|
Why did God instruct Joshua to kill all the
inhabitants of Canaan? Many people read the instructions in the
Bible and see God as a genocidal maniac. Couldn't God have given the
Israelites the land without all that bloodshed? Most people don't
realize that God is actually a duality of love and judgment. This
was the case with the inhabitants of Canaan. God tolerated the
iniquity of the Canaanites until it finally reached a level where He
would not allow it anymore and the city of Jericho with its
legendary walls was the first target for destruction. The battle
plan seemed bizarre, nevertheless, Joshua had faith in God and so
did the soldiers of Israel even though it appeared like they were
embarking on some type of insane warfare. God was looking for two
things: obedience and faith. Something He had not been able to
achieve with the previous generation of Israelites who died in the
desert. Faith and obedience are mandatory if we desire God's
supernatural power to operate in our lives. The walls of Jericho
were brought down supernaturally but Joshua and his soldiers still
had to participate. They obeyed God's instructions and were rewarded
with victory. |
 |
