Understanding How Divine Justice Functions - King David, Nathan and the parallel with the Vietnam War

David is rebuked by Nathan and repents in prayer [2-Samuel 12]

1 And the Lord sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor. 2 The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds: 3 But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.

4 And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him. 5 And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die: 6 And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.

7 And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;...

9 Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in his sight? Thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.

10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me,...

Number US Armed Forces:

From 184,000 in 1965 to 500,000 in 1968

Bombs Dropped:

Between 1967 and 1972 - 7 million bombs were dropped in enemy territory

This is two and a half times the number of bombs dropped by the allied forces during WW II.

Additional arms dropped from above:

Lazy Dog Bombs - Upon impact they fragmented into thousands of steel shards. Napalm Bombs - Incendiary gasoline gel type bombs. Agent Orange - Defoliant to clear out vegetation. Various Chemicals to destroy crops.

In 1972 alone 14 million tons of bombs were dropped - 50,000 tons of Agent Orange in an area of 40,000 square kilometers and 250,000 tons of napalm.

Level of Destruction:

By 1975 one third of its land was destroyed, million of hectares remained sterile due to the Agent Orange. 9,000 villages were totally or partially destroyed. Total death toll: ca. 1.7 million dead and more than 2 million wounded

To the victims from either side must be added: Babies with birth defects, mentally retarded, motor problems, deafness and cancer - All from the use of Agent Orange.

War Cost:

140 Billion Dollars - 3% of US GNP Between 1967 and 1969

Key Viet Nam related Quotes:

Admiral Elmo R. Zumwalt stated that the Viet Nam War became the greatest Chemical War of all times.

Dean Rusk - Assistant Secretary of State under President Kennedy stated: "There is no US aid to Indochina that can win over an enemy who is, simultaneously everywhere and nowhere and which has the covert support of the population."

[Reference: CLIO, No.40, February 2005, pp 43-50]

Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. [Luke 6: 36-38]