Why did God tell the Israelites to kill the Canaanites?

[Mantiger]

I was raised a Christian and have always tried to be a good person. I consider Jesus the be the perfect example of how to be good, Jesus would never hurt anyone. However recently an atheist friend told me God was cruel and unloving and used examples from the old testament to prove it. In the old testament God tells Joshua to kill all the Canaanites, including women and children. I have two questions:

1. Why did God tell Joshua to kill the Canaanites, including innocent children who hadn't done anything? Killing children for the actions of their parents is unjust. Why didn't God tell Joshua to adopt the baby Canaanites?

2. Why didn't God use his omnipotence to teleport the Canaanites away?

3. If God is omnipotent he could have persuaded the Canaanites to stop sinning without restricting their free will. Why didn't he do this?

I hope you can give me some counter arguments to tell my friend, I have been feeling down lately because my faith is very important to me.

 

[spirit1st]

These other nations served the devil ! the devils controlled them ! God did not want israel following these wicked gods or the other evil junk they did !
God wanted Israel to serve truth and obey His laws !

Many of these people from these others groups of people had demons in them !

 

[Mantiger]

These other nations served the devil ! the devils controlled them ! God did not want israel following these wicked gods or the other evil junk they did !
God wanted Israel to serve truth and obey His laws !

Many of these people from these others groups of people had demons in them !

Why did God allow demons to go inside them? If God is omnipotent he could have stopped the demons going inside them, or made the demons come out.

 

[spirit1st]

GOD gave this planet to mankind to do as they would ! Mankind let satan get control over them !
People were doing all kinds of evil ! You understand ? satan and demons put bad thoughts in people to do all kinds of evil !

satan hates mankind , he sees us as easy to trick and deceive and can get many to hurt or kill others or even do things people really do not want to do ?

satan caused all the evil on this planet ! he has caused all the wars and all the deaths ever here ! Mankind would not even do many things they do too !

 

[Mantiger]

GOD gave this planet to mankind to do as they would ! Mankind let satan get control over them !
People were doing all kinds of evil ! You understand ? satan and demons put bad thoughts in people to do all kinds of evil !

satan hates mankind , he sees us as easy to trick and deceive and can get many to hurt or kill others or even do things people really do not want to do ?

satan caused all the evil on this planet ! he has caused all the wars and all the deaths ever here ! Mankind would not even do many things they do too !

Why does God allow Satan to control people and cause all the wars and deaths? If Satan has put the "bad thoughts" in people it's not their fault that they do bad things, why does God punish them?

 

[spirit1st]

We decide to accept Truth or the lies!
God just allowing us to make the choice!

2Th_2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

Some want truth ? Other prefer to live in darkness!

We decide Hell or New jerusalem !
after salvation ! We get the spirit of truth !

We decide how much we want to learn ? How much we will let God use us to touch others lives ?

God put it in our hands , what we are going to do pretty much in life ?

Listen ? GOD Living words teach us what He expects ? how much He given too us and How much we can learn and grow in truth and the correct understanding ! And the great rewards He wanting to give each of us !

oh_14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
Joh_15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:
Joh_16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

 

[Eric E Stahl]

Genesis15:12-16
12 Now when the sun was going down, [SUB]u[/SUB] a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, horror and great darkness fell upon him.
13 Then He said to Abram: "Know certainly [SUB]v[/SUB] that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and [SUB]w[/SUB] they will afflict them four hundred years.
14 "And also the nation whom they serve [SUB]x[/SUB] I will judge; afterward [SUB]y[/SUB] they shall come out with great possessions.
15 "Now as for you, [SUB]z[/SUB] you shall [SUB]4[/SUB] go [SUB]a[/SUB] to your fathers in peace; [SUB]b[/SUB] you shall be buried at a good old age.
16 "But [SUB]c[/SUB] in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity [SUB]d[/SUB] of the Amorites [SUB]e[/SUB] is not yet complete."

The iniquity of the Canaanites was full so God judged them.

 

[rhilton]

Think about what God did and the reaction of His chosen people.

