OldTestamentMassacres

2011, Dr Paul B Coulter (www.paulcoulter.net)

Introduction:Theproblem

Anumberofcasesofmassannihilationofpeople,apparentlyatGodsbehest,arerecordedintheOldTestament:
1. TheFlood(Genesis68)
2. Thecitiesoftheplain,includingSodomandGomorrah(Genesis1819)
3. TheEgyptianfirstbornsonsduringthePassover(Exodus1112)
4. TheCanaanitesunderMosesandJoshua(Numbers21:23;Deuteronomy20:17;Joshua6:17,21)
5. TheAmalekitesannihilatedbySaul(1Samuel15)

ThefirstthreeexamplesaresimilarinthattherewasnohumanagentinvolvedineachcaseitwasGod,oranangel
ofGod,whocarriedoutthemassacresdirectly.ThemassacreoftheCanaanitesisthefirstoftwocasesinwhichthe
text claims that Gods people, the nation of Israel, were commanded by Him to massacre other nations. For this
reason,thiscasewillbethefocusofthisstudy.

Theproblemmanypeoplehavewiththesestoriesofmassacresisthattheydonotseemtofitthepopularconception
of the Christian God. In particular, the question is asked how a God of love could allow or even command such
brutality.Furthermore,itis suggestedthattheGoddescribedintheseOldTestamentbooksisadifferentcharacter
from the God described in the New Testament. The former is supposedly angry, vindictive and ruthless, the latter
loving,patientandforgiving.EvenforpeoplewhoareconvincedthattheBibleistrueandrepresentsGodsrevelation
ofHimselftheseaccountscanbedeeplytroubling,especiallywhenonethinksaboutthedeathofinnocentchildren.


DidGodcommandthemassacreoftheCanaanites?

One way in which biblical scholars have attempted to resolve the problem of the massacre of the Canaanites is to
suggestthatGodnevercommandedit.Thisargumentisadvancedinoneoftwoways:

a. TheIsraelitescarriedoutmassacresbutweremistakeninbelievingthatGodhadcommandedit
ThisargumentsuggeststhatthemassacreswereacarryoverfromapaganwayofunderstandingGod.Itwasnot
uncommonforkingsintheNearEastofOldTestamenttimestoannihilatethepopulationsofwholecitiesasan
offering to their gods. For example, the 9
th
Century BC Moabite Stone records King Mesha's boast that he had
destroyedalltheinhabitantsofAtarothasasacrificetohisgod.ThesuggestionismadethatIsraelatthetimeof
JoshuahadalimitedunderstandingofGodandthattheywronglythoughtthattheirGod,Yahweh,expectedthe
same kind of sacrifice. This line of reasoning raises serious questions about the nature of God, in particular
whether or not He is able to make Himself clearly understood and whether or not He would allow such blatant
disobediencetogounchallenged.OneattempttoovercomethisdifficultyisthesuggestionthatGodallowedHis
nametobeassociatedwiththesemassacresbecauseHisloveforIsraelwassogreatthatHewaswillingtohave
HisreputationtarnishedforthesakeofHisrelationshipwiththem.Thisview,however,doesnotfindanysupport
in the relevant Old Testament texts, which clearly state that God commanded the massacres (Joshua 6:17, 21;
Deuteronomy 20:1617). Later texts even criticise the Israelites for their failure to obey the command (Psalm
106:3442).TheonlywaytoreconciletheOldTestamentaccountswiththisviewistoregardtheOldTestament
as simply Israels record of their perception of their unfolding relationship with Yahweh. The Old Testament is
reduced to being a human account of the evolution of monotheistic religion rather than a divine revelation of
Godsactionsinhistory.

