Destruction of Wicked Nations

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These are notes for an incomplete "Concept" page.

Information is being added as the Bible Pages are added. In the end, everything will be compiled, further information added (as necessary), broken links connected, etc.


Cross-references

Parent Topic
  • a
Related Topics
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Parent topic: Judgment.


Introduction to the Issue

  • (The focus here is on the conquest of Canaan, but the principles are also applicable in various other situations.)
  • God destroyed several nations in the land of Canaan (using Israel to do so), and gave their land to Israel. Many people, who reject the God of the Bible, or who have invented their own "god-concept" (often based on a distorted perception of the New Testament), will claim that this destruction of the nations was an act of evil. Some will go so far as to call it "genocide"! What they do not mention is how the wickedness of those nations had become so irreversibly great, that this destruction was necessary. Nor do they mention the fact that those nations had many opportunities to change their ways - and they didn't.
  • It should be noted that this type of destruction is not something that was just applicable to the nations that were in the land where Israel was to live. This type of action by God - the destruction of wicked nations - has happened at other times. In addition to the nations that were conquered by Israel, we could also mention the Flood, Sodom and Gomorrah (and two other nearby cities), the Assyrian and Babylonian conquests of Israel and Judah, and many more. We could also consider the coming judgments described in the book of Revelation (and in many of the Old Testament prophets).


Wickedness Affects Everybody (especially when it has reached the point of being irreversible)

  • The people in these nations were not “innocently minding their own business,” until they got attacked. They were actively living a lifestyle of rebellion against the only God who exists. And like all people, in their consciences, they know they deserve judgment (Romans 1-2).
  • In the case of Israel's conquest of Canaan, the nations they were going to conquer were mightier than Israel. It is only because GOD was destroying them, because of their irreversible wickedness, that Israel was able to overpower them.
  • This wickedness involved their entire culture - the people's entire way of living, their values, etc. All the inhabitants were a part of it, so all had to be destroyed. This was not an issue of "nation vs. nation," but "the holy, righteous God vs. a nation saturated with unrestrained wickedness."
  • We should consider God's comments to Abraham, in Genesis 15:16. Abraham was told that his offspring would spend 400 years in Egypt, but... "In the fourth generation [of 100 year's length] they will come here again, for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet full." This means they had 400 years to change, but they didn't - they only got worse. It is only when the wickedness of these nations had sunk to its greatest possible depth, that God destroyed them. (The Amorites are specifically mentioned, because Abraham was living in their territory. But being one of the larger nations in the area, they probably represented the entire region, in God's pronouncement.)


Comments About God's Justice and Judgment

  • First, God does not show favoritism. When the people of Israel chose to become like these nations, they too were destroyed, just as he warned them would happen. (Israel had been told to destroy the wicked nations, not only because of their wickedness against God, but also because those nations would have a corrupting influence on Israel (if they weren't destroyed), and then Israel would have to be destroyed. This ended up happening, because they weren't willing to completely obey God.)
  • Second, we need to remember that this is not just an "Old Testament phenomenon." It is going to happen again. When unrestrained wickedness characterizes the entire world, then the events in the book of Revelation will take place. (Even then, in the very midst of being judged, the wicked will refuse to repent... just like these nations that were in the land of Canaan.)


The Right Way to Respond

  • Those who are wise will heed the warning and repent. Since sin in individuals has consequences that affect other people, individuals must repent. Since, on a national level, there is a collective responsibility for conduct - and sin within a group affects the entire group - nations must also repent. Even if this "repentance" involves only the restraint of sin (rather than repentance unto salvation), it will have a positive effect on the nation - as was the case with Nineveh (see the book of Jonah).
  • Even the righteous, those who acknowledge the holiness and righteousness of God, will evaluate their ways, and will purify themselves from any wickedness they may discover in their lives.


The Wrong Way to Respond

  • The wicked, those who don't consider wickedness to be a serious matter (or who have rejected God's revelation, which defines what is right and wrong) probably won't even acknowledge their conduct as being wicked. Since they tend to view sin as a trivial matter, they will tend to take offense, when they read about the judgments of God, and accuse God of wrongdoing.
  • The wicked, who despise the holiness of God and the need for sin to be judged, may falsely accuse God of evil. They may even claim that Israel committed Genocide, even though it was God who was judging those nations, and he was using the weaker army to do it. Those who make such accusations will, in the future, answer to the God who judges all people righteously.


