THERE ARE those critics who, as Copan points out, think, “that the Old Testament assumes that infant sacrifice was acceptable in Israelite society…as an act of worship by the God of Israel.” These critics point to the Abraham and Isaac drama where the father was to sacrifice his very son (Gen. 22:1-10). First, Isaac was no infant! Second, this trial was a trial of obedience, not worship to God. If these critics would read the Bible, they would know that God forbids and condemns child sacrifice (see Lev 18:21; 20:2-5; Deut 12:31; 18:10). Child killing served NO PURPOSE in Israelite society (see “War in the Hebrew Bible,” by Susan Niditch, 1993, pp. 45-46). The pagans did sacrifice their children; God’s repudiations of this evil is in the book of Kings (2 Kgs. 16:3; 17:7; 21:6 etc.).
The Jephthah’s daughter drama (Judges 11:30-40) can’t be used as proof of God’s approval on child sacrifice. The vow Jephthah made was rash, not approved. I like what some say, that just because something is described, doesn’t mean it’s prescribed as a standard to follow. Critics point out Jud. 11:29: “Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah, and he passed over Gilead…” Be careful here not to lump the bad with the good; don’t take this as a wholesale divine endorsement of all this judge did. We find that even people that God used mightily did bad things at times. This is called HUMAN.
But when we come to the real intended cold-blooded child sacrifice stuff, God detested it, although it (at times) was a common practice in both Israel and Judah (see 2 Kgs 17:17; 23:10). Just because things like this happened, did not mean it was acceptable. Look at this nation—USA. At one time homosexuality and abortion were forbidden, now they are “common,” yet God’s Word forever condemns those sins.
Indiscriminate Massacre
I WANT TO finish with more on this gruesome topic—the Killing of the Canaanites.
Gerd Ludemann (Bible Theologian turned atheist) has written that, “the command to exterminate is extremely offensive—a far cry from the merciful God frequently proclaimed in Scripture” (see “The Unholy in the Holy Scriptures,” 1997, p. 54). These people who cannot accept that God’s character consists of both “love” and “hate” are not balanced. Their view of God and the Scriptures is screwed indeed. FROM GENESIS TO REVELATION, WE SEE GOD’S TWO SIDES, NOT MERELY HIS “LOVE”/”GRACE” SIDE. Ludemann has an axe to grind with Deut 20:16-18 (as seen in the beginning of this writing).
God is not like the critics claim. He is generally patient and longsuffering before He acts in anger. He pleads for men, women and nations to REPENT before He acts. Gen. 15:16 is a case in point whereby God waited (430 years): “the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full” (KJV). The NET Version reads, “the sin of the Amorite (Canaanite people group) has not yet reached its limits.”
In Abraham’s day, it was not the right time for God to punish them. But Lev. 18:25 says, “the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants.” The Bible tells about different cities that were lined up for punishment. Brother Noah had to preach 120 years unto a people who were apostate—so wicked that God eventually destroyed them ALL (Gen. 6:11-13). Second Peter writes about it (2:5). We read phrases such as: “because of the wickedness of those nations” (Deut. 9:4,5). Punishment is the LAST RESORT. But, because of the nations’ idolatries and adulteries, God had to end some nations utterly!
Having gone to India three times, and Nepal once, I understand WHY God is wrathful against gods/goddesses. Kali (Hinduism) killed men, hung their heads around her neck, and drank their blood (we have a DVD shot in those two nations…see for yourself!) The Canaanite deity Anath was likened unto Kali (see Archeology and the Religion of Israel, by W.F. Albright, 1995, p. 95 where Anath is described—very gory).
Why?
WHY DID GOD speak Exodus 20:3: “Thou shalt have no other gods before Me” (see Acts 14:15)? This command is what enraged atheist Richard Dawkins to rail on “God’s maniacal jealousy against alternative gods.” The Lord God did this out of LOVE for His people, not because He was what Dawkins called Him. God wasn’t under the “politically correct, unity in diversity” baloney.
God punished the Canaanites for:
1) worshiping idols;
2) because of the corrupting immoral practices and influences bound up in idolatry itself (like sex orgies of various kinds, murder, etc.).
Amos Cpt 1 and 2 give us insight on this.
This ought to ring a bell/turn on a red light for us today when we cross forbidden boundaries and challenge limits of immorality. The sheer magnitude of barbarities/treacheries that the U.S. government has done, and is doing invites God’s wrath. God did not spare His own Jewish people—even though they were very “religious”…they were destroyed righteously in 70 A.D., just as their Messiah Jesus predicted—at the cruel hands of the Romans.
Biblical Times Only?
WE HERE (ACMTC) have proclaimed this truth (for over 35 years now!)—that God punishes: most disbelieve, some believe, and then some just don’t know or care. Several years ago, when the Spirit was demonstrating through nature, many had to admit that that was some kind of judgment (see our DVDs called “Operation Devastation,” see and hear what was going on in the world.)
When addressing Church people about God’s judgments, they usually, but not always say, “that is Old Testament stuff. He doesn’t show Himself today as He did centuries ago”…AS THINGS ARE RIPPED UP, SMASHED UP, AND TORN DOWN RIGHT BEFORE THEIR VERY EYES!
Now, proclaiming His Holy War/Holy Revolution against the whole world is preposterous, to say the least…yet we are beginning to see the destruction of the New World Order’s “Witchcraft, Richcraft.” In this year, and years ahead, you’ll see many top national/international figures brought down (and some top ecclesiastical leaders also). This is His time! This is His Holy War! This is His Holy Revolution! The solution to the world’s pollution is “Bloody Revolution”—the Blood of Jesus cleanses from all sin!
Draining the Swamp!