b. Themassacresneveractuallyhappened
Proponents of this view suggest that the accounts of massacres are not contemporaneous to the events
themselves but were written later in the history of Israel, during the period of the kings, by scribes who were
witnessing the ill effects on the nation of idolatry involving Canaanite deities. These scribes supposedly
concluded that it would have been better if Israel had eradicated the Canaanites when they first settled among
themandsoincludedcommandsfromGodintheirofficialhistoryofIsrael.Thisviewalsonecessitatesaview
of Scripture as the opinion of human beings rather than the true word of God or even an accurate record of
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historicalevents.Inaddition,itsayslittleforthehonestyoftheauthorsoftheOldTestament,whobecomelittle
morethanspindoctors,andraisesthequestionhowGodspeoplecouldhavebeensomistakenintheirviewof
God. It actually creates greater problems in one sense than the preceding view since it places the concoction
accountsofmassacresatalaterstageinIsraelshistorywhenanevolutionaryviewoftheirreligionshouldexpect
amoreenlightenedconceptofGod.

Therefore,theissueboilsdowntoourviewoftheauthorityofScripture.Wecannotexamineherethedifferentviews
of Scripture among professing Christians or the arguments for the view of this author, which is that Scripture is the
authoritativewordofGod,freefromerrorasoriginallywrittenandusefulinitsentiretytoteachandchallengeus.I
do not argue for a mechanistic view of inspiration(as ifGod dictated the words of every Bible book verbatim),butI
accept the view of New Testament authors that God guided the authors of the Old Testament so that their words
were also Gods words (2 Peter 1:2021) and the resulting written Scriptures in their entirety (including the book of
Joshua)canbedescribedasGodbreathedandusefulforinstructionandcorrectionoffalseideas(2Timothy3:1617).
The only way to explain away the problem of the Old Testament massacres is to have a low view of Scriptural
authority,whereasthisstudyassumesahighview.Thisarticle,therefore,willattempttotakeScriptureatfacevalue
andconsiderexactlyhowthemassacreoftheCanaanitesfitswithourunderstandingofGodaslove.

WhydidGodcommandthemassacreoftheCanaanites?

1. Godsjudgementonaculturethatwasutterlypervadedbydetestablereligiouspractices
PassageslikeDeuteronomy9:46(itisonaccountofthewickednessofthesenationsthattheLORDisgoingto
drivethemoutbeforeyou),Deuteronomy18:12(becauseofthesedetestablepracticestheLORDyourGodwill
driveoutthosenationsbeforeyou)andLeviticus18:2425(Eventhelandwasdefiled;soIpunisheditforitssin,
and the land vomited out its inhabitants) clear claim that God was judging the Canaanites. The wrath of God
againstsinandHisrighteousjudgementofsinnersareimportantbiblicalprinciples.Withoutunderstandingthat
GodmustjudgesinwecannotunderstandthewonderofGodsforgivenessandgraceortheamazingtruthofthe
cross, where Christ endured the wrath of God for our sin. Although the ultimate judgement of God against
humansinisreservedforthefuturedaywhenhewilljudgetheworldwithjusticebythemanhehasappointed
(Acts 17:31), there are instances in Scripture where God intervenes in judgement during the lifetime of
individuals(e.g.AnaniasandSapphirainActs5),groupsofpeople(e.g.KorahandhisfollowersinNumbers16)
andeven,asinthecaseoftheCanaanites,againstentirenations.Facedwithanothercaseofannihilation,Gods
judgement on Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham said, will not the Judge of all the earth do right? (Genesis
18:25).AbrahamcorrectlyunderstoodthatthekeyissueinjudgementisthecharacterofGod,andhisquestion
expressedconfidenceinGodsrighteousness.ScriptureconsistentlymaintainsthatGodisfairinHisjudgements,
asPaulexplainsinRomans2:116.ThecultureoftheCanaaniteswasdeeplysinful,toadegreethatGoddecided
toactinjudgementagainstthem.Wemustbecarefultosaythatnoindividualorchurchtodayhastherightto
condemn an entire culture, although it is important in an age where the prevailing view is that all cultures are
equally valid (philosophical pluralism) that we learn to be discerning about the differing values inherent in
differentcultures(includingourown)andtobeabletoseetheirdeficiencieswhenjudgedagainstthestandard
of Gods righteousness. No culture is entirely righteous and no society completely sinful, but it is possible to
distinguishbetweenculturesandsocietiesthatreflectmoreofGodsintentionforhumanityandthosethatare
more distant from it. The extreme sin of the Canaanites was connected with their religious practices.
Deuteronomy12.31 says:You must not worship the LORD your God intheir way, because in worshipping their
gods, they do all kinds of detestable things the LORD hates. Leviticus 18 gives details of many of the sinful
religious practices of the Canaanites, which included: child sacrifice to the god Molech, incest, bestiality,
homosexualityandculticprostitution.

