[1]‘[2]How could a loving God order genocide?

• The question of how a loving God could command actions resembling genocide in the Old Testament challenges many, as it appears to conflict with His loving nature, necessitating a careful examination of His character and purposes.
• God never desired violence, but humanity’s sinful choices introduced it into the world, forcing God to work within human brokenness to accomplish His divine plan, gradually guiding His people toward a deeper understanding of His love and mercy, ultimately revealed in Christ.

Understanding God’s actions in context

• Many question the violence in the Old Testament, such as wars or severe punishments, which seem to contradict the concept of a loving God, prompting a need to explore these events within their historical and theological framework.
• To grasp this issue, we must consider God’s integral attributes: He is not only loving but also holy, just, and all-knowing, balancing these qualities perfectly.
• God’s love does not overlook sin; it operates alongside His holiness, which demands perfection, and His justice, which addresses evil.
• As an omniscient God, He perceives the entirety of human history, while humans are limited to a partial perspective, often misunderstanding His actions without the full context.

 God: Creator of Life and Authority

• As the Creator of all life, God holds ultimate authority to give or take life according to His wise and just will, a prerogative rooted in His sovereignty.
• All life originates from Him, and He governs it according to His righteous plan, ensuring that His actions align with His eternal purposes.
• The manner in which life is taken, whether through natural events, divine judgment, or other means, remains under His sovereign control.
• This does not imply God delights in violence, but rather that He operates within a world corrupted by human sin to fulfil His higher purposes of redemption and justice.

 The Context of the Great Plan of Salvation

• To understand Old Testament violence, we must view biblical texts within the broader narrative of humanity’s salvation, which is central to God’s eternal purpose.
• Before creating mankind, God established a grand plan of salvation, culminating in sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to redeem the world through His sacrificial death on the cross.
• This plan reflects God’s love and mercy but also necessitates justice to confront sin, ensuring that His holiness is upheld.
• Genesis 15:12-16 (NIV): “As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and a thick and dreadful darkness came over him. Then the LORD said to him, ‘Know for certain that for four hundred years your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own and that they will be enslaved and mistreated there. But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions. You, however, will go to your ancestors in peace and be buried at a good old age. In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure.’”
• This passage illustrates God’s patience, giving the Amorites 400 years to repent of their evil ways, and His justice, executing judgment only after their persistent sinfulness.

 God’s patience and opportunities for repentance

• God consistently provides warnings and opportunities for repentance before enacting judgment, as seen in His sending Jonah to Nineveh to warn of impending judgment (Jonah 3:4).
• It is likely that the Amorites received similar opportunities to repent, even if not explicitly recorded, reflecting God’s desire for all to turn from sin.
• 2 Peter 3:9 (NIV): “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
• When Nineveh heeded Jonah’s warning, God showed mercy, underscoring His preference for salvation over punishment and His longing for reconciliation.

God works within a world of sin

• Old Testament violence, such as the judgment of the Amorites, reflects God’s engagement with a world marred by human sin, not His creation of violence.
• God utilized the cultural and historical context of ancient peoples to accomplish His purposes, guiding humanity toward His ultimate plan of salvation.
• Jesus Christ’s life and teachings, particularly His command to “love your enemies” (Matthew 5:44, NIV: “But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”), reveal God’s intent to lead humanity toward non-violence and a deeper understanding of His love and mercy.

  God’s Warnings and Opportunities for Repentance

• The Bible demonstrates that God provides warnings before executing judgment, offering chances for repentance and salvation.
• Joshua 2:9-11 (NIV): “She said to them, ‘I know that the LORD has given you this land and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. We have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed. When we heard of it, our hearts melted in fear and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the LORD your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.’”
• Rahab’s faith and actions saved her family, suggesting that others could have heeded God’s warnings and been spared, highlighting the availability of mercy.
• Similarly, in Genesis 6-7, Noah’s 100-year construction of the ark served as a public warning of the coming flood, yet people freely chose to ignore it, facing the consequences of their rejection.

