Questions about the Bible: 12. Didn’t God sanction war in the Old Testament?
Didn’t God sanction war in the Old Testament?
To understand this answer correctly, and in context, we must understand that God hates wrongdoing. He cannot tolerate it. The Bible’s word for it is ‘sin’.
In all cases in the Bible where God allows or commands life to be taken, it is as a consequence of a people’s sinfulness. Without exception this is true. God is holy, and pure. All sin is abhorrent to Him. In the very beginning God warned Adam and Eve, the first humans, that if they disobeyed Him, they would ‘surely die.’ (Genesis 2 v. 17 35) They did just that, and true to God’s word, death entered the world.
So does God counter wrong with another wrong? No, because although death is a dreadful thing, God at times commands people to be put to death, or forfeit their life, not for revenge or out of inappropriate anger but because God is just and sin cannot continue unpunished. God, the Giver of life, and the One who takes it away, will at times end a life to prevent the prolonging of wickedness. This can happen to nations, cities and individuals.
It would be natural then to feel that every individual deserves such condemnation. But the wonderful news is that God has acted to put away our sin. Sin brings death. The Bible says, ‘that without the shedding of blood there can be no forgiveness of sin.’(Hebrews 9 v. 22) Out of love for us, Jesus has come to die as a sacrifice for our sin. The Bible says that ‘Jesus came only once and for all, sacrificing Himself… He was offered as a sacrifice once to take away the sins of all time. He came at just the right time to take away the sins of many people…’ (Hebrews 9 v. 26b – 28a (NCV))
You and I can have freedom from sin – and the punishment it deserves – through the costly death of Jesus. He has exchanged places with us – our guilt was taken from us and laid on Him so that we may be given a ‘non-guilty’ verdict. The question is will we accept this offer by receiving Jesus into our lives?
Go to: Aren’t there genocides in the Bible?
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