Why did God have his people kill others? Couldn’t he have just made the city sterile? What about the mothers and children that lived there? Why was there so much blood shed
I honestly do struggle with this too. I’m not sure I’ll ever get it. But maybe our modern society really wants to believe death isn’t as real as it is. Whereas Maybe death was way too real, present, and common in old days. Now-if we can help it -we won’t think about death, or what it means, and what would be beyond it. I’ve been a Christian a long time. But I certainly still have questions. When I do -I just go back to the conversation with Jesus when the disciples asked, “Lord, to whom else would we go?” He has the answers. Maybe some day He will help us understand.
Also, God is a God of His word. According to scripture, all nations stemmed from one point in the world. They were all given the truth at the time of Noah (and countless times before) and chose not to heed it then. They were warned time and time again before this point, but refused to obey. It’s hard to take, but it also brings so much security to know that God is who He says He is, does what He says He will do, and He will not abide where evil lives. But He didn’t leave it there. He sent His Son, to all nations, to cover over our sins, so that those who choose to believe He is Lord of all have the covering of His blood to purify us and put us in right standing again. The brutality of the Old Testament makes me SO grateful for the New!
26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
Sooooooo beautiful!!! I love how at the beginning he starts out by encouraging the people and telling them their strengths and then out of LOVE lays this truth bomb on them. Sooooooo fantastic. Then after that truth bomb again he encourages them with this!!! What beauty! Every piece! That beautiful conviction they must’ve felt when reading this letter! Thrusting them forward into movement! Rejoicing in knowing what area to grow next whilst still. Wing so wonderfully encouraged by the Lord. Wow.. wow wow.
12 Here is our bread. It was still warm when we took it from our houses as our food for the journey on the day we set out to come to you, but now, behold, it is dry and crumbly. 13 These wineskins were new when we filled them, and behold, they have burst. And these garments and sandals of ours are worn out from the very long journey.” 14 So the men took some of their provisions, but did not ask counsel from the Lord.
Dangerous! Not seeking the Lord first!! This won’t be good ha!
17 And he brought near the clans of Judah, and the clan of the Zerahites was taken. And he brought near the clan of the Zerahites man by man, and Zabdi was taken. 18 And he brought near his household man by man, and Achan the son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken. 19 Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the Lord God of Israel and give praise to him. And tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me.” 20 And Achan answered Joshua, “Truly I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and this is what I did: 21 when I saw among the spoil a beautiful cloak from Shinar, and 200 shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels, then I coveted them and took them. And see, they are hidden in the earth inside my tent, with the silver underneath.”
22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent; and behold, it was hidden in his tent with the silver underneath. 23 And they took them out of the tent and brought them to Joshua and to all the people of Israel. And they laid them down before the Lord. 24 And Joshua and all Israel with him took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver and the cloak and the bar of gold, and his sons and daughters and his oxen and donkeys and sheep and his tent and all that he had. And they brought them up to the Valley of Achor. 25 And Joshua said, “Why did you bring trouble on us? The Lord brings trouble on you today.” And all Israel stoned him with stones. They burned them with fire and stoned them with stones. 26 And they raised over him a great heap of stones that remains to this day. Then the Lord turned from his burning anger. Therefore, to this day the name of that place is called the Valley of Achor.
So I’m confused… they killed him for his mistake? Does somebody have understanding here I’m not getting?
It wasn’t a mistake- he coveted and stole items, then hid them. That was directly going against what God had told them to do when they overtook the city
Joshua 6: 18 But keep away from the devoted things, so that you will not bring about your own destruction by taking any of them. Otherwise you will make the camp of Israel liable to destruction and bring trouble on it. 19 All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron are sacred to the Lord and must go into his treasury.”
1 Cor 1:28 God has chosen what is insignificant and despised in the world — what is viewed as nothing — to bring to nothing what is viewed as something, 29 so that no one can boast in His presence. 30 But it is from Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became God-given wisdom for us — our righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, 31 in order that, as it is written: The one who boasts must boast in the Lord.
Whether we think we have ‘something’ or ‘nothing’, we can only boast in the Lord. Thankful for Jesus’ gift, that it is not from anything I have, say, or do. It is all HIM!
Thank you for that reminder SarahMay! I needed to remember that it’s only in Christ that we are in Him!
Also, Would you ladies offer up a prayer for me as I try to figure some things out in my life?
