Exploring the
concept of following a God that would command genocide is a tough concept to
grasp. Yet there are revelations that are exposed that show who God is, the intensity
of his love and the depth of His protection for His holy people. In Joshua 1:11 and 3:10, there is a commanding
from God for the Israelites to dispose (or dispossess) of a nation. This command, “According to Deuteronomy
7:1–11 the Lord would remove the inhabitants of Canaan and settle the
Israelites in the land.”[1];
goes back to a promise made to Moses and shows planning and consistency of our
Lord. God desires a holy people and
knowing the hearts and minds of the Israelites; God will need to have the land
purified.
Knowing that the concept of purifying is
difficult, there are practical arguments that can be applied so that it is
clearer to any skeptics. In the case of
a medical procedure, the goal would be to completely eliminate any germs, or
potential cause for infection. The goal
would be a sterile environment. God is
wiser than any human understanding, and knows the need for a pure, clean, fresh
start for His people. Many parents would
desire to remove any negative influences that would cause harm to their
children. God’s command here, as hard as
it may be to understand, is to display His love and protection of His children.
The Canaanites were not a pure people, in fact the Teacher’s Commentary tells,
“Yet for all their material advancement, the religion and morals of Canaan were
degraded.”[2] This statement could lead us to understand
that the advancements of the Canaanites may set up the Israelites for
covertness. Additionally, causing separation of the Israelite’s obedience to
God alone. Idols have arisen before, and
God’s desire is for sin to be absent from His nation.
God does command genocide, defined as a
complete removal of evil minded people that would be able to contaminate His
holy desire for the Israelites. God
desires all to be holy, yet evil will be removed from this world in His time
and in His way. A commentary of the Old
Testament adds this point; “The God of Israel would now manifest himself as a
living God by the extermination of the Canaanites.”[3] This active approach to revealing Himself is
beyond the normal understanding of these events.
In modern times, there will be a
reappearance of Christ. At this time,
there will be an extermination of the evil and the preservation of the good. These verses in Joshua are much like the days
ahead. Christians standing on the borders
of the New Jerusalem, and God ushering them in to the pure and holy land
prepared for them. In these days the
glory of the entry will be the goal and the understanding for purity complete.
[1]
Cabal, T., Brand, C. O., Clendenen, E. R., Copan, P., Moreland, J. P., &
Powell, D. (2007). The Apologetics Study
Bible: Real Questions, Straight Answers, Stronger Faith (p. 326).
Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[2]
Richards, L., & Richards, L. O. (1987). The
teacher’s commentary (p. 163). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[3]
Keil, C. F., & Delitzsch, F. (1996). Commentary
on the Old Testament (Vol. 2, p. 32). Peabody, MA: Hendrickson.
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