Another Reason People Have Difficulty Accepting What Scripture Says

  • We live in an individualistic society. People tend to focus more on themselves as individuals, than as part of the group. Because of this, many people will have difficulty in understanding this concept. But it remains true and happens all the time. The sins of the group affects everybody, and the consequences of that sin (judgment) effects everybody.
  • When judgment comes to those living in an individualistic society, most of them will blindly fail to understand why everyone in the society is being affected in one way or another, even though Scripture has already told them why!


Scripture to consider: Psalm 2

  • God commands the rebellious wicked to submit themselves under the rule of the Son (= Jesus Christ), while they still have the opportunity to do so.




Scripture Pages that Link to Here

Deuteronomy 2 & 3 (selected)

God would destroy the nations in Canaan and give the land to Israel (because of their wickedness). Several other instances are also given, in which God destroyed nations and gave their land to others.


Deuteronomy 7:1-26

Deu 7:2, 3, 5 - When Yahweh your God shall deliver them up before you, you shall strike them; ...
You shall utterly destroy them: you shall make no covenant with them, nor show mercy to them; neither shall you make marriages with them;
You shall break down their altars, and dash their pillars in pieces, and cut down their Asherim, and burn their engraved images with fire.


Deuteronomy 8:1-20

If you (Israel) go after false gods, you will perish, just like the nations God caused to perish in the land before you.


Deuteronomy 9:1-29

It is because of the Canaanites' wickedness that God is giving the land to Israel.


Deuteronomy 13:1-18

If a city turns to other gods, it must be totally and permanently destroyed... so God can continue to have mercy on you!
The principle applies just as much to the people of Israel, as it does to the people of other nations.


Deuteronomy 20:1-20

Those living in Canaan must be TOTALLY destroyed, or they will teach you their abominable ways.
(This is contrasted to how far-away nations are to be treated: offer terms of peace first; then if refused, kill only the males.)


2 Kings 3:6-27

(not quite a total destruction) - God destroyed most of the Moabites; a wicked, idolatrous nation that had constantly tried to destroy Israel, had been subjugated by Israel, and now was in rebellion against them.


Psalm 44:1-3

Israel can't take credit for receiving the land of Canaan. It was God who did it. Besides, God did it because of promises he made to their ancestors (such as Abraham), not to them! (He also did it because of the wickedness of the nations.)


Psalm 78:1-72

Psa 78:55 He also drove out the nations before them, allotted them for an inheritance by line, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents. (As we read elsewhere, he drove out the other nations because of their wickedness.)


Psalm 135:1-21

Yahweh "struck many nations, and killed mighty kings, ... and gave their land for a heritage, a heritage to Israel, his people." (Psa 135:10-12)


Isaiah 5:1-30

He would bring nations from afar to destroy them (Israel).
Just as he did to the wicked nations of Canaan (when Israel originally went into the land), so would he do to Israel - as he had warned them. The only difference is that he would not totally destroy Israel, because of promises he made to their ancestors.


Isaiah 10:1-23

Judgment on Israel, because of all the injustice in the land. (These verses are part of a section that focuses mainly on the northern kingdom of Israel, rather than on Judah - Isaiah 9:8 through 10:4.) Judgment on the nation that punishes them (Assyria), because they do so with evil motives.
This is a specific situation from the past ... but it demonstrates a principle that we would be wise to learn. Israel wasn't the only nation that was punished or destroyed because of their sin.


Isaiah 22:9-14

Centuries before Israel's destruction, God warned them that turning to wickedness would result in judgment and (if they didn't repent) destruction.


Isaiah 30:1-33

But you chose to rely on human strength and salvation by human means. Because of this, human strength will destroy you.
God does not show favoritism. He judged other nations; so also will he judge Israel (Judah).


Isaiah 48:9-11

Israel deserved destruction; but instead of totally destroying them, God would use their judgment to purify them, even though they didn't deserve it. (This is because of promises he made to their ancestors. See: Abrahamic Covenant, for example.)


Unless otherwise noted, all notes and comments are © by Dennis Hinks.