2. GodsdesiretopreserveIsraelfromthereligionsoftheCanaanites
InDeuteronomy20:1618,whenGodcommandstheIsraelitestokilleveryoneinthecitiesoftheCanaanites,the
reasonHegivesisthat,Otherwisetheywillteachyoutofollowallthedetestablethingstheydoinworshipping
theirgods,andyouwillsinagainsttheLORDyourGod.ThereligiouspurityofIsraelwasnotonlyimportantfor
theirownsake,butbecauseofGodsintentionthattheywouldfunctionasawitnesstoHispowerandgoodness
toothernations(seeGenesis18:18).ThisiswhyitwassovitaltoGodthatIsraelstartofftheirlifeintheLand
withouttheinfluenceoffalsereligionsthatwouldleadthemawayfromHim.Sadly,becauseofthefailureofthe
Israelites to obey Gods command they were indeed influenced to follow the false religions of the Canaanites.
This involvement in Canaanite religions is already evident in the book of Judges, but reaches its peak in the
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period of the kings. Although there were times when Israel was effective as a witness to Gods power and
goodness (examples include Rahab in Joshua 2 and the Queen of Sheba in the time of Solomon in 1 Kings 10),
theyultimatelyfailedinthisresponsibilityfortworeasons:
a. BecauseoftheirlackoffaithfulnesstoGod,whichmeantthattheylosttheirdistinctiveness
b. Becausetheydevelopedanationalisticsenseoftheirownsuperiority,whichledthemtobedisinterested
inbringingtruthaboutGodtootherculturesonthebasisthatGodandHisblessingsshouldbelongonlyto
them.ThebookofJonahprovidesaclassicexampleofthis.
Perhapsthechurchtodaycanlearnalessonfromthesetwindangersthatmayleadtoafailuretobeeffectivein
mission.Wemustensurethatwearedistinctivebutalsothatwedonotretreatintoaholyhuddleinwhichwe
areisolatedfromthosewhoneedtoknowaboutChrist.Effectivemissiondependsbothondistinctivenessand
culturalengagement.

DidtheCanaaniteshaveachance?

AnobviousobjectiontotheideathatGodwasjudgingtheCanaanitesisthatitwouldbeunfairforHimtodosoifthey
hadnoopportunitytorepentandbesaved.BasedontheBiblicalevidence,however,thisobjectiondissolvesawayfor
tworeasons:

1. GodwaspatientwiththeCanaanites
ThiswasnospurofthemomentdecisionbyGod.InGenesis15:1316,GodtellsAbrahamthathisdescendents
will be slaves in a foreign country for 400 years but that they will return to the land of Canaan after four
generations. The reason given for this delay is because the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full
measure.AtthetimeofAbrahamthereisevidencethattheCanaaniteshadsomeknowledgeofthetrueGod:
ThejudgementofSodomandGomorrah,whichwereclosetoCanaaniteterritory,andthedeliveranceof
LotwasevidenceofGodsjudgementagainstsin(Genesis1819).
Abrahamlivedamongthemandwasawealthyandpowerfulman(hewasevenabletorescueLotfromthe
united forces of four kings according to Genesis 14). His faith in God should have been a witness to the
Canaanites.
ThemysteriousMelchizedekwaskingofJerusalemandalsopriestofGodMostHigh(Genesis14:18).He
mustsurelyhavetaughthispeopleaboutthetrueCreatorGod(Genesis14:19).
It seems that over the period from Abraham to Joshua the Canaanites had gradually rejected what they knew
about God and moved deeper into sin. It was only when their sin reached a certain level of severity that God
decided to use the Israelites to bring judgement on them. However, even at the time of Joshua the Canaanites
hadheardaboutwhatGodhaddonefortheIsraelitesindeliveringthemfromEgyptandgivingthemvictoryover
theAmoritekingseastoftheJordan(Joshua2:812),yettheydidnotrepentandturntoGod.