The Jews watched as God delivered them from their captors with punishment because their ruler refused to let His people go. God delivered His people out of the hand of Egypt as they stood on the shore of the Red Sea by parting it and allowing His people to cross over on dry land while the Egyptian army was completely destroyed while they crossed as the waters came back together. The Jews saw God provide water out of a rock when they were thirsty and food in the form of manna when they were hungry. Even when seeing this first hand the people had no trouble yearning for the idol worship of Egypt and turning back to it, which they attempted to do by creating a golden calf while Moses was on the mount receiving the commandments from the hand of God. The reality of God is that He allows us and all His creatures the freedom to make our own choices, which included the Canaanites. As can be read in Romans, man chooses to go the wrong way, and has from the beginning. God could have teleported them away, but that would not have changed their hearts. God could have sent angels to demonstrate His power, which He did in the city of Sodom, and as could be seen changed nothing. The Canaanites sacrificed their children to their gods, which God knew would be a struggle for His people, so instead of allowing this cancer to destroy what He had started, God chose to destroy the cancer.

 

[amadeus2]

The OT while seeming to deal with the fleshly ways of men, provides pictures (types or shadows) of what is happening in the hearts of men for good or for evil in all times (OT & NT). The NT, if we are able to see the correspondence (via the Holy Ghost), will show us the lessons contained in the OT. The beasts which were men which according to the OT needed to killed (e.g. the Amalekites) are the beasts of men as seen here:

"Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like..." Gal 5:19-21

Those beasts named in Galatians correspond to the "ites" (Canaanites, Amorites, etc.) who occupied the physical land of Israel when the natural children of Israelite followed Joshua across the Jordan to possess that land. Similarly the land that is occupied today, and always, for carnal man is the lump of clay which each of us is. We are the land. My land is the physical body which houses me, but it is NOT MINE. I am a tenant-farmer. How good of a job am I doing in get rid of the pests (beasts) so the planted seed (Word of God) can grow? Am I properly feeding and watering with the things of God rather than the garbage men?

The OT tells us clearly (Prov 9:1-2) that it is wisdom which kills the beasts. God's never changes and His real message never changes... whether we get into a place where we are willing and able to understand that message or not. The Door, which is Jesus, is open, but we must choose to walk through or not.

---

To concern ourselves about the actual fates of those people, the "ites" something we can really know... unless God were to share them with us... simply may not be part of God's message to us. What we need is the message that God has for us.

---

But... on the point of what ultimately happens to those in the OT, consider for a moment, Moses, who in the end was not allowed to enter into the promised Land of Israel. Does this mean that he could not be saved? If he lost all hope, how was it that he was one of those seen at the transfiguration of Jesus? We do not know all of the answers and I believe that we do not need to... If we are faithful, we will know all that the answers that are needed and God knows what they are.

 

[Puddleglum]

GOD gave this planet to mankind to do as they would ! Mankind let satan get control over them !
People were doing all kinds of evil ! You understand ? satan and demons put bad thoughts in people to do all kinds of evil !

satan hates mankind , he sees us as easy to trick and deceive and can get many to hurt or kill others or even do things people really do not want to do ?

satan caused all the evil on this planet ! he has caused all the wars and all the deaths ever here ! Mankind would not even do many things they do too !

Does Satan hate man ? no i think he works on people to think they are better than God by puffing up ones ego and leading them to push their own desires and what the flesh thinks is the way.
Political Correctness is the god of today's worldly educated dolts.
Political Correctness is the work of Satan, but how many know that this PC filth was used on Hitlers people and Starlin's people.
The Political Correctness we have today is a Fabian dream of slowly poisoning peoples minds ( wells ) and leading them all astray. and it is very effective as it comes across as nice and all. but as it gains strength, any who oppose it will feel it's wrath as a enemy of the state. there is no direction, but the PC line you understand. it comes across as so nice and so smart, that people worship it entirely, so watch out if you put a foot wrong because they will not be forgiving at all. and it certainly has no time for Christianity at all.

 

[cman77]

Wretched: Do you know what Christianity actually is? - YouTube

this may be helpful

 

[B-A-C]

Does Satan hate man ? no i think he works on people to think they are better than God by puffing up ones ego and leading them to push their own desires and what the flesh thinks is the way.

Hmmmm.... well God uses Satan for sure. But he can't do anything to God's children without God's permission.
Job 1:12; Then the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your power, only do not put forth your hand on him." So Satan departed from the presence of the LORD.

However I'm not sure this restriction applies if you're not a Child of God (i.e. believer)
Do Satan hate men?
John 10:10; "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

Kill and destroy doesn't sound real loving.

1 Pet 5:8; Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

Being devoured doesn't sound like love.

John 8:44; "You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

A murderer from the beginning.

