Did God Command Genocide in the Bible?

DID GOD COMMAND GENOCIDE IN THE BIBLE?

Whenever Muslims engage in discussions or in debates with Christians, very often they try to silence the Christians by accusing the God of the Bible of committing Genocide. To validate their claim, Muslims deceitfully point to the passages in the Bible where God commanded the Israelites to destroy the Canaanites – including men, women and children. This is a devious tactic by Muslims to divert the discussion away from all the violent verses that are engraved in the Qur’an. Their motive for raising this objection is simply to silence the Christians. They raise questions such as: How can the Christian God command the killings of women and children? How can you worship such a God?

Any attempt to respond to this Muslim objection would be futile if we ourselves fail to understand why God authorized the extermination of men, women and children of the Canaanite nations. The failure to understand this commandment in the Bible can also give rise to doubts concerning the righteousness of God’s moral judgment. Of course, the accusation that God commanded Genocide is a preposterous lie when we consider all the facts related to these passages in the Bible. This article will conclusively prove this vital truth about our Creator. This article is a must for Christians. We must avoid the pitfall of evaluating an issue based on partial knowledge. To know the truth, it is absolutely essential to understand the whole truth. And this is especially true when it involves our eternal salvation.

To deal with this subject objectively and comprehensively, we will address this issue in two separate articles. Part One is the article that you are now reading. The purpose of this article is to fortify Christians to understand the true meaning and function of these supposedly difficult passages in the Bible. It is vital for Christians to see beyond the surface and recognize the depth of God’s love in these passages. A deeper understanding will reveal how the eternal salvation of mankind is salvaged through these uncompromising actions of our loving Creator. The overwhelming evidences in the Bible reveal the immense love and wisdom of our God. Please read through to the end of this article to understand this issue clearly.  Did God Command Genocide in the Bible?

The Authorization of Genocide in Islam(Part Two) is written specifically to expose the lies of the Muslims. This article will equip Christians to effectively deal with the accusation raised against the God of the Bible by Muslims. We will provide evidences from Islam itself to refute their claim. These evidences will prove why their accusation against the God of the Bible is absolutely false. But more than that, we will provide evidences to prove that it is not Jehovah but Allah who is actually guilty of authorizing Genocide in the Qur’an. A large number of Muslims are converting to Christianity today. It is therefore vital to equip these ones to answer the critics who raise this objection to cast doubts on their new found faith in the God of the Bible. To access Part Two, please click the following link: THE AUTHORIZATION OF GENOCIDE IN ISLAM

Having clarified these basic points, we will now begin our discussion. In this article, irrefutable evidences will be provided from the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) to substantiate the fact why we can be absolutely confident that Jehovah is truly a God of love who is morally just. It will be proven why it became absolutely necessary and essential for a loving Creator to authorize the annihilation of the Canaanites. What many fail to understand is how this commandment to exterminate the Canaanites is crucial to the outworking of God’s divine purpose for the eternal salvation of mankind. This may seem a paradox to some but it will become evident as you consider the facts.

We will start at the very beginning. Jehovah God promised to give the land of Canaan as an inheritance to Abraham. God is the rightful owner of this land before the Canaanites established temporary residency there. And God promised to deliver that land over to the descendants of Abraham. However, the Israelites had to wait for more than 400 years before inheriting the Promised Land. Why did not Jehovah eliminate the Canaanites right away? He could have done so without any difficulty. Yet, Jehovah told Abraham:

Genesis 15:16: But in the fourth generation they (the descendants of Abraham) will return here, because the error of the Amorites has not yet come to completion.

The term Amorites is often applied collectively to describe the entire seven Canaanite nations. Jehovah waited for more than 400 years for the “error of the Amorites to come to completion.” The Canaanites had more than 400 years to repent but they did not change their evil ways. The Israelites were not authorized to inherit the land until the “sin of the Amorites” reached the limit where divine execution became mandatory. This means that prior to their execution, God adjudged that the sins of the Canaanites have yet to reach the limit where they can be justly punished. This proves that when the time came for God to execute the Canaanites, it was an absolutely righteous judgment. This demonstrates the extent of Jehovah’s mercy. He did not execute them instantaneously, but waited patiently for more than 400 years after which God’s justice demanded the complete eviction of such evil doers from his land.

The sins of the Canaanites cannot be left unchecked. Yet, Jehovah stayed the execution until the sins of the Canaanites reached their full measure. In fact, Jehovah permitted his own chosen people to suffer in servitude for centuries in Egypt, so that the Canaanites could have the opportunity to repent and change their wicked ways. Ample time was given before it was determined that the sins of the Canaanites can no longer be exempted from punishment. Such is the justice of Jehovah. This demonstrates that Jehovah does not take pleasure in executing even the wicked. In fact, he lovingly pleads with the wicked to turn away from their evil ways so that they may continue living:

Ezekiel 33:11: Say to them, “As I am alive,” is the utterance of the Sovereign Lord Jehovah, “I take delight, not in the death of the wicked one, but in that someone wicked turns back from his way and actually keeps living.”

It is truly amazing to learn that our loving Creator is willing to overturn his judgment even after the verdict had been sentenced upon the wicked if that individual repents. Such is the desire of Jehovah to spare the wicked. Read the following verses carefully:

Ezekiel 33:14-16: “And when I say to the wicked one: ‘You will positively die,’ and he actually turns back from his sin and carries on justice and righteousness, and the wicked one returns the very thing pledged, pays back the very things taken by robbery, and actually walks in the very statutes of life by not doing injustice, he will positively keep living. He will not die. None of his sins with which he has sinned will be remembered against him. Justice and righteousness are what he has carried on. He will positively keep living.’”

It is vital to note that the cruelty of the Egyptians which they manifested against the Hebrew slaves was not considered evil enough to warrant their extermination. Egypt was only punished. This proves that the “sin of the Amorites” must have exceeded far beyond than that of Egypt. During those intervening years when Jehovah held back his punishment, the evil practices of the Canaanites only intensified with time. Their form of worship was extremely wicked and immoral. Instead of questioning why God commanded the destruction of the Canaanites, we must ask ourselves why did he not do so sooner.

