The most disturbing part of the conquest of Canaan for most people is the killing of children. Heres why. In a recent debate with William Lane Craig, Hitchens exhorted the Christians in the audience, Emancipate yourself from the idea of a celestial dictatorship and youve taken the first step toward becoming free.32, Although Dawkins nowhere endorses sex with animals, he does endorse Princeton atheist and ethicist Peter Singer as an eloquent advocate for our need to become postspeciesist.33 According to Singer, to claim that one species is better than another is to invoke grave implications because, after all, We are animals.This does not make sex across the species barrier normal, or natural, whatever those much-misused words may mean, but it does imply that it ceases to be an offence to our status and dignity as human beings.34. Canaanite religion, like that of all of the ANE, was a fertility religion that involved temple sex. And how else would God have said it if He did mean that? Capital Punishment Reason 4 He points out how Yahweh Wars, i.e. They made a religion of lust. But God has no such prohibition. / He lies with her seventy times seven / Mounts eighty times eight / [She conceiv]es and bears a boy.20. This article first appeared in the Christian Research Journal, volume 44, number 2 (2021). (3) Therefore, Christians should condemn Yahweh for commanding genocide. 13. If you like what you're reading, you can get free daily updates through the RSS feed here. It was merciful for God to allow individual Canaanites to repent and join the people of God. 4:26; 7:4 ). Speaking with Abraham, God predicted that the Canaanites would eventually become so evil that He For me to do so would be murder. Will More People Go To Hell Than Go To Heaven? To understand what God was doing in Canaan, one must see it within the larger context of redemptive history. Their purity laws pointed to the holiness demanded by God. Abraham decides to bargain again okay, okay but what about if Im 5 people short? If they had sex with just about every living thing they could get their hands on, and they did, then all had to die. God has done everything in His power to save the sinner through the plan of redemption (John 3:16). And He said to Abraham, you and your children to the fourth generation must be patient too. And their laws concerningeremwarfare pointed to Gods just judgment against sin. What Happened to the Canaanites? - Biblical Archaeology Society God sent Jonah to Nineveh, and spared the nation because of their repentance towards God. One of the problem passages she asked about is "Why does God order, I am a Christian and spend time talking with others often about God, but I have been speechless when they bring up the issue, for example, in I Samuel 15:1-3, Rick Wade served as a Probe research associate for 17 years. God was patient. Israel received direct word from God that they should do this. 34:1516). No matter what God does, all of His actions are guided by His sovereign will and the fact that He, so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16 ESV). Who Were the Canaanites, and Why Did God Order Their Destruction? In short, Israel was Canaanized. OT scholar Tremper Longman summarizes this point well: We must point out that the Bible does not understand the destruction of the men, women, and children of these cities as a slaughter of innocents. God gave us life, and He has the right to take it away. Recently I asked some of the mamas of littles in our church, What God questions are your kids asking? Dr. Michael Gleghorn provides good reasons to believe that the stories about Jesus were reliably preserved by his followers Dr. Zukeran presents five major reasons to believe Christianity is the truth. THE CANAANITES- God's Justness in Perspective It's clear from history, God gave them ample time to repent, but they refused (Gen. 15:16; Deut. Revelation 2:21-23. Dr. Michael Gleghorn draws on the book 'Body, Soul and Life Everlasting' to provide an overview of what the NT teaches about the body-soul connection. However, according to Kline, sometimes we get snapshots of Gods final judgment intruding into the flow of history, foreshadowing the reality to come. Thus, the Israelites could possibly have married people who werent in the cities when they were attacked. The Extermination of the Canaanites - Knowing the Bible Bernhard Anderson, Understanding the Old Testament (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1957), 93-94; 96-103. Going by this definition alone, the destruction of the Canaanites would seem to have been genocide. They were fully aware that God had chosen Israel to be a tool in His hands in bringing judgement to the nations. Similarly, the southern tribes (usually referred to as Judah) were deported when Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem beginning in 586 BC. Read them in the archive below. Staff. Moses instructions to the Israelites as they were about to move into Canaan included this: In the cities of these peoples that the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance, you shall save alive nothing that breathes, but you shall devote them to complete destruction, the Hittites and the Amorites, the