Rev 12:10; Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, "Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night.

Satan is the one who accuses us before God.

1 Thes 3:5; For this reason, when I could endure it no longer, I also sent to find out about your faith, for fear that the tempter might have tempted you, and our labor would be in vain.

Satan is the one who tempts us and tries to make us sin.

I assure you, Satan hates the saved.

 

[spirit1st]

There is no doubt satan hates mankind . Every baby , child ,man and woman.

he knows the evil things he causes people to do , make them suffer and causes so many to go to hell.

he rules over islam , they do every evil thing to there kids many times and there wives and others.

this is satan , the god of islam .

Allah, the god revealed in the Quran, is not a loving father. It says that he desires to lead people astray (Surah 6:39 , 126). He does not help those who are led astray by him (Surah 30:29) and desires to use them to populate hell (Surah 32:13)

the origins of Allah. As we shall see, the hard evidence demonstrates that the god Allah was a pagan deity. In fact, he was the Moon-god who was married to the sun goddess and the stars were his daughters.


When you LOVE? You do not cause others to hurt them selves or there family or others.

If you do not understand these demons and satan hate you ? you will have great problems .

Yes they will tell you they love you and trick you . that why satan called the great deceiver .

 

[Puddleglum]

Hmmmm.... well God uses Satan for sure. But he can't do anything to God's children without God's permission.
Job 1:12; Then the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your power, only do not put forth your hand on him." So Satan departed from the presence of the LORD.

However I'm not sure this restriction applies if you're not a Child of God (i.e. believer)
Do Satan hate men?
John 10:10; "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

Kill and destroy doesn't sound real loving.

1 Pet 5:8; Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

Being devoured doesn't sound like love.

John 8:44; "You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

A murderer from the beginning.

Rev 12:10; Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, "Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night.

Satan is the one who accuses us before God.

1 Thes 3:5; For this reason, when I could endure it no longer, I also sent to find out about your faith, for fear that the tempter might have tempted you, and our labor would be in vain.

Satan is the one who tempts us and tries to make us sin.

I assure you, Satan hates the saved.

One thing is he rejects Salvation.
No Satan is much to cunning to be seen as evil as he is himself the one that people admire with their fleshly thoughts and deeds.
He is not an idiot as he is very smart and very Political Correct indeed, he will never show his hand in the light of evil but people look to him in admiration for this comes about from the stain of original sin working in us.
Satans works are that you follow in the stain of original sin and he is devoid of the Holy Spirit, just like a worldly goose on to the path that leads to destruction. he will not lift a finger he will not have to, you will do it all by yourself. as you will not be able to claim he made you do it, as it was your free will that you followed not him ? but your sin lead you in all.
Satan just wants you, he is going to love you and keep ya.
Did Satan lay a hand on Jesus ? their is only one think that satan did and that was to try to tempt him and that's all he can do !
Satan was a good sport was he not, just look at what he would of given to Jesus, eveything ! now you can't beat that can you. and it shows what a good sport he is.
Satan never said anything of hate to Jesus as he just rejected the Holy Spirit and only tempted Jesus to do things to prove to Satan.
Satan knows not the Holy Spirit as it is not in him.

 

[Chad]

@Mantiger

Article from blueletterbible.org

One of the difficult problems posed by events recorded in the Book of Joshua in the Old Testament concerns the destruction of the Canaanites. When the children of Israel entered the Promised Land they destroyed the Canaanites as ordered by the Lord. The Bible tells what happened when the Israelites conquered Jericho:

And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, ox and sheep and donkey, with the edge of the sword (Joshua 6:21).

Why did God order everyone destroyed including women, children, and animals? Does this not show a cruel and warlike attitude?

We Must Understand The Historical Situation

While the loss of innocent life is something that is to be deplored, the situation must be understood with the following background in mind. The nation Israel was chosen to be a witness to the world of the true and living God. The Israelites were to live in the Promised Land surrounded by the heathen nations, yet they were not to be influenced by the other nations' religions. God instructed His people that they were not to take to themselves any of the elements of the false pagan religions.

The Promised Land in which the Israelites were to settle was populated by the Canaanites who had corrupted and perverted God's truth. They had corrupted themselves to the place where they were beyond saving. Had any been permitted to live, they would have infected Israel with their moral depravity.