Halley’s Bible Handbook states:

“Canaanites worshipped, by immoral indulgence as a religious ritual in the presence of their gods; and then, by murdering their first-born children, as a sacrifice to these same gods. It seems that, in large measure, the land of Canaan had become a sort of Sodom and Gomorrah on a national scale . . . Did a civilization of such abominable filth and brutality have any right longer to exist? . . . Archaeologists who dig in the ruins of Canaanite cities wonder why God did not destroy them sooner than he did.” (p. 161)

Let us now read the verses in the Bible that authorize the destruction of the Canaanites.  Before entering Canaan, the Israelites were given the following commandment:

Deuteronomy 7:1-2: “When Jehovah your God at last brings you into the land to which you are going so as to take possession of it, he must also clear away populous nations from before you, the Hittites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Canaanites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, seven nations more populous and mighty than you are. And Jehovah your God will certainly abandon them to you, and you must defeat them. You should without fail devote them to destruction.”

This commandment calls for the destruction of the entire Canaanite population – including men, women and children. Was this a ruthless campaign to annihilate the Canaanites? Was this an act of Genocide on the part of God? In a word, the answer is an emphatic NO. It will be inconsistent on our part to acknowledge the validity of this commandment in the Bible and not accept the Bible’s own explanation of what this commandment actually means. Therefore, to understand the full significance of what this commandment actually means, it is vital to study how it was implemented in the Hebrew Scriptures. In other words, how this commandment was put into force in real life. Consider now the following verses:

Exodus 23:23: “For my angel will go ahead of you and will bring you to the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, and I will annihilate them.”

Jehovah clearly testifies that he will “annihilate” the entire Canaanite nations. Yet, just a few verses later he explains how he will enforce this commandment to “annihilate” them:

Exodus 23:27-30: “I will send the fear of me ahead of you, and I will throw into confusion all the people you encounter, and I will cause all your enemies to flee from you in defeat. I will send the feeling of dejection ahead of you, and it will drive out the Hivites, the Canaanites, and the Hittites from before you. I will not drive them out from before you in one year, so that the land does not become desolate and the wild animals of the field multiply against you. Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you become fruitful and take possession of the land.”

We can clearly see that when Jehovah decreed that he will annihilate the Canaanites, it basically means that he will drive them out of the land. This fact is substantiated and reinforced yet again in the very next verse. It informs us exactly how this divine commandment of Jehovah is to be enforced by the Israelites. Take careful note of Jehovah’s instruction to the Israelites:

Exodus 23:31: “I will set your boundary from the Red Sea to the sea of the Philistines and from the wilderness to the River; for I will give the inhabitants of the land into your hand, and you will drive them out from before you.”

There are many more verses such as these in the Bible which similarly testify that this is exactly how Jehovah intended the Israelites to carry out his divine commandment. Here is another example:

Numbers 33:50-53: Jehovah spoke to Moses on the desert plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying: “Speak to the Israelites and tell them, ‘You are crossing the Jordan into the land of Canaan. You must drive away all the inhabitants of the land from before you . . . And you will possess the land and dwell in it, because I will certainly give you the land as a possession.’”

Only by obeying this commandment precisely as instructed, the Israelites would be working in unison with the divine will of Jehovah. Compare the above instruction of Jehovah to the Israelites with his own participation in it:

Deuteronomy 11:23: Jehovah will drive away all these nations from before you, and you will dispossess nations greater and more numerous than you are.

A careful study of all the passages in the Bible where God commanded the annihilation of the Canaanites shows that this commandment is used interchangeably with the command to drive them out of the land. This is significant because there are more verses that command the Israelites to drive out the Canaanites than the ones that call for their annihilation. What this essentially substantiates is that the prime objective of God is to isolate the Israelites from the death-dealing influence of the Canaanites. This segregation is crucial not only for the salvation of Israel but also for the salvation of the rest of mankind. However, this does not mean that the Canaanites are not in line for destruction. They deserve it and rightly so. But the evidences show that only those who stayed back to fight and those who refused to flee came under the executional sword of the Israelites.

In reality, the threat of a foreign army would naturally alert individuals to remove themselves from harm’s way. The noncombatants would be the first to flee. It would be utterly irresponsible for one to stay behind just to be killed. The migration of thousands of refugees from war-torn countries confirms this natural instinct in humans for self-preservation. This fact is clearly acknowledged in the Bible:  

Jeremiah 4:29: Because of the sound of the horsemen and bow shooters the entire city is running away. They have entered into the thickets, and into the rocks they have gone up. Every city is left, and there is no man dwelling in them.

Therefore, those who stayed behind are responsible for their own lives. It will be shown later why it was inexcusable for the Canaanites not to flee. The claim that God commanded Genocide is absolutely false. Before we move on, it will be beneficial to understand the true meaning of Genocide. It is defined as:

 The deliberate killing of people who belong to a particular racial, political or cultural group.

Genocide is defined as the intentional destruction of a people on the basis of their race, culture, or religion. However, Jehovah did not command the destruction of the Canaanites on the basis of any of the above reasons but because of their excessive depravity. The fact that God spared those Canaanites who turned away from their sinful course confirms the truthfulness of this fact. Moreover, the commandment to “drive out” the enemies is not the same as Genocide. If the claim of Genocide is true, no one will be permitted to escape intentionally.

It is vital to note that the commandment to destroy the Canaanites was confined to a specific period in the history of God’s people. It was given to a specific people – the Israelites – for a specific purpose. And it was limited to a precisely defined region. Israel was never commanded to expand its borders. It was not an open-ended declaration of war. Neither were these wars fought with the intention of forcibly converting the Canaanite population. Once this commandment accomplishes its intended purpose, it will cease to be in force for the Israelites. These wars were divinely sanctioned to execute God’s righteous judgment. The purpose of these wars is no different from the divine executions which God carried out against the wicked generation of Sodom and Gomorrah, and upon the people of Noah’s day.

It is equally vital to understand that Christians are not under subjection to this commandment which was authorized in the Hebrew Scriptures. This commandment was specifically given to the nation of Israel and it is not binding on the Christians. As for Christians, they are forbidden to engage in any form of carnal warfare. Instead, they are commanded to love even their enemies:

Matthew 5:44-45: “However, I say to you: ‘Continue to love your enemies and to pray for those who persecute you, so that you may prove yourselves sons of your Father who is in the heavens, since he makes his sun rise on both the wicked and the good and makes it rain on both the righteous and the unrighteous.’”

When a crowd with swords and clubs came to arrest Jesus, one of his disciples tried to defend him with a sword. Follow now this account in the Bible:

Matthew 26:51: With that, one of the companions of Jesus drew out his sword and struck the slave of the high priest and took off his ear.

How did Jesus react? He did not condone this violent reaction of his disciple. Instead, he strongly rebuked that disciple:

Matthew 26:52: Then Jesus said to him: “Return your sword to its place, for all those who take the sword will die by the sword.”

