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NASB | Leviticus 18:25 'For the land has become defiled, therefore I have brought its punishment upon it, so the land has spewed out its inhabitants. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Leviticus 18:25 'For the land has become defiled; therefore I have brought its punishment upon it, and the land vomits out its inhabitants. |
Bible Question: My 18 year old son wants to know why, if God is a compassionate God why did he kill (or order to be killed) so many people in the Old Testament. I think he is more interested in the war stories, etc. He is a Christian, but also a deep thinker and seems to want logic. I've been trying to give him spiritual answers, and the only one I can come up with is that God is HOLY and those that he instructed to be killed with UNHOLY. This isn't satisfying him. He also asks since God provided salvation through Christ for those coming after Christ, what about those who died before Christ - do they have salvation? I want to say the righteous were justified by faith, right? But again, that still doesn't satisfy him. Any clues on how to explain this? Thanks, Mom |
Bible Answer: Hello Lorraine, Welcome to the forum. To the question of "why did God kill or order to be killed so many people...", I would point out that God has not changed. He was then, and still is, the God of Justice. Job 4:8 Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same. Proverbs 14:34 Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people. Maybe it would be Good for your son to study the following scriptures in context in his bible. God is very even handed with all people. Leviticus 18:25 And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants. Leviticus 18:28 That the land spue not you out also, when ye defile it, as it spued out the nations that were before you. Leviticus 20:22 Ye shall therefore keep all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them: that the land, whither I bring you to dwell therein, spue you not out. Deu 8:19 And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the LORD thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish. Deu 8:20 As the nations which the LORD destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish; because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the LORD your God. Eze 33:11 Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel? Eze 33:12 Therefore, thou son of man, say unto the children of thy people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression: as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness; neither shall the righteous be able to live for his righteousness in the day that he sinneth. Eze 33:13 When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it. Eze 33:14 Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right; Eze 33:15 If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die. Eze 33:16 None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him: he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live. Eze 33:17 Yet the children of thy people say, The way of the Lord is not equal: but as for them, their way is not equal. Eze 33:18 When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby. Eze 33:19 But if the wicked turn from his wickedness, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby. Eze 33:20 Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. O ye house of Israel, I will judge you every one after his ways. Now, as to the question of those that died before Christ, Abraham is one who died before Christ, of course he has salvation. The greatness of God's plan of salvation through Jesus Christ is that it covered all people of all time: Gal 3:8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. Gal 3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. Also see Hebrew chapter 11. Hope this helps, Pastor Glenn |