Love & Justice (Joshua 12)

Does a loving God punish unjustly, or do we trust Him and His eternal perspective, that He has provided in some mysterious manner, in love and justice for all who have died innocent or guilty? Let’s begin in Joshua 12.

As we read over this memorial list of conquered kings east of the Jordan River, do we trust God’s love and justice?

These are the kings of the land whom the Israelites had defeated and whose territory they took over east of the Jordan, from the Arnon Gorge to Mount Hermon, including all the eastern side of the Arabah: Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon. He ruled from Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Gorge—from the middle of the gorge—to the Jabbok River, which is the border of the Ammonites. This included half of Gilead. He also ruled over the eastern Arabah from the Sea of Galilee to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea), to Beth Jeshimoth, and then southward below the slopes of Pisgah. And the territory of Og king of Bashan, one of the last of the Rephaites, who reigned in Ashtaroth and Edrei. He ruled over Mount Hermon, Salekah, all of Bashan to the border of the people of Geshur and Maakah, and half of Gilead to the border of Sihon king of Heshbon. Moses, the servant of the Lord, and the Israelites conquered them. And Moses the servant of the Lord gave their land to the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh to be their possession. (Joshua 12:1-6 NIV)

Does this memorial list of kings of Canaan, bring up some serious questions about genocide, innocent victims, God’s love and justice?

And these are the kings of the country which Joshua and the children of Israel conquered on this side of the Jordan, on the west, from Baal Gad in the Valley of Lebanon as far as Mount Halak and the ascent to Seir, which Joshua gave to the tribes of Israel as a possession according to their divisions, in the mountain country, in the lowlands, in the Jordan plain, in the slopes, in the wilderness, and in the South—the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites: the king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is beside Bethel, one; the king of Jerusalem, one; the king of Hebron, one; the king of Jarmuth, one; the king of Lachish, one; the king of Eglon, one; the king of Gezer, one; the king of Debir, one; the king of Geder, one; the king of Hormah, one; the king of Arad, one; the king of Libnah, one; the king of Adullam, one; the king of Makkedah, one; the king of Bethel, one; the king of Tappuah, one; the king of Hepher, one; the king of Aphek, one; the king of Lasharon, one; the king of Madon, one; the king of Hazor, one; the king of Shimron Meron, one; the king of Achshaph, one; the king of Taanach, one; the king of Megiddo, one; the king of Kedesh, one; the king of Jokneam in Carmel, one; the king of Dor in the heights of Dor, one; the king of the people of Gilgal, one; the king of Tirzah, one—all the kings, thirty-one. (Joshua 12:7-24 NKJV)

Canaanites committed great atrocities. But, what about the innocent? Would a loving God want children brought up in a perverse society? Is there an intermediate state, between death and the resurrection, where the deceased are protected and taught the truth?

Does God have a plan for the innocent? Does God purposefully not explain everything in the Bible, because He wants us to learn to trust Him? Do we trust that God is loving?

But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. (1 John 4:8 NLT)

In the light of this total destruction, do we trust that God is just?

For I will proclaim Yahweh’s name. Ascribe greatness to our God! The Rock: his work is perfect, for all his ways are just. A God of faithfulness who does no wrong, just and right is he. (Deuteronomy 32:3-4 WEB)

Does a loving God punish unjustly, or do we trust Him and His eternal perspective, that He has provided in some mysterious manner, in love and justice for all who have died innocent or guilty? You decide!