This is the standing order for Christians ever since. Therefore, the commandment in the Hebrew Scriptures to wage war against the enemies is not the final marching order for either the Jews or the Christians today. However, the same cannot be said about Allah’s commandments in the Qur’an which authorize Muslims to fight and kill the enemies of Islam. More on this in Part Two.

THE DEPRAVITY OF THE CANAANITES

“Will the Judge of all the earth not do what is right?” (Genesis 18:25) With that question, Abraham expressed his confidence that Jehovah would always render perfect justice. As the Judge of all the earth, God is morally responsible to inflict capital punishment on all those meriting it. The execution of the Canaanites found full justification in the conditions that prevailed in Canaan. God’s verdict upon the Canaanites was in proportion to their sins. Their culture was grossly immoral and decadent to the core. The land itself became defiled. Even before they took possession of the land, Jehovah had to strictly warn the Israelites not to imitate the evil ways of the Canaanites:

Leviticus 18:2-3: “Speak to the Israelites and say to them, ‘I am Jehovah your God. You must not behave as they do in the land of Egypt, where you were dwelling, and you must not do what they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. And you must not walk in their statutes.’”

And God enumerated some of the evil practices of the Canaanites that the Israelites must strictly avoid:

Leviticus 18:6-7: “No man should approach any of his close relatives to have sexual relations. I am Jehovah. You must not have sexual relations with your father or with your mother. She is your mother, and you must not have sexual relations with her.”

Leviticus 18:9: “You must not have sexual relations with your sister, either the daughter of your father or of your mother, whether she is born in the same household or born outside of it.”

Jehovah also warned the Israelites against imitating the unnatural sexual practices of the Canaanites:

Leviticus 18:22: “You must not lie down with a male in the same way that you lie down with a woman. It is a detestable act.”

And also the depraved acts of bestiality that was commonly practiced by both men and women of Canaan:

Leviticus 18:23: “A man must not have sexual intercourse with an animal to become unclean by it; nor should a woman offer herself to an animal to have intercourse with it. It is a violation of what is natural.”

In summary, Jehovah reinforced the reason why the Canaanites had to be driven out before the Israelites could settle in that land:

Leviticus 18:24-25: “Do not make yourselves unclean by any of these things, for it is by all these things that the nations that I am driving out from before you have made themselves unclean. Therefore, the land is unclean, and I will bring punishment on it for its error, and the land will vomit its inhabitants out.”

The land itself became defiled. Incest, Sodomy, Temple Prostitution, and Bestiality was the way of the Canaanites.  We have only cited some of the vile practices of the Canaanites. We encourage you to read Leviticus Chapter 18 in its entirety to understand the full extent of their depravity. Other detestable practices include Divination, Spiritism and the Ritualistic Sacrificing of their own sons and daughters in fire to their gods:

Deuteronomy 12:31: You must not do that way to Jehovah your God, for everything that is detestable to Jehovah is what they have done to their gods, for they even burn their sons and their daughters regularly in the fire to their gods.

Deuteronomy 18:9-12: When you are entered into the land that Jehovah your God is giving you, you must not learn to do according to the detestable things of those nations. There should not be found in you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, anyone who employs divination, a practicer of magic or anyone who looks for omens or a sorcerer, or one who binds others with a spell or anyone who consults a spirit medium or a professional foreteller of events or anyone who inquires of the dead. All those doing these things are something detestable to Jehovah, and on account of these detestable things Jehovah your God is driving them away from before you.

Renowned scholar Merrill F. Unger gave the following details regarding child sacrifices in Canaan:

“Excavations in Palestine have uncovered piles of ashes and remains of infant skeletons in cemeteries around heathen altars, pointing to the widespread practice of this cruel abomination.” (Archaeology and the Old Testament, 1964, p. 279)

Please read the following verse carefully:

Deuteronomy 9:5: “It is not for your righteousness or for the uprightness of your heart that you are going in to take possession of their land; in fact, it is for the wickedness of these nations that Jehovah your God is driving them away from before you, and in order to carry out the word that Jehovah swore to your forefathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”

It was not because the Israelites were righteous that God commanded the extermination of the Canaanites but because of their gross wickedness. Israel only served as an instrument to carry out God’s divine judgment. The primary theme is the issue of God’s holiness. We should avoid the mistake of measuring the Creator with the measurement that we measure humans. For example, why is murder wrong in the first place? It is because humans have no authority to take the life of another human being. However, God does. God has the moral authority to determine whether one deserves to live or to die.  He has the authority not only because he is our Creator but also because what is morally right or wrong originates with him. Thus, God cannot be charged with murder.

Since it is God who gave us the gift of life, we are by definition his property. And God requires us to use our lives for good and not for evil. Therefore, God has the moral right to forfeit the life of an individual when it is used in violation of his divine purpose. As the only one who truly possesses the moral authority to take the life of a human being when he sees fit, God cannot be accused of committing Genocide. This was certainly true in the case of the Canaanites. And God assigned the Israelites to carry out his divine judgment.

It is mandatory for Jehovah to remove all traces of uncleanness from the land that he designated as an inheritance to the descendants of Abraham. During their formative years as a nation, it is crucial for Israel to remain uncontaminated from the influence of the surrounding nations. The Canaanites were a threat to the purity of God’s people. If the sanctity of Israel was compromised in any way, it would endanger the outworking of God’s divine purpose for the eternal salvation of mankind. What is at stake here is more than just the spiritual welfare of Israel as a nation. What is at stake here is of universal importance and it involves a much broader issue. We will provide more details on this in the latter part of our discussion. However, the question still remains: What about the women and children? Why were they executed? Who is responsible for their deaths?

WOMEN AND CHILDREN

The utterly sinful way of life of the Canaanite society had a corrupting influence on the children. Raised in an atmosphere where degrading sexual practices are sanctioned both culturally and religiously, the children viewed such debased conduct as acceptable behavior. And the children grew up mirroring the same immoral characteristics of their parents. It deeply affected their perception of what is morally right or wrong. Thus, the morality of the children became affected beyond redemption. And to further deteriorate the situation, the practice of incest which was prevalent among the Canaanites resulted in the sexual exploitation of children within the family unit. These children grew up morally and psychologically scarred for life. They, in turn, perpetuated the same cycle of evil as their predecessors.

As a result, wickedness permeated the entire Canaanite society. Each succeeding generation continued in the same cycle of evil. And their wickedness intensified with time. It must be remembered that Jehovah mercifully stayed the execution for more than 400 years in order for the Canaanites to repent. It never came! What would it take for God to stop this cycle of evil? What would be the cost if the Canaanite women and children were spared and permitted to live in the midst of the Israelites? Would this concession jeopardize God’s divine purpose for the salvation of mankind? Would it endanger the nation that is designated to produce the Messiah? These are extremely vital questions. It is essential to consider the promise that God made to Abraham:

Genesis 22:18: “By means of your seed all nations of the earth will obtain a blessing for themselves because you have listened to my voice.”