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Why did God have his people kill others? Couldn’t he have just made the city sterile? What about the mothers and children that lived there? Why was there so much blood shed
I honestly do struggle with this too. I’m not sure I’ll ever get it. But maybe our modern society really wants to believe death isn’t as real as it is. Whereas Maybe death was way too real, present, and common in old days. Now-if we can help it -we won’t think about death, or what it means, and what would be beyond it. I’ve been a Christian a long time. But I certainly still have questions. When I do -I just go back to the conversation with Jesus when the disciples asked, “Lord, to whom else would we go?” He has the answers. Maybe some day He will help us understand.
Also, God is a God of His word. According to scripture, all nations stemmed from one point in the world. They were all given the truth at the time of Noah (and countless times before) and chose not to heed it then. They were warned time and time again before this point, but refused to obey. It’s hard to take, but it also brings so much security to know that God is who He says He is, does what He says He will do, and He will not abide where evil lives. But He didn’t leave it there. He sent His Son, to all nations, to cover over our sins, so that those who choose to believe He is Lord of all have the covering of His blood to purify us and put us in right standing again. The brutality of the Old Testament makes me SO grateful for the New!
26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
Sooooooo beautiful!!! I love how at the beginning he starts out by encouraging the people and telling them their strengths and then out of LOVE lays this truth bomb on them. Sooooooo fantastic. Then after that truth bomb again he encourages them with this!!! What beauty! Every piece! That beautiful conviction they must’ve felt when reading this letter! Thrusting them forward into movement! Rejoicing in knowing what area to grow next whilst still. Wing so wonderfully encouraged by the Lord. Wow.. wow wow.
12 Here is our bread. It was still warm when we took it from our houses as our food for the journey on the day we set out to come to you, but now, behold, it is dry and crumbly. 13 These wineskins were new when we filled them, and behold, they have burst. And these garments and sandals of ours are worn out from the very long journey.” 14 So the men took some of their provisions, but did not ask counsel from the Lord.
Dangerous! Not seeking the Lord first!! This won’t be good ha!
17 And he brought near the clans of Judah, and the clan of the Zerahites was taken. And he brought near the clan of the Zerahites man by man, and Zabdi was taken. 18 And he brought near his household man by man, and Achan the son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken. 19 Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the Lord God of Israel and give praise to him. And tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me.” 20 And Achan answered Joshua, “Truly I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and this is what I did: 21 when I saw among the spoil a beautiful cloak from Shinar, and 200 shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels, then I coveted them and took them. And see, they are hidden in the earth inside my tent, with the silver underneath.”
22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent; and behold, it was hidden in his tent with the silver underneath. 23 And they took them out of the tent and brought them to Joshua and to all the people of Israel. And they laid them down before the Lord. 24 And Joshua and all Israel with him took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver and the cloak and the bar of gold, and his sons and daughters and his oxen and donkeys and sheep and his tent and all that he had. And they brought them up to the Valley of Achor. 25 And Joshua said, “Why did you bring trouble on us? The Lord brings trouble on you today.” And all Israel stoned him with stones. They burned them with fire and stoned them with stones. 26 And they raised over him a great heap of stones that remains to this day. Then the Lord turned from his burning anger. Therefore, to this day the name of that place is called the Valley of Achor.
So I’m confused… they killed him for his mistake? Does somebody have understanding here I’m not getting?
It wasn’t a mistake- he coveted and stole items, then hid them. That was directly going against what God had told them to do when they overtook the city
Joshua 6: 18 But keep away from the devoted things, so that you will not bring about your own destruction by taking any of them. Otherwise you will make the camp of Israel liable to destruction and bring trouble on it. 19 All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron are sacred to the Lord and must go into his treasury.”
1 Cor 1:28 God has chosen what is insignificant and despised in the world — what is viewed as nothing — to bring to nothing what is viewed as something, 29 so that no one can boast in His presence. 30 But it is from Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became God-given wisdom for us — our righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, 31 in order that, as it is written: The one who boasts must boast in the Lord.
Whether we think we have ‘something’ or ‘nothing’, we can only boast in the Lord. Thankful for Jesus’ gift, that it is not from anything I have, say, or do. It is all HIM!
Thank you for that reminder SarahMay! I needed to remember that it’s only in Christ that we are in Him!
Also, Would you ladies offer up a prayer for me as I try to figure some things out in my life?
Praying now Liesl.
Thank you so much, Annie!
Absolutely praying for you, Liesl. So glad to have you reading along with us.
– Stormye
I’m a bit behind… but prayed for you tonight :)
he made us to love and worship him; not to argue over the “rights and wrongs” of our beliefs, therefore be kind, smile, and remain full of joy!!
he made us to love and worship him; not to argue over over the “rights and