Canaanites and the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, as the LORD your God has commanded (Deut. 6:23), and ultimately every unrepentant sinner will have to face Gods judgment. Israel was not allowed to treat other nations as they treated the Canaanite cities. Although Abraham was Gods friend and the Lord wanted to give to him the land of Canaan for an inheritance. Furthermore, justice must respond to the moral failure of sin. So the Lord said that Israel became like Sodom to me (Jer. In regard to the Canaanites, God commanded, "In the cities of the nations the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, do not leave alive anything that breathes. Such arguments are clearly illogical. Concerning the destruction of the Canaanites, atheists especially like to exploit the Christian condemnation of genocide. In Jdg. And since, as we will see, He punished Israel when they committed the same sins, what happened to the Canaanites was not genocide, but capital punishment. That being said, I do not think God had the Israelites comb the land to find and destroy every person; they were to devote to destruction the people who remained in the cities when they attacked. James B. Pritchard, Harry A. Hoffner, Jr., Incest, Sodomy and Bestiality in the Ancient Near East, in. Was God just in destroying the Canaanites? There is no denying that God, in the Old Testament, commanded the nation of Israel, His chosen people, to exterminate many nations of people. God was patient with the Canaanites The Canaanites were grossly sinful people who were given plenty of time by God to change their ways. God and the Canaanites: A Biblical Perspective - Probe Ministries We all recognize this when we accuse some authority who presumes to take life as playing GodGod is under no obligation whatsoever to extend my life for another second. The Killing of the Canaanites - Genocide or Capital Punishment? - Part What Do the Four Soils in the Parable of the Sower Represent? What the Bible says about Opportunity to Repent For the Canaanites, it was time for Gods judgment. What God commanded Israel to do to the Canaanites wasnt genocideit was capital punishment. One should note that Joshuas commands in Deuteronomy 23 are given before the Israelites have completed their sweep through the land, so of course there are Canaanites there to marry. Subsequently, God sent prophets to warn Israel of their coming destruction, but they didnt repent and God said that they became like Sodom to me and He visited destruction on Israel for committing the same sins. Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?27 Ultimately the Lord then agrees to spare both cities if only ten righteous people were found. 1 Chronicles 16:11 Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually! the people of Sodom, surrounded the house, both young and old, the entire populace from every end[of the city]. The victims were not only infants; children as old as four were sacrificed.15 Kleitarchos reported that as the flame burning the child surrounded the body, the limbs would shrivel up and the mouth would appear to grin as if laughing, until it was shrunk enough to slip into the cauldron.16, Homosexuality. Glenn M. Miller, How could a God of Love order the massacre/annihilation of the Canaanites? on the web site A Christian Thinktank, Craig writes, For example, I have no right to take an innocent life. But the section ends with Samson. Why did God wait 400 years to give the Israelites the land of Canaan? 4:1314; Ezek. Lets first frame this question with context. Much of what follows is horrific, but if we refuse to look, will we really understand the reasons for Gods judgment? The peoples of the world at His return will be doing the same things that the Canaanites were doing when God gave it to Israel (Revelation 9:20). Thanks to his obedience unto death, our own sins are forgiven, and we can now stand in Gods favor by faith alone. Kerby Anderson provides an overview of wokeness, critical race theory, and their effect on the Christian church. He begins with the Christian worldview and Rick Wade explores the meaning of the word defense in 1 Peter 3:15, suggesting that all Christians can do Rick Wade provides an expanded discussion of the issues around the Israelites battles against the Canaanites. The judgment that they foreshadowed was demonstrated decisively on the cross of Christ, who received the full measure of Gods wrath for the sins of his people. Israel had a unique calling as Gods chosen covenant people. Not only have some people rejected Christianity over this, but it has even spurred some Christians to leave the faith. That atheists are incapable of judging spiritual matters leads some Christians to wonder why we even need to answer them at all, especially if they lack any objective, moral, or epistemological foundation for their claims. The Amorites' sin had not escaped God's notice. At first, the Israelites tried to compromise and worship God the way the Canaanites worshiped their gods. (972) 941-4565 The atheism of today wasnt an option. God promised Canaan to Abraham and his children. Yahweh wars are battles recorded in Scripture that are prompted by God for His purposes and won by His power.