Who is this Seed that will bring blessing to the entire world of mankind? We do not have to guess. Centuries after this promise was made to Abraham, God revealed the identity of this Seed in the Bible:

Galatians 3:16: Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. It does not say: “And to your seeds,” as in the case of many, but as in the case of one: “And to your seed,” who is Christ.

The preservation of the sanctity of Israel is crucial for the appearance of this Seed. God knew that it would take more than the destruction of the older generation to stop this vicious cycle of evil. Instead of being swayed by our emotions we must come to terms with reality. And this is the reality. If the Canaanite children were spared, the older ones who were raised under the care of their parents will continue in the same debased practices of their parents in secret. In time, they would influence their younger siblings. And the cycle of evil would continue unabated. God simply cannot risk the salvation of billions by allowing this cycle of evil to continue in the land where this Seed is designated to appear.

The commandment to destroy the children along with the older generation may come as a shock for many. However, the rationale lies in the truth of a well-known saying: “The apple does not fall far from the tree.” Each new generation pursued the same sinful course as that of their parents. Since the evidences confirm that each succeeding generation emulated the same sinful characteristics of their parents, it would not take long for a fresh crop of adults to emerge just like their predecessors. The Canaanite children were annihilated and rightly so not only because of their great potential to imitate the sins of their parents but also because of the danger they would pose to the nation of Israel.

If the Canaanite children were spared, this would be potentially dangerous for the Israelites. The older ones who remember the execution of their parents at the hands of the Israelites would recount this incident to their younger siblings. In all likelihood, they will grow up harboring deep-rooted hatred for the Israelites. And this can lead to serious repercussions. Once they become strong and numerous they will not only attempt to avenge the death of their parents but also get in the way of true worship. What would this result in? God will have to command once again the annihilation of the Canaanites but this time against the very same children whom he spared before. Does this make sense to you? Additionally, there is also the danger of intermarriages with the Canaanites. God knew that such marriage alliances would in time lead the Israelites astray:

Deuteronomy 7:3-4: “And you must form no marriage alliance with them. Your daughter you must not give to his son, and his daughter you must not take for your son. For he will turn your son from following me, and they will certainly serve other gods.”

In a society where moral corruption abounds, the corruption of a child can begin at a very early age. Living now in the midst of the Israelites, the older children who worshipped the immoral Canaanite gods and goddesses may continue to do so in secret. This would defile the nation of Israel. Let us not forget the Canaanite city of Sodom. The unnatural sexual acts that were prevalent in that city were not only committed by the adults but also by the young among them. When the angelic messengers visited Lot, both boys and men wanted to rape them. This proves that corruption can begin at a very early age:

Genesis 19:4-5: Before they could lie down to sleep, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, from boy to old man surrounded the house in one mob. And they kept calling out to Lot and saying to him: “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we may have intercourse with them.”

Without a doubt, the Canaanite children were adversely influenced by the immoral ways of their parents. Since the Israelites are the chosen people from whom the Messiah would emerge, they must be preserved both morally and spiritually. It is vital not to let our emotions cloud our judgment. Unlike us, God knows the thoughts and intentions of humans. He knew exactly how these children would turn out as adults. He knew of the dangers these children would pose for the Israelites. And he knew their hidden traits even before these traits became evident:

Psalms 58:3-4: The wicked go astray from birth. They are wayward, liars from the time they are born. Their venom is like the venom of serpents.

We will now use an actual historical setting to illustrate why God had to initiate the extermination of the Canaanite children. From historical records we know that Adolf Hitler was born in Austria on April 20, 1889. If you were living in Austria during that period, what would you do if you knew in advance all the atrocities that this new-born infant would commit when he grows up? What would you do if you knew that millions would die as a result of the wars initiated by this infant? And not to forget the thousands of children who would lose their lives in these wars. What would you do if the only solution to stop this evil from happening is to extinguish the life of this infant? What would you do if it was within your power to stop this evil? Would you spare the infant and let millions die? God acted decisively!

Just as the men, the Canaanite women were also participants in the violence, bestiality, child sacrifices, and other immoral activities. Temple prostitution cannot function without the participation of women. This religiously sanctioned practice validated both adultery and fornication as acceptable behavior. As such, these Canaanite women deserved the same adverse judgment as the men. Exempting them would be a travesty of justice since they are equally guilty as the men. More seriously, if these women are spared they would seek vengeance for the execution of their men in more subtle ways. To understand the danger, we have to compare an incident that took place long before the Israelites settled in the land of Canaan. The Bible tells us that in order to turn away the Israelites from serving Jehovah, the Moabite women seduced the Israelite men to commit sexual immorality:

Numbers 25:1-3: When Israel was dwelling in Shittim, they started to commit sexual immorality with the daughters of Moab. The women invited them to the sacrifices of their gods, and they began to eat and to bow down to their gods. So Israel joined in worship of the Baal of Peor, and Jehovah became enraged with Israel.

As a result, the Israelite men were executed for engaging in sexual immorality and in false worship:

Numbers 25:9: And those who died from the scourge amounted to twenty-four thousand.

Sparing the Canaanite women will only result in a repetition of the above tragedy. In spite of all the effort on the part of God to protect the nation that was chosen to birth the Messiah, the Israelites still succumbed to the influence of the Canaanites. This was because of their failure to follow God’s commandment to completely drive out the Canaanites. The outcome was shocking to say the least:

Jeremiah 7:30-31: “For the people of Judah have done what is bad in my eyes,” declares Jehovah. “They have set up their disgusting idols in the house that bears my name, in order to defile it. They have built the high places of Topheth, which is in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, in order to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire, something that I had not commanded and that had never even come into my heart.”

Now it was the Israelites who burned their sons and daughters in sacrificial fire to the idols. This tragedy was a direct result of their failure to act decisively upon God’s commandment to completely remove the Canaanites from their God-given land. However, because of God’s strong measurement against the Canaanites, a sufficient number of faithful Israelites were preserved from contamination. As a result, a measure of sanctity still remained in Israel to birth the Messiah. We shudder at the thought of the outcome had Jehovah chosen a less drastic course of action. It would have resulted in the entire nation of Israel becoming just like the Canaanites. The Messiah cannot be born in a pagan nation any more than a nation that succumbs to paganism – even if that nation happens to be Israel. Thus, instead of questioning the righteousness of our loving Creator, we should thank him fervently for acting the way he did.

