Could a God be a God of love and order the destruction of women and children as recorded in the Old Testament?
Unbelievers have had a lot to say about the God of the Old Testament. They have claimed that He was a ruthless tyrant. Some have claimed that He was only a tribal God. Many unbelievers have given this as one of the main reasons for not serving Him. some have gone as far as openly defying Him and challenging Him to stike them dead.
Why God is not Striking People Now.
Christ plainly states that both the wheat and the tares - the righteous and the ungodly - will grow together until the harvest, at the end of the world.
Matthew 13:24 - 30 "Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn."
At the "end of the world" all "them which do iniquity" will be wiped out.
Matthew 13:40 - 43 "As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear."
Our God is slow at destroying.
Nahum 1:2 & 3 "God is jealous, and the LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and is furious; the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies. The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet."
Our God is longsuffering. He gives all a chance of salvation.
2 Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."
The God of the Old Testament is the God of the New Testament.
Malachi 3:6 "For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed."
James 1:17 "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning."
Therefore we need to learn from the Old Testament. The God who said He would "not acquit the wicked", also wrote this:-
John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
So all may know, God has left us examples.
The Old Testament was written:-
For our admonition.
1 Corinthians 10:11 "Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come."
For our learning.
Romans 15:4 "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope."
For instruction in righteousness.
2 Timothy 3:16 "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:"
Sin in breaking God's law.
1 John 3:4 "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law."
The wages of sin is death.
Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
Does God really mean this?
Numbers 15:29 - 36 "Ye shall have one law for him that sinneth through ignorance, both for him that is born among the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them. But the soul that doeth ought presumptuously, whether he be born in the land, or a stranger, the same reproacheth the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Because he hath despised the word of the LORD, and hath broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him. And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day. And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation. And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him. And the LORD said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp. And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died; as the LORD commanded Moses."
This man was hardened in sin - he was lost. was God a tyrant for killing him so that all may know that wilful Sabbath breaking results in eternal death?
The first death is not the wages of sin,
but eternal death - the second death is the wages of sin.
Adultery = death.
Leviticus 20:10 "And the man that committeth adultery with another man's wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death."
Murder - death.
Leviticus 24:21 "And he that killeth a beast, he shall restore it: and he that killeth a man, he shall be put to death."
Disobedience of any of God's Commandments = death.
Joshua 1:18 "Whosoever he be that doth rebel against thy commandment, and will not hearken unto thy words in all that thou commandest him, he shall be put to death: only be strong and of a good courage."
God was taking strong measures to convince all of the importance of keeping all His Commandments.
Why did they kill all except the maidens?
Numbers 31:7 "And they warred against the Midianites, as the LORD commanded Moses; and they slew all the males."
Numbers 31:14 - 18 "And Moses was wroth with the officers of the host, with the captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, which came from the battle. And Moses said unto them, Have ye saved all the women alive? Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the LORD in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD. Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him. But all the women children, that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves."
The Midianites were terribly immoral. They caused 24,000 of Israel to die of a plague (Numbers 25:9).
Why kill the boys and spare the girls?
The Atheist thinks he has you cornered. He implies they were spared for immoral purposes. Remember - adultery was death.
Fighting the Commandments of God is very serious.
Exodus 23:33 "They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me: for if thou serve their gods, it will surely be a snare unto thee."
This is the reason why thousands of women were slain. God was trying to keep Israel from transgression. Israel had a desire to obey God. The others had no desire. They were beyond hope. It is better that 1,000 die who were beyond hope, that one die eternally, who could be saved if the 1,000 were killed.
If a person is rejecting salvation then the sooner he dies, the shorter his time in the eternal fire will be.
Matthew 16:27 "For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works."
The sacrifice of these people proves His love.
ie. the cancer in the face of a beautiful woman must be cut out.
ie. son bitten by a snake must be kept awake. It seems cruel, but it is necessary to save his life.
God with a broken heart destroys some that He may save some.
Ecclesiastes 12:13 & 14 "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil."
Why "fear" if God is a God of Love?
ie. Electricity is a blessing. It gives light, heat etc. It is the nearest thing to life we know. But if we break it's laws it is death.
We cannot help being born with a sinful human nature because of Adam's sin, but we can help continuing in it.
Hebrews 10:26 & 27 "For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries."
Our Lord makes a way of escape;
1 Corinthians 10:13 "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."
The last enemy destroyed is death.
1 Corinthians 15:25 "The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death."
Hebrews 2:14 "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;"
It cost much to offer us salvation, but it comes from the hand that was once nailed to the cross for us.