Is God Cruel?
Analysis of Deuteronomy 7:1-2
It’s not uncommon to hear a non-Christian say, “The God I see in the Bible is cruel. The Old Testament is full of wars and cruelty. How can you believe in a God who would command His people to annihilate another nation?” If the unbeliever you are talking to happens to know some Scripture, he/she will turn your attention to Deuteronomy 7. As Moses gives final instructions to the people of Israel, he warns them about the inclination to partial obedience. God’s commands were clear. They were to take the land showing no mercy for those who stood in their way. So, how do we explain Deuteronomy 7:1-2? Does this passage display a side of God that makes him unworthy of our worship? Here’s what the passage says;
"When the Lord your God brings you into the land that you are entering to take possession of it, and clears away many nations before you, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations more numerous and mightier than yourselves, and when the Lord your God gives them over to you, and you defeat them, then you must devote them to complete destruction. You shall make no covenant with them and show no mercy to them.”
Deuteronomy 7:1-2
There are some foundational principles that need to be considered before looking at the text. First, in a fallen world, war is sometimes a necessity. God is not responsible for war. Wars are fought due to selfish (and sometimes evil) intentions. Historically, nations survive based upon their strong defenses. Second, God deals with us as we are. Why? Because we are created "in the image of God." Therefore, we are morally responsible for the decisions and behaviors we implement. If you say, "If I were God, I would simply stop such a world and start over", you would be guilty of cruelty. To stop and re-create would involve total annihilation of all humanity. Because God is gracious and sovereign, He accomplishes His plan in such a way that our responsibility is unimpaired, while at the same time, giving us opportunities to witness His greatness and bow before Him. He is not obligated to be so gracious. We deserve nothing but annihilation from Him. Yet, He is infinitely wise and loving, providing ample opportunities to turn to Him. Third, a distinction needs to be made between "atrocities" and "just punishments." An "atrocity" according to the dictionary is "an extremely wicked, brutal, cruel, or barbaric act." It is an act carried out with evil intentions. A "just punishment" does not fall into that category. It is the consequence of breaking certain rules, or laws, or morals. Can a punishment be cruel? The answer is "yes." What would make it so? The primary element would be the "driving motivation" of the punisher. If he is inflicting pain from sinister motives, that becomes an atrocity. For example, the death penalty is a just punishment for capital crimes in many states. However, if that punishment starts by driving bamboo reeds underneath the fingernails, followed by setting the prisoner’s feet on fire while "clubbing" him in the torso, that qualifies as an atrocity. You may not agree with the death penalty; however, you would readily admit it is an accepted "just punishment" when done humanely. "Just punishment" can never be labeled "atrocity", if it is carried out under the law and within the bounds of proper motivation.
What is the context of Deuteronomy 7:1-2?
Moses is giving his final instructions to the people before they enter the promised land. That land is inhabited by people stronger than they are. Remember, this is the land promised to Abraham, a land he occupied for a period of time, a land they temporarily left because of a famine, a land they could not return to because of being enslaved by the Egyptians for over 400 years. God is now fulfilling His promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob by bringing the Israelites back into the land of Canaan (7:8).
Why would God order complete destruction (man, woman, child, pagan gods) of these various peoples? First, in establishing their nation it was imperative that all idolatrous influences be erased. Israel was a "city set on a hill." She was to reflect God’s truth to the rest of the world. Her purity and obedience to God’s laws were essential. There had to be a complete separation from false practices and religions. Second, the heathen Canaanites who dwelt in the area were guilty of gross sins and suffered a "just punishment." Not only were they guilty of active hatred toward God in the days of the Israelites (7:10), they had piled up considerable violations over their histories. When Moses gave instructions to the Israelites, he warned them of pride over their victories by saying, " Do not say in your heart, after the Lord your God has thrust them out before you, ‘It is because of my righteousness that the Lord has brought me in to possess this land’, whereas it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is driving them out before you. Not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart are you going in to possess their land, but because of the wickedness of these nations the Lord your God is driving them out from before you, and that he may confirm the word that the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob" (Deuteronomy 9:4-5). So, there is no injustice or cruelty on the part of God. You may not agree with the punishment (as you might not with capital punishment), but there is nothing cruel or arbitrary about God’s actions. Some respond, "Well, why the children? That sounds cruel to me." While I can’t give a completely satisfactory answer, I can point to the intense hatred Muslim children have for the free world. Many children have taken American lives driven by this hatred. Would you shoot a 10-year-old who was going to shoot you? What we know about those heathen nations is their barbaric natures in dealing with their enemies.
So, this passage magnifies God’s justice, love, and wisdom. His justice is magnified in carrying out the "just punishment" for sins. His love is magnified in that He gave these nations several generations to repent of their actions, but, they did not. From the text we know they actively hated God. Yet, God allow them to survive for many years. God’s wisdom is magnified in that He can accomplish His plan without suppressing moral responsibility or legitimate judgment.
