GOD’S WAYS ARE DEFINITELY
NOT OUR WAYS!
A friend recently asked me: “Why did God condone such terrible violence in the Old Testament?” Perhaps the same question has troubled you from time to time.
The fact that God commanded the killing of entire nations in the Old Testament has been the subject of harsh criticism from opponents of Christianity for centuries. That there was violence in the Old Testament is beyond doubt. The question is whether Old Testament violence is justifiable and condoned by God. Some have suggested in more recent years that God’s reaction to the sins of the Canaanites and the Amalekites was a vicious form of “ethnic cleansing” no different from atrocities committed by the Nazis?
A basic knowledge of Canaanite culture reveals its inherent moral wickedness. The Canaanites were a brutal, aggressive people who engaged in bestiality, incest, and even child sacrifice. Deviant sexual acts were the norm. The Canaanites’ sin was so repellent that God said, “The land vomited out its inhabitants” (Leviticus 18:25). Even so, the destruction was directed more at the detestable Canaanite religion (Deuteronomy 7:3-5, 12:2-3) than at the Canaanite people. The judgment was not ethnically motivated. Individual Canaanites, such as Rahab in Jericho, could still find that mercy follows repentance (Joshua 2). God’s desire is that the wicked turn from their sin rather than die (Ezekiel 18:31-32, 33:11).
Besides dealing with national sins, God used the conquest of Canaan to create a religious/historical context in which He could eventually introduce the Messiah to the world. This Messiah – our Lord Jesus Christ – would bring salvation not only to Israel, but also to Israel’s enemies, including Canaan (Psalm 87:4-6; Mark 7:25-30).
It must be remembered that God gave the Canaanite people plenty of time to repent of their evil ways – more than 400 years (Genesis 15:13-16)! The book of Hebrews tells us that the Canaanites were “disobedient,” a word that implies moral guilt on their part (Hebrews 11:31). The Canaanites were aware of God’s power (Joshua 2:10-11, 9:9) and could and should have sought repentance. Except in very rare instances, they continued their rebellion against God until the bitter end.
No-one can deny that the issue of God commanding violence in the Old Testament is difficult. However, we must remember that God sees things from an eternal perspective, and His ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9). The Apostle Paul tells us that God is both kind and severe (Romans 11:22). While it is true that God’s holy character demands that sin be punished, His grace and mercy remain extended to those who are willing to repent and be saved. The Canaanite destruction provides us with a solemn reminder that while our God is gracious and merciful, He is also a God of holiness and wrath.
Geoff Champion
Speakers for Sundays in July
7th am: Pastor Lee (Tabernacle)
pm: “ “ (Beulah)
14th am: Mr Geoff Champion
(President, Gwent Baptist Association)
pm: Rev Peter Cho
21st am: Rev Roy Cullen
pm: “ “ “
28th: am: Rev Colin Lewis
pm: Rev Peter Cho
Diary Dates for July
Tuesday 16th: 7.00pm: Joint Deacons’ Meeting
Thursday 18th: 7.00pm: Joint Prayer Meeting at Beulah.
Friday, 19th: 12.00 for 12.30pm: Opening of New Kitchen
Saturday, 20th US team for Children’s Summer Bible Club arrive
Sunday, 21st: Special services to mark centenary of current sanctuary
Monday – Thursday
22nd – 25th: Children’s Summer Bible Club
WE SERVE A GOD WHO HEARS AND CARES. IF YOU HAVE ANY PRAYER REQUESTS OR WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO OUR PASTOR PLEASE CONTACT US.