The call for total destruction was not only necessary but also crucial to prevent any assimilation of paganism into the nation of Israel. God knew of the danger that the Canaanite women and children would pose if they were allowed to remain in the land that is now occupied by the Israelites.  It would result in total ruination of Israel. It was not only sensible but also loving on the part of Jehovah for taking such strong measurements against the Canaanites. He had to for the salvation of the entire human race. There is nothing immoral about the Creator of life taking away a life when it endangers the eternal salvation of mankind. He acted as such to save billions. Jehovah is truly a God of love.

A GOD OF LOVE

Many are unaware that Jehovah lovingly secured the lives of the Canaanites who abandoned their wicked ways. Mercy was shown to those who turned to him in faith. Let us consider two examples. We will consider the examples of Rahab and the Gibeonites.

Rahab lived in the Canaanite city of Jericho. Before the Israelites crossed the Jordan into Canaan, Joshua sent out two men to spy out the land. When the spies ran into trouble, Rahab came to their aid. She hid the spies and later helped them escape. In return, she pleaded with these men to save her household. She had faith that Jehovah would deliver the cities of Canaan into the hands of the Israelites:

Joshua 2:9: And she went on to say to the men: “I do know that Jehovah will certainly give you the land, and that the fright of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have become disheartened because of you.”

Joshua 2:12-14: “And now, please, swear to me by Jehovah that, because I have exercised loving-kindness toward you, you also will certainly exercise loving-kindness toward the household of my father, and you must give me a trustworthy sign. And you must preserve alive my father and my mother and my brothers and my sisters and all who belong to them, and you must deliver our souls from death.” At that the men said to her: “Our souls are to die instead of you people! If you will not tell about this matter of ours, it must also occur that when Jehovah gives us the land, we also shall certainly exercise loving-kindness and trustworthiness toward you.”

The account of Rahab proves that even at this late stage, it was still possible for individual Canaanites to escape the divine execution of God. And one family did escape. Jehovah is ever willing to extend mercy to all those who turn to him for deliverance. Rahab’s faith resulted in the preservation of her own life as well as the lives of her household:

Hebrews 11:31: By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish with those who acted disobediently, because she received the spies in a peaceable way.

This proves that individual Canaanites had an option to escape death. They could escape the divine execution of God if they truly choose to do so. The salvation of Rahab and her family confirms this vital truth. It clearly demonstrates that Jehovah is truly a God of mercy. Moses declared:

Exodus 34:6: “Jehovah, Jehovah, a God merciful and compassionate, slow to anger and abundant in loving-kindness and truth.”

Jehovah never fails to show mercy to those who leave their wicked ways and submit to his righteous moral standards. It does not matter whether they are Canaanites or from any other nation. Consider now the example of the Hivites who lived in Gibeon. While other Canaanite cities prepared themselves to fight against the Israelites, the Gibeonites refrained. This was because they believed that God was fighting for the Israelites. To escape death, they devised a plan. They made it appear as if they were living in a distant land. Some of the men put on ragged clothes and worn-out sandals. And they loaded their donkeys with worn-out sacks. They also took some dry old bread with them. Then they went to the Israelites and said:

Joshua 9:9-11: “We have come from a very distant land because we heard about your great God, Jehovah. We heard all the things that he did for you in Egypt . . . So our elders told us, ‘Take provisions with you for the journey and go to meet them and tell them: We will be your servants.’”

Joshua and the other leaders believed the Gibeonites. So they promised not to harm them in any way. But a few days later they learned that the Gibeonites were actually living in Canaan. Joshua then inquired:

Joshua 9:22: “Why did you tell us that you came from a distant land?”

And the Gibeonites explained why they lied:

Joshua 9:24: “We did so because we were told that Jehovah your God had promised to give all this land of Canaan to you. So we were afraid that you would kill us.”

Though the Israelites discovered that they had been tricked, they still honored their promise not to harm the Gibeonites. Of course, Jehovah knew the truth. Yet, he lovingly spared their lives. This was because not only did the Gibeonites refuse to fight against the Israelites but they also turned to Jehovah for their salvation. They knew that Jehovah was fighting for the Israelites. And they had faith that he would deliver the land of Canaan into the hands of the Israelites. In fact, Jehovah later protected the Gibeonites from five Amorite kings who came with their armies to attack them. The Amorite kings wanted to destroy the Gibeonites for making peace with the Israelites. (Joshua 10:1-11)

The preservation of Rahab and the Gibeonites proves that the command to “devote the Canaanites to destruction” is neither absolute nor irreversible as far as individuals are concerned. The examples of Rahab and the Gibeonites show that God spared the lives of those who took refuge in him. The rest of the Canaanites could have done the same and lived. But they did not. Thus, they brought the punishment of death upon themselves. These two examples prove why the accusation of Genocide against Jehovah is utterly false.

Jehovah made powerful headlines in the land of Canaan long before the time of its conquest. Thus, the Canaanites have no valid reason or justification not to seek refuge in Jehovah. Consider carefully the words of Rahab which she confessed to the Israelite spies:

Joshua 2:9-11: “All the inhabitants of the land have become disheartened because of you. For we heard how Jehovah dried up the waters of the Red Sea when you came out of Egypt and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites, Sihon and Og, whom you devoted to destruction on the other side of the Jordan. When we got to hear it, then our hearts began to melt and no one has any courage, for Jehovah your God is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath.”

Even though Rahab lived in Canaan, she was aware of all the powerful works which Jehovah performed to deliver the Israelites from Egypt and other hostile nations. Consider also the words of the Gibeonites:

Joshua 9:9: “We have come from a very distant land out of regard for the name of Jehovah your God, because we have heard about his fame and about all he did in Egypt.”

The Gibeonites who lived in Canaan were also aware of the mighty acts of Jehovah which he performed in Egypt. Thus, the rest of the Canaanites had no excuse. They were neither ignorant of the powerful acts of Jehovah nor of the fact that Israel was the chosen instrument of God to execute his divine judgment. By staying back in defiance to fight against the Israelites, they placed themselves in line for destruction. By refusing to flee when the opportunity presented itself to leave the place designated for destruction, they brought death upon themselves. And unlike the Gibeonites, they refused to seek the mercy of Jehovah:

Joshua 11:19: There was no city that made peace with the Israelites except the Hivites inhabiting Gibeon. They conquered all the others by war.

