Expert: Bruce Gourley - 8/25/2008

Question
An Atheist asked me if your God Jesus is love and love us then why He command Saul to killed every one including women and infant of Amalek ?

1 Samuel Chapter 15
15:2 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt.

15:3 Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.


Answer
Hello Nick,

It's a good question. The Hebrews of the Old Testament more than once portray a God who is vengeful and kills even little children. Yet Jesus in the New Testament clearly taught against violence. I'd say that Jesus came to earth to show who God really is. Not all Christians would agree with me on this. Some worship an angry God, others worship God as revealed through Christ. The simplest explanation for what we see in the Bible is humanity progressively learning more about who God is and is not; the further down the road, humans are able to grasp a clearer understanding of God, thanks to Jesus' life.

Best wishes,

Bruce Gourley
www.baptistlife.com
www.brucegourley.com