Cruelties to Canaanites: Has God Changed?
Summary In Part of “The God I Don't Understand: Reflections on Tough Questions of Faith” by Christopher Wright
Do God’s cruel actions against the Canaanites suggest that God’s character changed between the Old Testament (OT) and New Testament (NT)?
Not necessarily. The OT also recounts God’s mercy for Sodom and Gomorrah, and God is described as compassionate in Psalms, Deuteronomy, and the prophet books. Conversely, the NT describes God’s wrath through Christ’s extensive preaching on hell and torment; the writings by Paul and Peter; and the teachings found in Hebrews and Revelation (1).
The NT embraces the OT in its totality (2).
The destruction of the Canaanites was God’s sovereign act, not the Israelites’ initiated military achievement. God promised Canaan to Abraham’s descendants. To refrain from completely driving out the Canaanites would have been considered disobedience (3).
These killings were not racist. Rahab was a Canaanite, but she is in the Messiah’s genealogy and is listed among the faith models because she believed in God; and God blessed Ruth, Naaman, the Zarephath’s widow, and Jebusites (a Philistine remnant) (4).
These killings were exaggerated (as per their culture). The book of Judges describes many Canaanites living among the Israelites despite Joshua’s mandate to leave no survivors. Still the cruelties were intense (5).
One reason was the Canaanites’ severe moral decay, and God used the Israelites to punish them. God similarly used the Assyrians and Babylonians to punish Israel’s wickedness (6).
But despite our efforts, we can’t fully comprehend such devastation, just as we can’t fully understand the horrific violence of the cross, where God poured out His wrath on Christ for our wickedness.
We must consider the Bible in its entirety. These cruelties and conquests weren’t the OT norm. OT laws required the Israelites to love foreigners as themselves and treat them equally, in remembrance of when the Israelites were foreigners in Egypt (7).
Overall, the Bible emphasizes peace. Jacob denounced Simeon and Levi’s disproportionate revenge. David’s bloodshed prohibited the building of the temple. Psalmists complained extensively about violence and longed for God’s messianic king to bring peace. Both the OT and NT insist that peacemakers are blessed (8).
God’s ultimate desire is to bless the nations, which He chose to do through Israel. War is part of this fallen world but won’t be in the new creation. Just as Israel held onto God’s promise for ultimate restoration, all nations should hold onto God’s promise for ultimate redemption.
A summary of Part 2, chapters 4 and 5, of The God I Don’t Understand: Reflections on Tough Questions of Faith by Christopher Wright.
Not necessarily. The OT also recounts God’s mercy for Sodom and Gomorrah, and God is described as compassionate in Psalms, Deuteronomy, and the prophet books. Conversely, the NT describes God’s wrath through Christ’s extensive preaching on hell and torment; the writings by Paul and Peter; and the teachings found in Hebrews and Revelation (1).
The NT embraces the OT in its totality (2).
The destruction of the Canaanites was God’s sovereign act, not the Israelites’ initiated military achievement. God promised Canaan to Abraham’s descendants. To refrain from completely driving out the Canaanites would have been considered disobedience (3).
These killings were not racist. Rahab was a Canaanite, but she is in the Messiah’s genealogy and is listed among the faith models because she believed in God; and God blessed Ruth, Naaman, the Zarephath’s widow, and Jebusites (a Philistine remnant) (4).
These killings were exaggerated (as per their culture). The book of Judges describes many Canaanites living among the Israelites despite Joshua’s mandate to leave no survivors. Still the cruelties were intense (5).
One reason was the Canaanites’ severe moral decay, and God used the Israelites to punish them. God similarly used the Assyrians and Babylonians to punish Israel’s wickedness (6).
But despite our efforts, we can’t fully comprehend such devastation, just as we can’t fully understand the horrific violence of the cross, where God poured out His wrath on Christ for our wickedness.
We must consider the Bible in its entirety. These cruelties and conquests weren’t the OT norm. OT laws required the Israelites to love foreigners as themselves and treat them equally, in remembrance of when the Israelites were foreigners in Egypt (7).
Overall, the Bible emphasizes peace. Jacob denounced Simeon and Levi’s disproportionate revenge. David’s bloodshed prohibited the building of the temple. Psalmists complained extensively about violence and longed for God’s messianic king to bring peace. Both the OT and NT insist that peacemakers are blessed (8).
God’s ultimate desire is to bless the nations, which He chose to do through Israel. War is part of this fallen world but won’t be in the new creation. Just as Israel held onto God’s promise for ultimate restoration, all nations should hold onto God’s promise for ultimate redemption.
A summary of Part 2, chapters 4 and 5, of The God I Don’t Understand: Reflections on Tough Questions of Faith by Christopher Wright.
- Genesis 18; Exodus 34:6-7; Psalm 103:8-14; Jeremiah 31:3; Ezekiel 33:11; Deuteronomy 7:8-9, 10:17-18; Matthew 18:34, 25:41; Hebrews 10:26-31
- Hebrew 11:31
- Joshua 23:3, Acts 7:45, 13:19; Genesis 15:18-21; Psalm 106:24-35
- Deuteronomy 7; Joshua 2:9-11, Matthew 1:5, Hebrews 11:31, James 2:25; Joshua 9; Ruth 1:16-17, 2 Kings 5:15, 1 Kings 17:24; Deuteronomy 7:1 and Joshua 15:63, Zechariah 9:1-7, Psalm 87
- Joshua 10:40-42, 11:16-20
- Genesis 15:16; Deuteronomy 9:4-6; Leviticus 18:28; Deuteronomy 28:25-68; Psalm 78:59-64
- Deuteronomy 10:18-19, Leviticus 19:34
- Genesis 34:30, 49:5-7; 1 Chronicle 28:3; Psalms 10:59, 37:12-15, 68:30, 33:16-19, 120:6-7; Psalm 46, Isaiah 2:4; Matthew 5:9