In recent years some Anabaptist writers have expressed discomfort with biblical passages that link God to violence. In search of a non-violent God, Jeremiah 29 and its call to “seek the welfare of the city”, has been used to argue for a proper understanding of God’s character (Eric Seibert) and as the crucial background for Narrative Christus Victor (J. Denny Weaver). However, Jeremiah 29 reflects typical prophetic assumptions about God’s sovereignty,
including the divine prerogative to discipline Israel (and others) by violent means. Similarly, in Isaiah, God both drives Israel into exile and gathers them from the nations. Stated starkly, while Assyria may be the ax used to punish Israel, God is the lumberjack who wields it (Is. 10). The prophets’ emphasis on God’s sovereignty over nations and history---and even the potential instrumental use of violent empires---contains significant theological potential for Anabaptist peace positions, despite the profound discomfort it may evoke.