{4}. If God didnt mean to kill everyone in nearby cities, then what distinction was being made? 18:28). 1:4). 1: The Pentateuch (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, n.d.), 484-485. This is an online-exclusive Viewpoint from the Christian Research Journal. 5:7; 29:23; Hos. All Rights Reserved. Further, he said that Scripture cannot be broken (John 10:35). 22:1011; Amos 2:7), and even Solomon set up an altar to Molech (1 Kings 11:5, 78). in Christian Thought (theology/philosophy of religion) from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and a Master of Humanities (emphasis in philosophy) from the University of Dallas. God was concerned that, if the Canaanites remained in the land, they would draw the Israelites into their evil practices. The situation with Canaan was different. And He will ultimately save righteous and also punish the unrighteous He that believes on the Son has everlasting life: and he that believes not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abides on him (John 3:36). 11. Second, if the Canaanite children were allowed to live and remain in the land, they could very well act to avenge their parents when they grew up, or at least to pick up again the practices of their parents. Help train Christians to boldly share the good news of Jesus Christ in a way that clearly communicates to this secular age. In other words, we now wage war in prayer and in the realm of ideas. But He said to Abraham that the promise would take a long time to be fulfilled for the iniquity of the Amorites, or the people of Canaan, is not yet full (v. 16). Real Questions. Gods first inclination is to save Canaan rather than destroy it. Tremper Longman III, The Case for Spiritual Continuity, in C. S. Cowles, Eugene H. Merrill, Daniel L. Gard, and Tremper Longman III, Show Them No Mercy: Four Views on God and Canaanite Genocide (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2003), 185. Later Lots own daughters get him drunk to have sex with him and so even Dawkins, in a surprising moment of moral clarity, writes, If this dysfunctional family was the best Sodom had to offer by way of morals, some might begin to feel a certain sympathy with God and his judicial brimstone.28. 10 Biblical Steps Towards Restoration After Sexual Sin, Baptism Quotes: 27 Inspirational Christian Sayings, 25 Encouraging Bible Verses About Strength, Words of Encouragement: 30 Uplifting Quotes. These people were not clueless about their responsibility to God; rather, they openly mocked His lordship and committed horrible acts that even the most hardened of us would deem worthy of judgment. God promised Canaan to Abraham and his children. As a result, they eventually received the same judgment the Canaanites experienced ( Deut. Permission is granted to use in digital or printed form so long as it is circulated without charge, and in its entirety. Genocide doesn't wait for people to have a change of heart; and certainly not 400 years. Bible Verses, Quotes, Christian Answers, Songs and More. 1:5). Isnt that a better alternative? The people of the land had heard about all that had happened with the Israelites from the time they escaped Egypt. Seems a bit harsh right? (Judges 2:1-3; 1 Kings 11:5; 14:24; 2 Kings 16:3-4). But you can send us an email and we'll get back to you, asap. Please make sure all fields are filled out. . So theeremlaws still apply, but in a spiritual sense rather than a physical sense. It was merciful for God to allow the Canaanites to remain in the land as long as they did. Humans do not have the right to do whatever we want. First, the Lord's command to enact erem was preceded by a long period of divine patience and longsuffering in the face of Canaanite wickedness (gross forms of idolatry, immorality, and injustice, including the sacrifice of children). Baal has sex with his mother Asherah,6 his sister Anat, and his daughter Pidray,7 and none of this is presented pejoratively. Memory,. However, what is good and right or what is bad and wrong changes with societys opinions. I think God meant it quite literally. The part that concerns us herethe real culmination of Yahweh waris called herem. He holds a B.A. Rahab was later held up as an example of faithful obedience in the New Testament (Heb. Dawkins, 338. And its not simply forced eviction we are talking about here; its the slaughter of entire nations, down to the last man, woman, and child. Yahweh derided these handmade gods that cannot speak and must be carried because they cannot walk (Jer. The fertility of the land was believed to be directly connected to the sexual relations of the gods and goddesses. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. Robert is happily married and lives in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Copyright 2023 The Gospel Coalition, INC. All Rights Reserved. In his discussion in Moral Monster, Copan refers specifically to Deut. Herem literally means ban or banned. It means to ban from human use and to give over completely to God. Jesus then warned, What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? It has been suggested that such obliteration language was hyperbolic.