2. TherewassalvationforthosewhoconvertedtofaithinGod
Rahab the prostitute (whose story is told in Joshua 2) was able to discern from what she and other Canaanites
hadheardaboutIsraelsdeliverancefromEgyptandvictoriesoverotherAmoritekings,thatGodwasgivingthe
landofCanaantotheIsraelitesand,becauseofherfaithinGoddemonstratedinherstatementandherrescueof
theIsraelitespies,shewassavedfromdestruction,includedinthenation.Sheevenbecameanancestorofking
Davidand,eventually,JesusChrist!Sadly,sheistheonlyCanaanitewereadofcomingtofaithinGod,although
surelyothershadtheopportunity.

WhatexactlydidGodcommand?

ThisquestioncomestotheheartofthematterbyaskingexactlywhatGodcommanded.Oftenthemassacreofthe
Canaanites is described as genocide, and critics of the Old Testament describe the Israelites as bloodthirsty,
jingoisticpsychopathswhowerecompletelyoutofcontrol.TheBiblicalaccountsarequitedifferent,however,bothin
termsofhowGodscommandisframedandexactlywhathappened.

1. ThecommandtoannihilatewaslimitedonlytoinhabitantsofCanaan
InDeuteronomy20Godmakesitveryclearthatannihilationisonlytobeusedinthecaseofinhabitantsofthe
Promised Land of Canaan. God gave the Israelites strict rules about proper conduct in war against other
enemieswhodidnotliveinCanaan,including:
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Thatthepriestsweretoblessthearmybeforethebattle(v3)
ThattheyweretotrustGodforvictory(v4)
That soldiers were to be excused for personal reasons if they had new land, a new house or a new
fiance,oriftheywereafraid(v58)
Thatenemycitiesmustbeofferedthechancetomakepeacebeforebeingbesieged(v1012)
Thatwhenacitywascapturedonlythemenweretobeexecutedthewomenandchildrenweretobe
absorbedintoIsraelandthepossessionstobekept(v1315)
That they were not to use a scorched earth policy in siege warfare. They must leave the fruit trees
belongingtothecitystanding(v1920)
The restraint embodied in this code of conduct is remarkable for that period of history, and against this
background the command to massacre the Canaanites stands out as a special case. It was a focused, targeted
campaign,notanuncontrolledrampage.

2. Thejudgementwasintendedtobeexpulsionfromthelandratherthangenocide
ThereisarangeofverbsusedinthecommandstoIsraelconcerninghowtheyshouldtreattheCanaanites.Some
oftheseclearlyspeakofextermination,butothersspeakofdrivingthemout(seeDeuteronomy7).Deuteronomy
9:3bringsthesetwoideastogethersuccinctly:youwilldrivethemoutandannihilatethemquickly,astheLORD
has promised you. It seems from a careful reading of the related passages that Gods intention was that the
CanaaniteswouldhaveapossibilityoffleeingthelandastheIsraelitesadvanced.Inthecaseofthosekingsand
citiesthatrefusedtodoso,therewasnooptionbutannihilation.ThereisnosuggestionthatCanaaniteswholeft
thelandmustbepursued;ratherthecommandstoannihilateareconnectedonlywithpeopleinthecitiesofthe
land.PresumablyifCanaaniteshadleftCanaantheywouldthenhavebeentreatedlikeallothernationsandthe
Israelitescouldhavemadetreatieswiththemandwouldhavebeenboundbytheircodesofconductinwarfare.
So, this was not so much a case of genocide (the extermination of an ethnic group) but rather forced removal
fromthelandofCanaan.GodsjudgementwasprimarilythattheCanaaniteswouldlosethelandbecauseoftheir
detestablereligiouspracticesandinordertopreservethepurityofIsraelsworshipofHim.Aswereadthrough
JoshuaandJudgesthisappearstobebornout,astheexterminationoftheCanaanitesisneverfullyimplemented.

