What Kind of God Would Sanction the Killing of Women and Children?

Let me tell you about my father. When I was young, he regularly left my mother and us three kids to fend for ourselves. I was there when he killed a helpless animal with his bare hands. Not only that, but he hit me (often). Based on this information, you could be justified in believing that my father was a tyrant. However, there is some missing information. The reason he left us each day was to work to earn money to provide food, clothing, and shelter for us. He killed the animal because it had been hit by a car and was in agony. He put it out of its misery, and it grieved him to do so. He regularly chastened me because he loved me enough to teach me right from wrong (I was a brat).

So, now you can have a balanced view of my dad. He was a loving father and a very compassionate man.

One view of God from the Bible can paint Him to be a cruel tyrant, but in the entirety of Scripture we see a different picture. God bestowed life on each of us. Think of what He did for you. He gave you life itself, eyes to see with, ears to hear beautiful music, and taste buds to enjoy delicious food. He created the blueness of the sky and the awe of a sunset. He gave you a nose to smell the fragrance of flowers. He lavished you with His kindness. He didn’t treat you according to your sins, but has shown incredible mercy to you in allowing you to live this far. In addition, He became a Man in Jesus Christ, in whom we see the most compassionate, loving Person who ever lived. Then He demonstrated His love for us by suffering unspeakably and dying for our sins.

With that extra knowledge, it’s easy for me to look at anything God did and say, “All His judgments are true and righteous altogether” (Psalms 19:9). Some will say, “But He instigated the deaths of men, women, and children!” Yes, and He did that with the whole of humanity. The Judge of the universe said, “The soul who sins shall die” (Ezekiel 18:4). God proclaimed the death sentence on every man, woman, and child. But this same God of justice is rich in mercy and will grant everlasting life to every man, woman, and child who will humble themselves, repent of their sin, and trust in Jesus Christ.

Excerpted from The Evidence Bible.