Bible Reading Blog
“No Future For Those Opposed to God”
Categories: Congregational Bible ReadingBIBLE READING: Deuteronomy 20
“The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully.” (Richard Dawkins, The God Delusion)
A common criticism of the bible is that the God of the Old Testament is nothing like Jesus. Like Dawkins, many skeptics see a cruel, ruthless deity that indiscriminately orders the execution of seemingly innocent men, women, and children. Such a God, the argument goes, in no way represents the loving Creator or Father figure that the New Testament offers. It’s just not consistent.
Charges of genocide are very common among the critics of God, with Israel’s charge to exterminate the inhabitants of Canaan being cited as an example: “Only in the cities of these peoples that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, you shall not leave alive anything that breathes. But you shall utterly destroy them, the Hittite and the Amorite, the Canaanite and the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite, as the LORD your God has commanded you” (Deut. 20:16-17). To the skeptic, it seems that God is ordering the deaths of innocent people whose only crime is living in the land that He wants Israel to possess. But there’s more to this story that must be acknowledged. The fact is their expulsion was a loooong time coming. These nations had rebelled against God since the time of Abraham (Genesis 15.16). Despite not being his people, the Bible teaches that all people are accountable to God the Creator. These nations had corrupted themselves to the point they even burned their children in sacrifice (Deuteronomy 12.31). More than just being angry, this grieved God to the point of regret (see Genesis 6.6). Their way of life was no life; but worse it propagated generations destined for wrath.
I understand the challenge of accepting that a loving God would destroy men, women and children. After all he has promised mercy, forgiveness and hope. But it must be understood in the context of justice. For righteousness to be a reality, God must deal with the deliberately wicked. What we see in the destruction of the conquest was a justified consequence towards these people. But consider also that his effort was an act of mercy to keep future generations from their corruption. They would not continue in wickedness and their influence would be cut off from those trying to follow God truly. YHWH’s actions towards these nations sends a clear message to everyone: there is no future for those opposed to God.
Jesus would not let off the gas on this topic: There will be judgment on those unconcerned and unprepared to meet God (see Matthew 22.1-14). But Jesus' earthly mission was not to condemn-- that was already our reality (John 3.16-18)! -- but to offers true hope from the consequences of our opposition to God. The NT scriptures make it clear that Jesus plans to return, and there will be a clear distinction made between those with him and those opposed to God.
It is justifiable to wrestle with Divine wrath and its place in the big scheme of things. We cannot begin to fathom the depth of God’s holiness and the actions he must take; nor can we comprehend his immeasurable mercy towards those who oppose him. But if we believe that God is the Creator, our submission, allegiance, and repentance is the only logical response.
“The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness?” (2 Peter 3.9-11)