The need to confront evil

• The Canaanites, including the Amorites, were deeply entrenched in sinful practices, openly defying God’s will through idolatry, immorality, and other evils.
• Their removal was necessary to fulfil God’s plan to establish a holy people who would reflect His character and prepare the way for salvation.
• This is analogous to a surgeon removing a cancerous tumour to save a patient’s life, followed by treatments like chemotherapy to eliminate remaining threats.
• No one accuses the surgeon of cruelty, as the act is merciful, aimed at healing; similarly, God’s judgments were protective, safeguarding His redemptive plan for humanity.

 Judgment belongs to God alone

• Holy wars, such as the command against the Amalekites in 1 Samuel 15:3 (NIV: “Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy all that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys”), were specific divine orders tied to God’s covenant with Israel.
• These commands were not a general mandate for human violence but unique to a particular time and purpose in God’s plan.
• Romans 12:19 (NIV): “Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.”
• Humans are called to forgo vengeance, focusing on love and mercy, leaving justice to God’s sovereign authority.

[3]What about innocent children?

• The involvement of children in judgments may seem harsh, but the Bible offers a perspective of divine mercy even in these events.
• Removing children from a corrupt environment may have been an act of mercy, preventing them from adopting their families’ sinful ways.
• God does not hold children accountable before the age of accountability, as seen in Deuteronomy 1:39 (NIV): “And the little ones that you said would be taken captive, your children who do not yet know good from bad they will enter the land.”
• In 2 Samuel 12:22-23 (NIV), David expresses hope for his deceased child: “He answered, ‘While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, “Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me and let the child live.” But now that he is dead, why should I go on fasting? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.’”
• Similarly, 1 Kings 14:13 (NIV) shows God’s mercy toward a child: “All Israel will mourn for him and bury him. He is the only one belonging to Jeroboam who will be buried, because he is the only one in the house of Jeroboam in whom the LORD, the God of Israel, has found anything good.”
• These verses affirm that God views young children with mercy, entrusting their eternal fate to His just and loving hands.

[4]Historical and cultural context is key

• In the ancient world, wars were a fundamental aspect of life, with nations vying for territory and resources, shaping the context of biblical narratives like the conquest of Canaan.
• The language in texts like Joshua 6:21 (NIV: “They devoted the city to the LORD and destroyed with the sword every living thing in it, men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep and donkeys”) often uses hyperbolic rhetoric, common in ancient war literature, to emphasize victory or divine fulfilment.
• This does not necessarily indicate the literal extermination of every individual but highlights the event’s significance and God’s will.
• God’s actions were not arbitrary but rooted in the ancient world’s social and political dynamics, through which He executed His plan to establish a holy people and advance salvation.

God’s justice and mercy in judgment

• God’s justice is tempered by patience, as He offers nations opportunities to repent before judgment, as seen with Rahab’s deliverance in Joshua 2.
• The Amorites were given 400 years to change their ways (Genesis 15:16), demonstrating God’s long-suffering nature.
• Those who responded to His warnings, like Rahab, found mercy, suggesting others could have been spared through repentance.

The grand plan of salvation

• Old Testament violence is not the final word but part of God’s redemptive narrative, culminating in Jesus Christ’s life, death, and resurrection.
• Every event, however severe, served as a step toward fulfilling God’s promise of redemption, offering eternal life through Christ.
• Jesus’ teachings and sacrifice demonstrate God’s ultimate goal of love and mercy, not violence, as the centrepiece of His plan.

 Conclusion

• God is just, patient, and merciful, even in His judgments, balancing these attributes perfectly.
• Biblical accounts of violence, such as the conquest of Canaan, must be understood within their historical and cultural context, where wars were a reality of ancient life.
• God provided opportunities for repentance, as seen in Rahab’s story, and worked within human sinfulness to fulfil His divine will.
• His plan consistently centres on salvation, pointing to Jesus Christ, who offers eternal life and embodies God’s perfect love for humanity.

[1] Did God Really Command Genocide? – Coming to Terms with the Justice of God by Paul Copan

[2] Is God a Moral Monster? Making Sense of the Old Testament God by Paul Copan

[3] God is Good: Exploring the Character of the Biblical God by Martin G. Kuhrt 

[4] How (Not) to Read the Bible Making Sense of the Anti-women, Anti-science, Pro-violence, Pro-slavery and Other Crazy Sounding Parts of Scripture by Dan Kimball