Jehovah is ever willing to preserve those who leave their sinful course. And this includes not only individuals but also nations and kingdoms. Read the following assurance of Jehovah carefully:

Jeremiah 18:7-8: “Whenever I may speak against a nation or against a kingdom to uproot it and pull it down and to destroy it, and that nation actually turns back from its badness against which I spoke, I will not cause the calamity that I have intended upon it.”

The above assurance of Jehovah is not a lie. This is substantiated by his dealings with the ancient city of Nineveh. The story of Nineveh reveals the depth of Jehovah’s mercy and justice. Because of the extreme wickedness of its inhabitants, the prophet Jonah was sent to Nineveh to pronounce what appears to be an unconditional judgment of condemnation against that city:

Jonah 3:3-4: Jonah got up and went to Nineveh in obedience to the word of Jehovah . . . Then Jonah entered the city, and walking a day’s journey, he kept proclaiming and saying: “Only forty days more, and Nineveh will be overthrown.”

What was the response of the Ninevites when they heard the denunciation of Jehovah? Instead of becoming obstinate and defiant, they humbly acknowledged their sinful ways and repented:

Jonah 3:5-6: And the men of Nineveh began to put faith in God, and they proceeded to proclaim a fast and to put on sackcloth, from the greatest one of them even to the least one of them. When the word reached the king of Nineveh, then he rose up from his throne and put off his official garment from himself and covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the ashes.

And addressing the inhabitants of that city, the king of Nineveh issued the following decree:

Jonah 3:8-9: “Let them be covered with sackcloth, both man and beast; and let them call out earnestly to God and turn from their evil ways and from the violence they practice. Who knows whether the true God may reconsider what he intends to do and turn from his burning anger, so that we may not perish?”

How did Jehovah respond when the Ninevites displayed such genuine repentance? He lovingly showed mercy and spared their lives:

Jonah 3:10: When the true God saw how they had turned back from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring the calamity on them which he had spoken.

What seemed to be an irreversible judgment of total annihilation was halted when the Ninevites repented from their sinful ways. The Canaanites could have done the same and kept living. But they did not. Thus, the Canaanites brought the calamity upon themselves. They and not God is responsible for their destruction.

When God wanted to destroy Sodom, Abraham asked if he would destroy that city if there were 50 righteous people in it. Jehovah said he would not. Then Abraham asked the same question if there were 45 righteous people. Each time Abraham lowered the number, he received the same answer. As a God of Justice, it is impossible for Jehovah to destroy the innocent along with the wicked. Only after securing the lives of the righteous ones who dwelled in Sodom, that city was destroyed. (See Genesis 18:23-32) This proves that when Jehovah destroys a nation, we can be absolutely confident it is just. God’s judgment is anything but capricious. Jehovah will never destroy the innocent along with the wicked. Thus, all those who are destroyed by Jehovah, must be truly wicked.

Jehovah is not a vindictive God. The account of Nineveh confirms the truthfulness of this fact. It is vital to recognize the truth that God has the moral responsibility to judge and control sin. Even in comparison to other nations who were not worshippers of Jehovah, the Canaanite culture shows itself to be exceedingly wicked and immoral. The result is a malignant force that had to be eradicated.

A MATTER OF PERCEPTION

God destroyed the ancient world by means of a global Flood. Only eight souls survived – Noah and his family. The Bible explains why it became necessary for God to take such a drastic action:

Genesis 6:5: Jehovah saw that the badness of man was abundant in the earth and every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only bad all the time.

Similarly Jehovah destroyed the wicked population of Sodom and Gomorrah. The inhabitants in those cities engaged in gross unnatural sexual acts. (Genesis 19:4-5) As a righteous God, he could not allow those practicing such sinful acts to go unpunished:

Genesis 19:24-25: Then Jehovah made it rain sulfur and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah. It came from the heavens. So God overthrew these cities, yes, the entire district, including all the inhabitants of the cities and the plants of the ground.

Those annihilated in the Flood of Noah’s day, and in Sodom and Gomorrah consists of men, women and children. Yet, Muslims acknowledge the justification of these executions without objection. In fact, both these executions are recognized in the Qur’an as divine judgments of God. More on this in Part Two. In executing the ungodly people in Noah’s day and in Sodom and Gomorrah, God used natural forces to accomplish the task. In contrast, Jehovah assigned the Israelites with the sacred duty of serving as his divine executioners. The result is nonetheless the same. Does it really matter if God had chosen to destroy the Canaanites by some natural forces or through human agencies? The fact that human agencies were used does not in any way diminish the righteousness of that divinely ordained action.

The execution of the Canaanites was purposed for the very same reason as that which was brought upon the people of Noah’s day and the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah. And that is to remove wickedness from earth. But why do we question only the legitimacy of the execution of the Canaanite women and children but not the execution which God carried out against the women and children of Noah’s day or Sodom and Gomorrah? Is it because human agencies were used? Moreover, the scope of the destruction of the Canaanite population is nothing in comparison to the magnitude of the destruction during the time of Noah. Should it be of any concern to us how God carries out his divine judgments against the wicked? What matters is that that justice has been served. Ironically, when humans observe some acts of wickedness, they are quick to complain why God does not act. Yet, these very same humans complain when he does.

Well, why did not Jehovah use natural forces? The reason is because the land of Canaan was promised as an inheritance to the descendants of Abraham. The Israelites had to wait for more than 400 years before God allowed them to take possession of the land. Now that the time had come for the Israelites to occupy that land, would it make sense for God to ruin the land by executing the Canaanites through the forces of nature? Moreover, since the Israelites had already spent a considerable number of years in the hostile wilderness after leaving Egypt, would it be loving for God to give them a land ruined by the forces of nature as their inheritance? Hence, God wisely used human agents to remove those wicked inhabitants of his land. Another vital reason is that by authorizing their participation in the destruction of the Canaanites, God provided a powerful reminder to the Israelites that the same outcome awaits them should they follow the wicked example of the Canaanites.

AN INEVITABLE REALITY

An inevitable reality about the structure of human society is that the actions of one member of a faction can affect the others for good or for bad. The decisions of a ruler will have consequences on the citizens for good or for bad. The decisions of an army commander will have consequences on his soldiers for good or for bad. Likewise, the decisions of parents will have consequences on their children for good or for bad. A good example that confirms this reality is the example of Rahab. Her wise decision saved both her life and the lives of her household. When the time came for the Israelites to conquer the land of Canaan, Joshua remembered the loving kindness that Rahab exercised towards the Israelite spies. And he gave the following instruction to the spies:

Joshua 6:22-23: Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land: “Go into the house of the prostitute and bring out the woman and all who belong to her, just as you swore to her.” So the young spies went in and brought out Rahab, along with her father, her mother, her brothers, and all who belonged to her; yes, they brought out her whole family, and they brought them safely to a place outside the camp of Israel.

