Numbers 31-32 | How Can A Loving God Kill So Many People?

In the book of Numbers chapters 31-32, the Israelites are commanded to go to war against the Midianites who had deceived them and caused them to sin. God commands them to kill all the men, women and children of Midian and to take plunder for themselves. This has raised questions about the morality of God's commands and whether it contradicts his nature of love and mercy.

One perspective is that God's command to kill the Midianites was a demonstration of his holiness and justice. The Midianites had led the Israelites into sin and were a threat to their relationship with God. God's command to eliminate them was a way to protect the Israelites from further corruption and to uphold his holiness and righteousness. It was also a warning to other nations not to mess with God's people.

Another perspective is that the accounts of mass killings in the Old Testament could be hyperbole or exaggerated for rhetorical purposes. While the Bible is the inspired Word of God, the way it communicates certain events and numbers may not be intended to be taken literally. The goal of these accounts may be to convey a moral message or spiritual truth rather than a historical fact. Some of the people groups that were supposedly eliminated, are mentioned later in the Old Testament. This suggests that they may not have been completely wiped out, or that the language used to describe their destruction may have been hyperbolic or symbolic.

Some scholars suggest that the language of complete destruction in these accounts was not intended to be taken literally, but rather to convey the idea of total devastation and defeat. The destruction of these nations may have been partial or limited, and their continued presence in later biblical narratives may reflect their surviving remnants or influence.

Regardless of one's perspective on these accounts, it is important to remember that God is always just and loving, and his actions in the Old Testament are consistent with his character. We may not always understand the reasons behind his commands, but we can trust that he is always working for the good of his people and for his ultimate purposes. Ultimately, the details and complexities of these accounts are open to interpretation and debate. However, it is important to approach them with humility, sensitivity, and a commitment to understanding the character and purposes of God as revealed in Scripture.

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