{10} Commands to destroy everyone are sometimes followed by commands not to intermarry, such as in Deut. When angels arrive, however, the men of the city try to rape them and not only does Lot not find anyone who will repent, Lot himself tarries so long that the angels take Lot and his family by the arms and all but drag them out of the city. Before joining Probe Ministries, Rick worked in the ship repair industry in Norfolk, VA. God loves each of us as if there were only one of us"- Augustine. Wouldnt even infants, as they grew, begin to ask, What practices did my parents do which resulted in your killing them? As sad as this is, it also points to the horror of sin. 16:9; cf. Now after all of this God gives marching orders. 9. The Canaanites were descendants of Noah. The second goal of the conquest was the judgment of the Canaanites. However, it is crucial to note that in the same passage, God declares the Israelites no less wicked than the Canaanites, deserving the same fate: Far be it from you! In Deuteronomy 20:16, Moses said the Israelites were to save alive nothing that breathes in the cities in their new land. . Long after the conquest of the land, when God decided He would have to destroy Moab, according to Isaiah God wept bitterly over her cities (Isa. A Clear Christian Perspective, The Apologetics of Jesus: A Defense of His Deity, Bridging to Common Ground: Communicating Christ Across the Cultural Divide, How I Know Christianity Is True A Defense of the Gospel, Yahweh War and the Conquest of Canaan A Biblical Worldview Perspective, Personal Development/Relationships Emails, Trusting God on the Other Side of Bizarre, Cohfessions of a Missionary Addicted to Porn. 14. And I say contemporary because children werent regarded as highly in the Ancient Near East as they are today. . wars instituted by and fought with the, My eldest daughter and I have been discussing portions of the Bible with which she is struggling. Of course Dawkins complains that Gods monumental rage whenever his chosen people flirted with a rival god resembles nothing so much as sexual jealousy of the worst kind.5 But does anyone think that if Dawkinss wife left him for a gingerbread man of her own baking, and then she began to tell everyone that he liked to play with his excrement, that Dawkins would tolerate the characterization of his feelings as no more than sexual jealously of the worst kind? Keil and F. Delitzsch, trans., James Martin, Commentary on the Old Testament, vol. We must keep in mind, also, that Israel did not decide to exterminate the Canaanites, God did. However, if we properly understand the whole picture we will be able to view God 's actions as full of mercy and fairness in His dealings with His children. It makes no sense to say that the erem laws are unjust unless there is an objective standard of justice to which they must conform. 10. Emphasis added. 7. Richard Dawkins, The God Delusion (Boston: Mariner Books, 2008), 51. Inanna/Ishtar, also known as the Queen of Heaven, became the woman among the gods, patron of eroticism and sensuality, of conjugal love as well as adultery, of brides and prostitutes, transvestites and pederasts.10 As University of Helsinki professor Martti Nissinen writes, Sexual contact with a person whose whole life was devoted to the goddess was tantamount to union with the goddess herself.11, The Canaanites even remake the God of the Bible, El, after their own image and portray Him ceremonially as having sex with two women (or goddesses). The completely negative connotations of genocide make it hard to look at the biblical events without a jaundiced eye. It was merciful for God to bring an end to the. 23:33; Deut. They were corrupt and depraved to the core. Isnt there an inconsistency here? {8} In addition, the Israelites would be tempted to imitate Canaanite religious rituals because of their close connection to agricultural rhythms. He teaches theology at Westminster Academy in Memphis, Tennessee. Then theres Sodom, God tells Abraham that because of the wickedness of Sodom He will destroy it. Claiming Have you ever felt like an alien in your own culture? Theeremlaws of the OT were an example of this intrusion. The people believed that re-enacting these unions themselves played a part in the fertility of the land.{9}. After the defeats of both Heshbon and Bashan, Moses noted that they had devoted to destruction every city, men, women, and children (Deut. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); IGRG: Did God Give The Canaanites aChance. Later when Israel disobeys God and allows the Canaanites to continue to live among them, the corruptive and seductive power of Canaanite sin results in the Canaanization of Israel. However, the city repented, turned to God, and God did not judge them. But instead of repenting when things went badly, they concluded that their misfortune was because they stopped burning incense to the Queen of Heaven, Inanna/Ishtar (Jer. As a result, they eventually received the same judgment the Canaanites experienced (Deut. When a community sins, there are consequences for every member of the population, even children. Their sacrificial laws pointed to our need for atonement.

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