Take note of the consequence. The wise decision of Rahab saved her entire family. Similarly, the Gibeonites who acted wisely and independently from the rest of the Canaanites not only saved their own lives but also the lives of their children. Thus, the children benefited from wise decision of the Gibeonite parents. While a child’s dependence on his parents may result in his best interest, it may also turn out to be potentially harmful if the parents decide on a wrong or foolish course of action. As for the Canaanite parents who decided to stay back in defiance instead of fleeing the approaching calamity, their children paid with their lives. The following example demonstrates how parents can become accountable for the lives of their children:

Ezekiel 33:6: “If a watchman sees the sword coming and he does not blow the horn and the people receive no warning and a sword comes and takes the life of one of them, that person will die for his own error, but I will ask his blood back from the watchman.”

Note the principle of accountability in the above verse. The watchman becomes accountable for any loss of lives for his failure to sound the warning. When we apply this principle to the Canaanite family-heads, it implicates the parents for the death of their children. If the father knew that it is safer to flee, then his failure to do so would have brought the blood of his children upon himself. It would be as if it is he who killed his children – regardless of who the actual executioner was. What this basically means is that the Canaanite father who refuses to take his family out of harm’s way is responsible for their deaths. In other words, he is the perpetrator.

Although we have discussed why the execution of the Canaanites was necessary for the salvation of mankind, let us analyze this issue further. This is vital because herein lies the core reason why God found it absolutely necessary to destroy the Canaanites.

THE SALVATION OF MANKIND

The salvation of mankind is very much dependent upon the sanctity of the nation that God had chosen to birth the Messiah. Therefore, to save the world, God had to first save Israel. He had to save Israel from the deadly contamination of the surrounding nations. This is extremely crucial since it is impossible for the birth of the Messiah to occur in a nation who are not worshippers of the true God. That is why Jehovah had to prepare a people to become a holy nation.

This preparatory work began when God made his promise to Abraham. And it progressed right through to the time of Moses when Jehovah gave his holy Laws to the nation of Israel. In addition, God also revealed hundreds of Messianic prophecies so that his worshippers can clearly identify the Messiah when he arrives. One such prophecy is the virgin-birth of Jesus Christ. God had to ensure not only their precise fulfillment but also the precise timing of these prophecies to be fulfilled. This would involve the divine intervention of Jehovah for centuries in the history of mankind – especially that of Israel. Think of the consequences for mankind if the nation that God has chosen to birth the Messiah becomes defiled?

That is why the destruction of the Canaanites became mandatory. God had to preserve Israel to save billions through the redemptive work of the Messiah. What may seem as acts of cruelty are in fact acts of love on the part of God. While the Qur’an recognizes Jesus as the Messiah, it fails to understand the full significance of this title. It fails to understand the purpose behind this title. Only Jesus is identified as such in the Qur’an. Interestingly the Qur’an also records the virgin-birth of Jesus. However, it fails to understand the full significance of this miraculous birth. And it offers no explanation!

The decision of Jehovah to annihilate the Canaanites is comparable to that of a caring surgeon who carefully removes the cancerous cells before they invade and destroy the entire body. To prevent a relapse, it is crucial to destroy every single one of the cancerous cells. Similarly, the removal of the Canaanites has to be equally meticulous even if this means the destruction of women and children. God had to completely destroy the cancerous-like Canaanite population in order to save the rest of the world. The salvation of mankind rests on the birth of the Messiah. And the host nation chosen to birth the Messiah must be free from the cancerous-like contamination of the surrounding Canaanite nations. It was God’s love for mankind that moved him to act in such a strong decisive manner:

John 3:16: “For God loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life.”

It was never the objective of Jehovah to save only the nation of Israel. His divine purpose is to save God-fearing individuals from every tribe, nation and tongue. This undeniable truth is evident right from the very beginning. It is evident in the promise that God made to Abraham:

Genesis 22:18: “And by means of your seed all nations of the earth will certainly bless themselves due to the fact that you have listened to my voice.”

Thus, from the very beginning the divine will of Jehovah is to save all those who are righteously inclined for everlasting life. This means the salvation of millions of righteous men, women and children from “all nations of the earth.” The salvation of these righteous ones from among the nations became a reality after the arrival of the Messiah. Writing after the arrival of the Messiah, the inspired Scriptures state:

Acts 13:48: When those of the nations heard this, they began to rejoice and to glorify the word of Jehovah, and all those who were rightly disposed for everlasting life became believers.

The foundational reason for the sanction of wars in the Hebrew Scriptures is to ensure the salvation of mankind through the birth of the Messiah. In fact, the primary reason for the birth of the nation of Israel itself was to prepare the way for the Messiah. Since Israel must remain holy, it must be protected at all cost from the influence of the Canaanite nations. God knew of the danger. Please read the following verses carefully:

Deuteronomy 20:16-18: It is only of the cities of these peoples that Jehovah your God is giving you as an inheritance that you must not preserve any breathing thing alive, because you should without fail devote them to destruction, the Hittites and the Amorites, the Canaanites and the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, just as Jehovah your God has commanded you; in order that they may not teach you to do according to all their detestable things, which they have done to their gods, and you may indeed sin against Jehovah your God.

The authorization to destroy the Canaanites does not mean that God is cruel any more than a responsible government can be considered cruel for executing those deserving of death. The willingness of Jehovah to intervene in human history shows his great love for mankind. In fact, he does not delight even in the death of a wicked person. That is how far-reaching is his love for mankind:

Ezekiel 18:23: “Do I take any pleasure at all in the death of a wicked person?” declares the Sovereign Lord Jehovah. “Do I not prefer that he turn away from his ways and keep living?”

Yet, as a righteous God, Jehovah cannot remain complacent in the face of evil. While the Bible recognizes that we are all inherently sinful, the sins of the Canaanites were exceedingly evil. If the nature of their sins were comparatively similar to those of ordinary humans, God would not have prevented them from dwelling in the midst the Israelites. How do we know? Jehovah repeatedly commanded the Israelites to show compassion for the alien residents who lived in their midst. The Israelites were never authorized to exterminate them but rather to love and care for them. Consider carefully the following commandment of Jehovah:

Leviticus 19:34:  “If a foreigner resides with you in your land, you must not mistreat him.  The foreigner who resides with you should become like a native among you and you must love him as yourself, for you were foreign residents in the land of Egypt. I am Jehovah your God.”

