Expert: Scott Talbot - 7/19/2006

Question
What does this maen in Joshua 6:21 : "They devoted the city to the LORD and destroyed with the sword every living thing in it-men and women,young and old, cattle, sheep and donkeys."
Why is it so harsh? Why would GOD want to kill the children in which they didn't do anything?

P.S : That is what my friend want to ask, but I said don't disrespect what the bible says. Am I right?

Answer
Hi, Ronald. Nice to hear from you.

I don't think it's wrong to ask such questions. Generally speaking, we should just trust God--accept that He is holy and just, and leave it at that. But we all have questions, and God understands that sometimes we want a better understanding.

Sometimes, God's answer is the one found in Deuteronomy 29:29--"The secret things belong to the Lord our God ..." or Isaiah 55:8-9--"'My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,' declares the Lord. 'As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.'"

Sometimes, there are additional facts to consider.

First, it's important to understand that God (being God) has the authority to make the rules. He created the universe and all that is in it, and He has the right to do with it as He will. No one can call God unfair or unjust because, if any of us got what we truly deserve, we would all die and spend eternity separated from God in hell.

Second, consider that the Promised Land (which was rightfully God's) was the area which He chose for the Israelites to settle and to become a nation through whom He would communicate Himself to the world. God was very careful in selecting the location, and He made it clear that the land was for His chosen people, Israel.

Those who lived in the land (including the inhabitants of Jericho) knew that God wanted them to relocate. To remain on God's land was to rebel against God. Even if war and death and annihilation was required, God was not about to allow these rebellious people to tell Him what He could or could not do. Keep in mind that God's ideal was not to destroy these people. It would have been fine if they had just moved elsewhere. But war was necessary when the people refused to move.

Another fact to consider is that these were pagans with their own anti-God religion. In order to keep His people pure and free from the deceit and false teachings of a false religion, God did not want any part of them remaining. He did not want even the most (seemingly) innocent of people left behind to pollute the hearts and minds of His people with false religion.

Further, the complete eradication of the people and their possessions was God's way of demonstrating to the people that absolute purity was necessary, even when it seems extreme to go to such lengths. This simply emphasizes the high priority that God places on obedience and purity.

Bottom line is that God is God, and His ways are pure, righteous, and just. None of us has a right to second-guess God. And, lest we allow the pendulum to swing too far in the wrong direction, let's remember that this is the same God who clearly stated that He loves the whole world--enough to pay the ultimate price to rescue us all from condemnation.

I hope this helps.

Scott