Thisunderstandingthattheprimarynatureofthejudgementwasexpulsionfromthelandhelpsustounderstand
Leviticus18:2429,whereGodsaysthat,thelandvomitedoutitsinhabitantsandthatiftheIsraelitescopythe
religions of Canaan, the land, will vomit you out as it vomited out the nations that were before you. The
judgementagainstIsrael,whenitcame,wasnotannihilationbutexilefromtheland.Joshua12lists31kingswho
weredefeatedbyJoshuaandwhosecitieswerethereforewipedout(atthistimetheCananniteslivedlargelyin
independent walled citystates). The average population of each walled city at the time was probably around
10003000, with many cities having no more than around 700 people. The 31 cities conquered by Joshua
probablyhadacombinedpopulationofaround70,000.ManyofthesepeoplemayhavefledbeforetheIsraelites
attacked, but even if we assume they were all killed, this is only around 3.5 per cent of the likely population of
Canaan (the Canaanites were more populous than Israel according to Deuteronomy 7:17, and the Israelites
numberedaround1.6million,sowecanassumethattheremusthavebeenatleasttwomillionCanaanites).The
remaining96.5percenteitherfledorwereconqueredafterthetimeJoshua12.

3. GodisnotracisthelaterjudgedIsraelbyremovingthemfromtheland
As already mentioned, when the Israelites adopted the religious practices of the Canaanites, God judged them
just as He had done the Canaanites. He exiled them from the land to purify them, so that those who returned
under Zerubabbel, Ezra and Nehemiah would be a remnant of people who would worship only Him. Gods
judgement was not based on the ethnicity of the Canaanites, but on their religious practices and the extent to
whichsinpervadedtheirculture.

Undoubtedlythesepointsareunlikelytoremoveconcernsfromthemindofthemodernreaderafterallisethnic
cleansing any better than genocide and is it really justified to condemn a whole culture and wipe out a whole
community based ontheir religion? At this point it is vital to say that this case in Scripture isquiteunique and that
there is absolutely no Scriptural basis for any justification of similar actions today. Christians are not promised an
earthly kingdom or a land and Christ commanded mission to all nations rather than judgement on some. We are,
however,stillleftwiththeunavoidablefactthataccordingtotheOldTestamenttextstheGodofIsraelorderedthe
annihilation of a whole culture. Three further questions arise: Why did God use people as the agent of His
judgement?WhatabouttheinnocentCanaanites(especiallychildren)?IsthisGodofIsraelreallytheGodChristians
worship?
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WhyinthiscasedidGodusetheIsraelitesasagentsofHisjudgement?

InthecasesoftheFlood,SodomandGomorrahandtheEgyptianfirstborns,Godacteddirectlyorthroughtheagency
ofanangeltobringjudgement.SomepeoplestrugglewithhowHecouldhaveusedsinfulpeopletojudgeothersinful
people and with how he could have expected people to be able to carry out an act of brutality, especially against
innocent children. Were the Israelites somehow morally superior in Gods mind? Deuteronomy 9, where God
commandstheannihilation,ishelpfulinthisregard.InthatchapterGodmakesitabsolutelyclearthattheIsraelites
are not being used because they are better than the Canaanites or morally superior, but simply as agents of His
judgement.Infact,Herepeatstwicethatitisnotbecauseofyourrighteousness.PerhapsGodwantedtousethe
Israelitesinthiswaysothattheywouldlearntheseriousnessofsin,thedetestabilitytoGodoftheCanaanitereligions
and the reality of Gods judgement. These truths would be burned deeply on their consciousness as they
rememberedtheannihilationtheyhadbeeninvolvedin.