“THE SWAMP” has become the new name for the globalist elite/sect, the open society adepts, LGBTQ+ sickos, Soros’ psychopathic army, the God-hating atheists/humanists, and blah, blah, blah.
All nations have their swamp. It must be drained. If not, it (they) will continue to suck the citizens to the very bottom and spread contagious (political / social / ecclesiastical, etc) diseases that make people sick unto death. These God-hating persons will continue to ENSLAVE us…DOMINATE us!! These corrupt banksters and military maniacs will break us and destroy our youth by sending them into wars THEY HAVE CREATED!
We have had enough; God has had enough—enough of Satan-worshippers like the Bushes, Clintons, Obamas, and all attached to them. They, hopefully, will be condemned and prosecuted. This extraterritorial terrorist network covers the entire world. Read the New Year’s Word that God gave for 2017 for yourself. This anti-Christ network of liberal utopians are bent on World Domination at ALL costs; expect a fight. But this odious swamp, full of reptilian scum, will not give up their Elysium dream very easily. Murdering billions of souls means nothing to these sickos/psychos, for they count humans as nugatory, i.e., worthless crap on the soles of their shoes/boots. (Now we have Biden/Harris in power! – 2020-2024)
Guidelines
IT IS ASKED, “What guidelines do we have to determine when a culture is irredeemable beyond the point of moral/spiritual return?” I believe the Holy Bible answers this for ALL of us. God, not man, is the judge of it all. I think, had God’s (professing) people remained faithful to their covenant, we would not have such a violent, perverted, and worthless world today. We must REPENT so that the “Clear Light” of God’s written Word and Revelation may guide us once again. The Bible is full of examples: good, bad, and ugly. When the people were in right standing with God, the people of God prospered (spiritually, and yes, financially, but the first is the most important) and were able to withstand enemy attacks; they had God’s protection and approval. But, when they went a whoring after the gods in the land (the “land” today also), they lost God’s protection and favor.
Accountable
BOTH THE Israelites and Canaanites were held accountable: the first had direct revelation; the second had conscience (see Rom 1:19, 20). Amos 1 and 2 shows us that the Gentile nations were held accountable/morally accountable. Amos uses words like, “Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions (more or less to other nations) of the children of Ammon, and for four, I will not turn away THE PUNISHMENT thereof…” Amos lists many Gentile nations that were going to be punished.
Disobedient!
“(PROMPTED) by faith Rahab the prostitute was not DESTROYED along with those who REFUSED to believe and obey…” (Heb. 11:31, Amp. Bible). Here the Canaanites were called DISOBEDIENT! They had a moral awareness, but, as some scholars put it, “disregarded it!” Do you think God is going to LET OFF today’s Churchites from being punished WHEN they have the Bible? Rahab was a Canaanite prostitute, yet she exercised faith that saved her (see examples like Joshua 2:9-11; 9:9-10 etc.).
Bloodthirsty
GOD-HATING Richard Dawkins called the Canaanite campaign “bloodthirsty massacres.” He said they were carried out with “xenophobic relish.” It has been asked, “Were the Israelites xenophobic? That is, fearful of strangers (non-Israelites)?” We who oppose homosexuality are called “homophobic.” But actually, I do not “fear the queer!” I pity them and I hate their lifestyle. In the context in which our critics use words like: massacre, ethnic cleansing, hateful vengeance etc., they evoke fearful and negative emotions so as to get others to HATE God and His punishments upon the (deserving) nation(s). A word like “genocide” is frightening, I agree. But our critics love to throw these words around. AND, they fail to tell the reason WHY such action WAS NECESSARY. “Ethnic cleansing is fueled by racial hatred,” writes Copan. This is what he says about how people like Dawkins use words. But, xenophobic attitudes DID NOT prompt God’s people to “massacre” the Canaanites; God’s hatred for their abominations/transgressions promoted God to order the utter destruction of those certain nations.
Genesis 12:3?
“AND I will bless those who bless you (Abram), and curse him who curses or uses insolent language toward you; in you shall ALL THE FAMILIES and KINDRED of the earth be blessed, by you they shall bless themselves” (see also Gal. 3:8). First, this was conditional. Abram had to leave his country and his relatives and go to where God directed him to go. In other words, obedience. No obedience=no blessing. But my point is to show our critics that neither the LORD, nor Abram, were xenophobic. The whole of the Bible tells us WHY God brought destruction to the peoples of the earth: SIN!—the practicing of evil, Gentile or Jew (see also Rom. 1-3).
In the beginning, we read of the aliens/sojourners (Lev. 19:34; Deut. 10:18, 19) and God’s concern for them (see also Lev. 24:22; Num. 35:15). But what about Deut. 23:3, where it reads: “An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to their tenth generation, their descendants shall not enter in the assembly of the LORD forever.” Well, verse 4 tells us: “Because they did not meet you with food and water on the way when you came forth out of Egypt…” Is Deut. 23:3 xenophobic? Connect Deut 23:4 with Num. 22-25.
In John Goldingay’s book “Old Testament Theology: Israel’s Life,” Vol. 3, 2009, p. 618, he relates, “Being of non-Israelite origin is not a disqualification for membership of the [Israelite] community in any period. The question is, ‘what God do you serve?’ The reason for not marrying a Canaanite is that, ‘this will turn you away from following YHWH and lead you to serving other deities’ (see Deut 7:3,4). A Canaanite who has made a commitment to YHWH is a different matter.”
That pretty much puts to rest the xenophobic myths. If there were truth to them, there would be no Christians that were previously Gentiles. GOD HAS NEVER BEEN CONCERNED BECAUSE OF ETHNICITY, BUT WITH SIN. IT IS “GRACE” NOT “RACE.” – Cont.