Israel Was To Be A Witness

Before Israel could establish itself in the region as a witness to the one true God, all remnants of the pagan culture had to be destroyed. The failure to totally eliminate all of the pagans in the Promised Land eventually led to the nation's downfall in the times of the Judges.

Then the angel of the Lord came to Gilgal to Bochim, and said: I led you up from Egypt and brought you to the land of which I swore to your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you. And you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall tear down their altars. But you have not obeyed my voice. Why have you done this? Therefore I also said, I will not drive them out before you; but they shall be thorns in your side, and their gods shall be a snare to you (Judges 2:1-3).

God ordered the destruction of the Canaanites because of the corrupting influence they would have if their false religious system were allowed to survive. Unfortunately, Israel disobeyed God and did not utterly destroy these pagan peoples. This disobedience eventually led to their own captivity.

The Canaanites Were Not Innocent Victims

The people that lived in Canaan were not ignorant of the God of Israel. Many times the impression is given that God ordered the Israelites to swoop in and destroy innocent people. But these people were neither innocent nor ignorant. They had heard about the God of Israel but had rejected Him.

When two spies were sent to spy out the Land of Promise they were told by Rahab the prostitute.

I know that the Lord has given you the land, that the terror of you has fallen on us and that all the inhabitants of the land are fainthearted because of you. For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were on the other side of the Jordan, Sihon, and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. And as soon as we heard these things, our hearts melted; neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you, for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath (Joshua 2:11).

They had heard of the true God but had rejected Him. Consequently, their entire society acted in a sinful way. The Apostle Paul spoke of these people:

Although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed beasts and creeping things. Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshipped the creature rather than the Creator (Romans 1:21-25).

Summary

The inhabitants of Canaan were neither ignorant nor innocent victims of an angry God. They had been committing terrible sin knowing full well of the true and living God. Because they rejected Him and His forgiveness God harshly judged them.

 

[spirit1st]

Yes i fully agree they were very evil .

The world today is just as bad . That why i believe the LORD will soon bring His wrath on all of it.

Most people today hate hearing or seeing the scriptures .I have people get upset all the time for posting or talking about scriptures . It very sad . I really hate to see so many suffer so . Just because this evil devil and his followers have tricked so many in our world today .

They do not understand when they try to hurt us ? They get punished .

Col_3:25 But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.

2Th_1:6 Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you;


Gal_5:12 I would they were even cut off which trouble you.

Rom_12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

Really i do not mind them hurting or trying to hurt me . I really do love people and know they just been tricked .

 

[Bendito]

I was raised a Christian and have always tried to be a good person. I consider Jesus the be the perfect example of how to be good, Jesus would never hurt anyone. However recently an atheist friend told me God was cruel and unloving and used examples from the old testament to prove it. In the old testament God tells Joshua to kill all the Canaanites, including women and children. I have two questions:

1. Why did God tell Joshua to kill the Canaanites, including innocent children who hadn't done anything? Killing children for the actions of their parents is unjust. Why didn't God tell Joshua to adopt the baby Canaanites?

2. Why didn't God use his omnipotence to teleport the Canaanites away?

3. If God is omnipotent he could have persuaded the Canaanites to stop sinning without restricting their free will. Why didn't he do this?

I hope you can give me some counter arguments to tell my friend, I have been feeling down lately because my faith is very important to me.

Caanan was populated by Raphaim. They were a hybrid race, giants. They were part fallen angel and part human. That makes them not human. Biblical and historical records, along with credible archaeological evidence, show that when Abraham pulled up his tent stakes at Ur of the Chaldeans and moved his family and flocks to Canaan, many giants already occupied Transjordan. The scriptures also say that when this first Hebrew patriarch later established his headquarters at Hebron, he lived for some years among the Anakim giants who founded that city.

Although the Anakim in later times became the most numerous--and the most feared--of Canaan's giants, the Avvim and Hurrians (or Horites, as they are called in Genesis) apparently were the first tall people to occupy that land. Archaeological experts admit to having no direct proof of this. But, according to H. R. Hall, "recent excavations of the Palestine Exploration Fund at Gezer and various other researches have shewn that Palestine was originally inhabited by a stone-age population that lived in caves, and was probably related to the troglodytic people of the desert between the Nile and the Red Sea, who are mentioned by Strabo.1 We may identify them with the preCanaanite Horites or Avvim of Biblical tradition. They developed into or were succeeded by the Anakim or Rephaim, the 'Giants' of tradition, who built the megalithic monuments, the dolmens and menhirs, of Moab and eastern Palestine.2 To them may be due the earliest stone walls of the Canaanite cities."3