ThisproblemofhowGodcouldusesinfulpeopleasagentsofjudgementofothersinfulpeoplearisesagainlaterinthe
OldTestament.ThebookofHabakkukfocusesonthisconcerninthecontextoftheimpendinginvasionofJudahby
theBabylonians.TheprophetstruggleswiththefactthatGodspeople,sinfulastheywere,areabouttobedefeated
by an even more sinful nation (Habakkuk 1:13). Chapter 2 details Gods response to Habakkuk as He vindicates
HimselfandassurestheprophetthatinduetimehewilljudgetheBabyloniansbythesamerighteousstandardthat
He was now holding against Judah. The book ends with a declaration of Habakkuks faith as he praises God and
expresseshistrustinHim(Chapter3).


WhatabouttheinnocentCanaanites?

EvenifweacceptthatGodwasjudgingtheCanaanitesthroughtheIsraelites,theobjectionmayberaisedthatsome
of the Canaanites were innocent victims since they were not involved in the detestable practices of the Canaanite
religions.Inparticular,thethoughtofyoungchildrenbeingkilledistroubling.Therearetwothingstosayaboutthis:

1. Themeansofjudgementwasmercifultotheweakandyoung
Although the killing of children by the sword seems brutal to us, it was relatively merciful compared with the
alternatives of abandonment and starvation. The sword is actually a quick and relatively painless means of
execution.

2. Deathisnotthefinaljudgementordestinyofpeople
Itisalwaysimportanttorememberthatdeathisnottheend.Infact,thejudgementfacedafterdeath(Hebrews
9:27) is much more serious than any judgement resulting in physical death because it determines the eternal
destiny of the person. We can trust God to deal fairly with the innocent children who died in the Canaanite
massacres,whocouldnotbeheldresponsibleforthesinoftheircultureorreligion.

Onceagainthesepointsareunlikelytoremoveeveryconcernfromthemindofthemodernreader,butwemustadd
anotherdimensiontothisissue.IfweaskwhetheritwouldbebetterforGodtoallowchildrentogrowupinsucha
pervertedcultureandreligioussystemortobringtheiryounglivestoanendandgatherthemtoHimselfwebeginto
seethatwhathappenedtothemmaynothavebeentheworstoption.Evenasweconsiderthis,however,weareon
dangerousground.OnlyGodcanmakethiskindofjudgement,sinceHealonepossessesallknowledgeandwisdom.
Ourfinitemindsareincapableofunderstandingeverydimensionofsuchadilemma.LikePaulwemustacknowledge
thatGodsjudgementsareunsearchableandHispathsarebeyondtracingout(Romans11:33).


IstheGodoftheNewTestamentthesameastheGodoftheOldTestament?

Having considered the various questions above and seen what the Old Testament massacres teach us about Gods
judgementwecannowturntothefundamentalquestionofwhetheritispossibletoreconcilethepictureofGodin
the Old Testament with what the New Testament reveals about Him. Old Testament passages like those under
considerationinthisstudyevenledsomepeopleinchurchhistory,suchasMarcionofSinopeinthesecondcentury,
toconcludethattheOldTestamentYahwehwasadifferentdeityfromtheFatherofJesusChristdepictedintheNew
Testament.AlthoughfewprofessingChristianstodaywouldgothatfar,thesepartsoftheOldTestamentsurelycause
significantdiscomfortandembarrassmenttomany.Wemaintain,however,thatthereisnogenuineconflictbetween
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theOldandNewTestamentsintermsoftheirunderstandingofGod,andthatthesuggestionthatthereisreflectsa
badreadingofbothTestaments.

