looking for trouble, but we are not to cower when it finds us. In the defense of life, we are allowed and justified to use violence - but that violence used must be proportional in order to save life after all other means are exhausted. Hate cannot be a motivation. Good luck in your search.