Joshua 10: 40-43

40 So Joshua subdued the whole region, including the hill country, the Negev, the western foothills and the mountain slopes, together with all their kings. He left no survivors. He totally destroyed all who breathed, just as the Lord, the God of Israel, had commanded. 41 Joshua subdued them from Kadesh Barnea to Gaza and from the whole region of Goshen to Gibeon. 42 All these kings and their lands Joshua conquered in one campaign, because the Lord, the God of Israel, fought for Israel.43 Then Joshua returned with all Israel to the camp at Gilgal.

Today’s title is “Why Did God Destroy All Who Breathed?”

Christianity has a very high morality. It teaches believers to be good citizens and good neighbors. It also has a higher standard of personal morality. The bible tells us not to steal, not to lie, not to be adulterous. Bible tells us to love our enemies as well as neighbors. As far as I know, no other religion has higher morality than Christianity. Although morality is emphasized highly in Christian life, Christianity has far greater values than morality. We see one of the greater values than morality in today’s passage. Today’s passage shows a snapshot of what Joshua has done in the campaign of Canaan. He subdued the whole region. He defeated all the kings in the region. Then one sentence in the snapshot might surprise highly moralistic readers. It says, “He left no survivors.”. It goes on to say “He totally destroyed all who breathed.” What would surprise moralist people, even more, is that Joshua did this “just as the Lord, the God of Israel, had commanded.”. So it was indeed God who commanded such cruel annihilation of the conquered land. “Is this indeed the same God who told us to love even our enemies?” one might ask. Yes, it is indeed the same God. Yes, our God even loves the rebellious sinners. At the same time, He is God who sent the fire and brimstone to the unrepentant Sodom and Gomora. He is a sovereign God and the ultimate judge. Then, someone might say, “But the places that Joshua conquered must have many innocent lives in it. How could God command them to kill those innocent lives such as babies and animals?” This is a hard question to explain. So some in the early churches deny the authenticity of such stories and rejected the old testament as unreliable They said, “God cannot be so cruel as to kill innocent lives.” What do you think? We all understand where they came from. But who are they to judge God? It seems that they are more loving than God. Can they be? I don’t think so. Yes, we also feel that it is horrible that all who breathed die with no survivors left. But when the horrible act is done by the most trustworthy one, do you deny him instantly for it or ask why? We shouldn’t rashly reject what God does base on our feelings. I believe God wants us to ask why. I think I hear some answers to our question from other parts of the bible. “Would I be happy doing this? I don’t take joy when a sinner dies in sin. If it is a hear-breaking for man, my heart breaks even more.” Then why? I believe the answer is “for you to be free from sin”. “I will do even worse cruelty if it is to set you free from the sin. I will crucify my only son, the only sinless one in the whole universe.” And He did it at the Calvary. What will you say? I think I will just sit my mouth shut before God.