ItistruethattherevelationofGodintheBibleisprogressive,andourunderstandingofthenatureofGodbecomes
clearerasthegrandnarrativeofScriptureunfolds.ThisisparticularlyobviouswhenwelookattheconceptofGodas
three in one, commonly referred to as the doctrine of the Trinity. In the Old Testament the idea that God is three
personsyetoneisbarelyhintedat.IntheNewTestament,however,itbecomesclear,althoughitremainsamystery
that cannot be neatly explained or formulated. It was only with the coming of Christ that a profound truth like this
couldfinallybemadeclearandthatGodscharacterandtheextentofHislovecouldfullyberevealed.Thekeypoint
to realise is that although progressive revelation means that the exact meaning of Gods love and truth become
increasinglyclearand,mostimportantly,thecrossofChristrevealshowthesetwoqualitieswhichappearsooftento
be in tension can actually be held together (how a holy God can make sinners right with Himself without acting
unjustly by leaving sin unpunished), the Old and New testaments consistently bear witness both to Gods love and
truth(orholiness).TosuggestthatGodsloveisunknownintheOldTestamentwouldbecompletelyfalse.Infact,
GodslovetoIsraelisamajorthemeoftheOldTestamentandHisjudgementoftheirenemiescanevenbeseenasan
expression of this love. Likewise, it would be equally wrong to suggest that the God of the New Testament is not
capableofrighteousjudgement.TheOldTestamentpresentsGodastheOnewhoisbothjustandloving(seeExodus
34:6, Psalm 85:10 and Psalm 86:15 for example), and this perfect balance is also seen in the character of God as
revealed in Christ (John 1:14). Even in the accounts of massacres in the Old Testament we see both the justiceand
grace of God as His judgement falls on the rebellious but those who have faith are saved. This same pattern is
continuedintheteachingofJesus,whospokebothofsalvationandofjudgement(seethestoryoftherichmanand
LazarusinLuke16forexample).ThroughouttheNewTestamentepistlesthisperfectunityofjusticeandloveinthe
characterofGodisconsistentlyseen,sothatJohncouldsayinhisfirstepistlethatGodisbothlight(meaningtruth)
andlove(seeIJohn1:5and4:16).NeitherChristnorHisapostlesseemedtohaveanyconcernsabouttheveracityof
theOldTestamentaccountsofmassacres,showingthattheyfirmlybelievedthattheGodoftheOldTestamentwas
thesameGodinwhomtheytrusted.InfacttheteachingofJesusandtheapostlesmakesnosenseatallwithoutthe
background of the Old Testament we cannot understand the significance of Christs life, death and resurrection
exceptaccordingtotheScriptures(1Corinthians15:34).

Jesus and the apostles taught that a future day of judgement is coming when sin would finally be judged by Gods
standard of righteousness. Until we understand the wrath of God against sin (Romans 1:18) and the fact that this
wrathmustfindexpressioninjudgement(Romans2:5),wecannotappreciatethewonderofGodslovedisplayedin
thecrossofChrist(Romans5:8)orwhyHisdeathwasnecessarytodemonstrateGodsjusticeandavertGodswrath
fromus(Romans3:25).WithoutanunderstandingofGodswraththecrossbecomesmeaninglessandgracebecomes
aweakandinsipidthing.ThemassacresoftheOldTestamentcanteachusmuchaboutGodsjudgement.

LessonsfromtheOldTestamentmassacresaboutGodsjudgement

ThemassacresrecordedintheOldTestamentareexceptionalcases,andhavecertainfactorsincommon,asthe
followingtableshows:

Judgement(agent) Timetorepent Godswitness Salvationthroughfaith

Flood Genesis6:57(the
Flood)
Whilethearkwasbeing
built(1Peter3:20)
Noah

Noahandfamilybuiltand
enteredtheark(Genesis6:9;7:8)
Sodom&
Gomorrah
Genesis18:2021(fire
fromheaven)
AbrahampleadswithGod
(Genesis18)
RighteousLot(2
Peter2:7)and
Abraham
LotandfamilyfledSodom
(Genesis19:1213)
Egyptian
firstborn
Exodus12:12(angel) Previousplagues,Moses
speakingtoPharaoh
(Exodus710)
Mosesand
Aaron
Israelitesmarkedbythelambs
blood(Exodus12:1213)
Canaanites Deuteronomy9:46,
18:12;Leviticus18:24
25(Israelitearmies
underJoshua)
Israels40yearsinthe
desert(newsreached
CanaanitesJoshua2:10)
Israelledby
Mosesand
Joshua
Rahabandfamilyshetieda
scarletthreadoutsidewindow
(Joshua2)
Amalekites 1Samuel15:23(Sauls
armies)
c.350yearssincetheirsin
againstIsrael(Exodus17)
NationofIsrael NONERECORDED