And the inspired Scriptures of Jehovah also make it explicitly clear how the Israelites should treat the alien resident who dwells in their midst. Like Jehovah, they too must love the alien resident:   

Deuteronomy 10:17-19: For Jehovah your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords. Great, mighty, and fear-inspiring is he, who treats none with partiality nor accepts a bribe. He executes justice for the fatherless child and the widow and loves the alien resident, giving him food and clothing. You too must love the alien resident, for you became alien residents in Egypt.

This proves that the existence of the Canaanites were a serious threat to the sanctity of Israel. God’s salvation plan requires a purified nation to birth the Messiah for the liberation of mankind from sin and death. Jehovah had to act to remove the cancerous obstacle that stands in the way of salvation of the entire human race.

THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF JEHOVAH

The wars that King David fought were sanctioned by Jehovah. God sanctified these wars since they were fought for the preservation of Israel both physically and spiritually for the arrival of the Messiah. Yet, when King David wanted to build the temple of Jehovah, he was prohibited from doing so. Why? Let King David himself explain to us the reason why:

1 Chronicles 28:2-3: Then King David rose to his feet and said: “Hear me, my brothers and my people. It was my heart’s desire to build a house as the resting-place for the Ark of the Covenant of Jehovah and as the footstool of our God, and I made preparations to build. But the true God told me, ‘You will not build a house for my name, for you are a man of wars, and you have shed blood.’”

It is really amazing to learn the reason for the prohibition. God revealed to King David that it was because he was a “man of wars” who “have shed blood.” Even though the wars that King David fought were for the cause of Jehovah, it still disqualified him from building the temple of God. It is vital to note that it was Jehovah who disqualified him. What do we learn from this? It reveals the true position of Jehovah towards war. And it also proves that Jehovah does not glorify war. Wars were an inconvenient necessity in the hands of our loving Creator.

The authorization to wage wars was unique in the history of God’s people. And it was never to be repeated again. This is clearly evident by the fact that after the arrival of the Messiah, the commandment to wage wars was no longer in force for the worshippers of Jehovah. Christians are not only forbidden to engage in warfare but also commanded to “love their enemies.” Even before the coming of Christianity, Jehovah clearly revealed in the Old Testament his ultimate objective for his worshippers regarding warfare. He prophetically spoke of the time when true worshippers will neither engage in wars nor learn warfare anymore:

Isaiah 2:2-4: In the final part of the days, the mountain of the house of Jehovah will become firmly established above the top of the mountains. And to it all the nations will stream. And many say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will instruct us about his ways and we will walk in his paths. He will render judgment among the nations and set matters straight respecting many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning shears. Nation will not lift up sword against nation nor will they learn war anymore.”

This is the objective of Jehovah. And true to this prophecy, genuine worshippers of Jehovah live by this divine standard today. They do not engage in warfare, no matter in which part of the world they live. And they remain completely neutral in worldly conflicts.

Wars became a harsh necessity to protect the nation of Israel until the arrival of the Messiah. Everything hinges on the coming of the Messiah. In fact, the very first prophecy that Jehovah proclaimed after the first human pair sinned against God highlights the vital role of the Messiah. Addressing Satan, Jehovah uttered the following prophecy:

Genesis 3:15: “And I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your seed and her seed. He will crush your head, and you will strike him in the heel.”

The salvation of mankind rests entirely upon this promised Seed. And as we have learned, this Seed is none other than Jesus Christ. For God to send his Holy Son into this world there must be a Holy Nation to receive him. Canaan was clearly a threat to the purity of Israel. Thus, the annihilation of the Canaanites was crucial for God to send his only-begotten Son into the world so that we might gain life through him:

1 John 4:9-10: By this the love of God was revealed in our case, that God sent his only-begotten Son into the world so that we might gain life through him. The love is in this respect, not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a propitiatory sacrifice for our sins.

Of course, all these divine truths make no sense to Muslims. Why? To answer this, let us consider a vital condition that is absolutely mandatory to worship the true God acceptably:

John 4:24: God is a Spirit and those worshipping him must worship with spirit and truth.

To worship God acceptably we must worship him with “spirit and truth.” This is only possible if we truly become a spiritual person. Only a spiritual person will be able to discern the deep divine truths of God. Lovingly, God has provided his inspired Scriptures to guide us to attain this divine quality. Well, can the Qur’an guide a Muslim to become a spiritual person? In other words, can it guide an individual Muslim to become a spiritual person so that he or she will be able to understand and perceive the deep divine truths of God?

How can the Qur’an do so when the very word “spiritual” or “spirituality” does not appear even once in the entire Qur’an? Can a book as deficient as this help Muslims to understand the deep spiritual truths of God? To understand the absurdity of this, imagine buying a book that is supposed to teach you how to play Tennis. Yet, not once does the word “Tennis” appear in the entire book. This is the same with the Qur’an. This is precisely the reason for the inability of Muslims to understand deep spiritual truths such as why the coming of the Messiah is vital for our salvation. They simply cannot understand why the redemption of mankind from sin and death is only possible through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Such teachings are foolishness to them:

1 Corinthians 2:14: But a physical man does not receive the things of the spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him and he cannot get to know them, because they are examined spiritually.

Please read the following verses carefully to understand why Muslims are simply unable to perceive the deep things of God:

1 Corinthians 2:10-13: For it is to us God has revealed them through his spirit, for the spirit searches into all things, even the deep things of God. No one has come to know the things of God except the spirit of God. Now we received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit that is from God, so that we might know the things that have been kindly given to us by God. These things we speak, not with words taught by human wisdom, but with those taught by the spirit, as we explain spiritual matters with spiritual words.

In order for Muslims to escape this mental darkness and appreciate the divine teachings of God, it is absolutely mandatory for them to leave the cult of Islam. They must turn to Jehovah for their spiritual enlightenment. They must turn to Jehovah for their eternal salvation. We conclude this article by expressing how blessed we are to worship Jehovah the God of Justice:

Romans 9:14: What are we to say, then? Is there injustice with God? Certainly not!

We must be extremely thankful to Jehovah for everything that he has done for our salvation. Amen and Amen.

EDITOR’S NOTE: We strongly encourage you to read Part Two of this article. We have specifically written this succeeding article to provide irrefutable evidences to prove it is not Jehovah but Allah who authorizes Genocide in the Qur’an. The information provided in this article will silence the Muslims who criticize the God of the Bible. To access Part Two, please click the following link: THE AUTHORIZATION OF GENOCIDE IN ISLAM

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