Elmer W. K. Mould also affirms that the earliest race to occupy Canaan was non-Semitic and of gigantic stature. The "authentic names of aboriginal settlers," he declares, "are really preserved in the legendary Anakim, Avvim, Rephaim, Emim, and Zamzummim, which are referred to several times. These legendary peoples pre-ceded the Amorites in Palestine, but afterward, through a blur of tradition, they came to be mistakenly regarded as Amorite subdivisions. So far as can be learned from the records, the Emim ('dreadful ones') lived in the area of Moab; the Zamzummim ('murmurers' or 'stammerers,' i.e., speakers of a barbarous tongue), or Uzim,4 in the area of Ammon, east of Jordan. There were Horites in the Mount Seir region before the Edomites displaced them. In southern and southwestern Palestine were the Anakim, centering around Hebron, and the Avvim, near Gaza. 'Rephaim' ('giants') was perhaps a collective name for all these aborigines.... Such names as 'Nephilim,' 'Rephaim,' and 'Anakim,' whatever they may mean, point to the existence in Palestine of tall men who were non-Semitic. East of the Jordan, in Bashan, Og, king of Bashan, and his people constituted a remnant of the Rephaim. Somewhere in central Canaan, west of Jordan, there was a land of the Rephaim. Near Jerusalem there was a Valley of the Rephaim."5

Such then were some of the enormous inhabitants who lived in and about Canaan at the time Abraham and his nephew Lot moved their families, servants, and flocks to Canaan. These aborigine half-breeds apparently gave Abraham no trouble--or at least none is recorded. But the giants of Transjordan and Mount Seir later figured in a war the Hebrew patriarch became involved in.

 

[pajaro]

Thanks Chad, for quoting the scripture from Joshua:

"And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, ox and sheep and donkey, with the edge of the sword (Joshua 6:21)."

Notice in this scripture that the means of destroying is the sword. But the 'sword' is really a parable word in the Bible for the word of God. That is the 'sword of the spirit', according to Ephesians 6:17. So Joshua is providing a picture of how the true believers share the gospel, but those who reject it are condemned. If the Cananites, a picture of unbelievers, had only received the gospel they too would be saved, but then they would have been part of the Israel mentioned. Israel is a parable word for the true believers from any cultural background. All who are new creations in Christ are called 'the Israel of God' in the Bible (Galatians 6:16).

 

[Bendito]

Thanks Chad, for quoting the scripture from Joshua:

"And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, ox and sheep and donkey, with the edge of the sword (Joshua 6:21)."

Notice in this scripture that the means of destroying is the sword. But the 'sword' is really a parable word in the Bible for the word of God. That is the 'sword of the spirit', according to Ephesians 6:17. So Joshua is providing a picture of how the true believers share the gospel, but those who reject it are condemned. If the Cananites, a picture of unbelievers, had only received the gospel they too would be saved, but then they would have been part of the Israel mentioned. Israel is a parable word for the true believers from any cultural background. All who are new creations in Christ are called 'the Israel of God' in the Bible (Galatians 6:16).

It was an interesting post but.....Sometimes a sword is just a sword.

 

[pajaro]

It was an interesting post but.....Sometimes a sword is just a sword.

In the movie 'The Last Samurai' a sword was just a sword. However, in the Bible there is no surface text which you can assume as being free from potential parable interpretation. Sure, the surface story of Joshua is a simple story of one group taking a sword to another group. But notice the scripture does not refer to many swords but to the edge of just one sword: "And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, ox and sheep and donkey, with the edge of the sword (Joshua 6:21)." We could say that this is just a way of talking about many swords, but it really doesn't say that. How literal is the Bible when it talks about a sword? Consider: "Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered". Here is the Bible talking about a sword. Is this to be understood that Jesus was killed with a physical metal sword? No, he was pierced with a spear only: "But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side". So what sword awoke against Jesus? It was the word of God, the sword of the spirit.
What sword is sticking out of Jesus' mouth in Revelation? A metal sword? No, the word of God, the sword of the spirit. What sword is spoken of in Zephaniah: "Ye Ethiopians also, ye shall be slain by my sword."? This is described as my sword. That, again, is the sword of the spirit, the word of God, the Lord's sword. The word of God is more than surface text. It has parable meaning, though not all can receive this.