Thefourcommonfeaturesoftheseaccountsare,then:
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1. DivinejudgementtheyarealljudgementsofGodagainstextremesin.
2. Timetorepenttheyareallprecededbylongperiodsofopportunitytorepent.
3. WitnesstoGodduringthetimeofopportunitytherewasknowledgeavailabletothepeoplethatenabledthem
toknowaboutGod.
4. SalvationthroughfaithpeoplewhohadfaithinGodandwereinnocentbeforeHimwerealwaysprovidedwith
a means of salvation. Their families were saved with them just as the children of those who were judged died
withthem.SomeoneissavedineachcaseexcepttheAmalekites.

ThesesameprinciplesalsoapplytowhattheNewTestamentsaysaboutthefinaljudgement:
a. God will judge fairly once again God initiates the judgement, but in this case the outcome will be more than
physicaldeath.Theconsequenceswillbeeithereternalpunishmentoreternalblessing(Revelation20:1115).
b. TimetorepentGodisnowpatientlywaiting,givingpeopleanopportunitytorepent(2Peter3:9).WhenChrist
returns,Godsjudgementwillcomeandnoonewillbeabletoescapefromit.
c. GodswitnessChristiansarepresentnowintheworldaswitnessestoGodstruthandlove(2Corinthians2:14
16).
d. SalvationthroughfaithThereissalvationforanywhowillrepentandtrustinChristforsalvation(Acts2:21

Conclusion:Whyarewetroubled?

Despiteallthathasbeensaidinthisarticlemanyreadersarelikelytoremaindeeplytroubledbythethoughtofthe
massacre of the Canaanites, as in fact the author is. The very thought seems so foreign to our experience of life in
WesternEuropeintheearly21
st
Century,andreportsofmassacresinrecentdecadesincountriesincludingSudanand
Bosniaareabhorrenttous.Itisalwaysworthwhilepausingwhenwefeelsuchrevulsiontoaskwhywefeelit.Isit
wrongforustofeelthisway?DoesitreflectalackoffaithinGod?Therewouldappeartobetwopossibleoriginsof
theconcernthatwefeel,andthatthesetwooriginswillleadtoverydifferentresults:

a) FaithinGodforsomethestrugglecomesfromadeepconvictionthatGodisgoodandthatHelovesallpeople.
ForthosewhohavecometoknowHimandtotrustinHimthroughJesusChristthisisanindisputablefact.Ifthis
is the origin of our disquiet then it will lead us to a deep concern for those who do not know God and a
commitmenttomissionbothathomeandabroad.AswereflectonthejudgementofGodagainsttheCanaanites
inthetimeofJoshuawewillrealisethatagreaterjudgementisyettocomeandthatthosewhohavenotcometo
faithinGodwillfaceaworsefatethantheCanaanites.HowcanweresteasyinourconfidenceinGodssalvation
whileothershaveneverheardofChrist?InthemeantimewecanbringourdiscomforttoGodandconfessthat
we cannot lay it to rest, confident that He does not reject our questions so long as they are motivated by a
genuinedesireknowHimmorefully(againHabakkukservesasahelpfulexample).

b) RebellionagainstGodforothers,thestrugglearisesfromafundamentalobjectiontotheveryideathatGod
canorshouldjudgesinfulpeople.AccordingtoScripture,allsinmustbejudgedandeverypersondeservesdeath
and eternal punishment. If we refuse to accept this truth then we are in grave danger because we too are
rejectingGodandwewillfaceHisjudgement.WemustrepentofourstubbornnessandprideandcallouttoGod
formercy.Ifwedo,wewillfinditbecauseofChrist.

So,then,theultimatechallengeoftheOldTestamentmassacresistorealisethatGodsjudgementonsinisareality,
and that we are now in a period where the opportunity to repent and be saved is open to us. Gods salvation has
beenmadereadyChristaccomplisheditonthecrossandHeroseagainandisalivetosavepeople.Wewoulddo
welltoheedthewarningofthewriterofHebrews:

Howshallweescapeifweignoresuchagreatsalvation?(Hebrews2:3)