The God of Israel is sometimes criticized as being a cruel God for instructing Israel to destroy utterly the inhabitants of Canaan as they entered the Promised Land. Superficially, this criticism may appear to be justified. The searching question is asked, Is this the manner of a loving and compassionate God? Surprisingly to many, the answer must be, Yes, it is, and the discoveries of archaeologists show us why the Canaanites had to be destroyed.
When Abraham arrived in the land, although he had been definitely promised it by Almighty God, he did not receive it, nor did his descendants for several centuries afterwards. Why? “for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full” (Genesis 15:16). What was the iniquity of the Amorites?
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Author: John V. Collyer
Keywords: Canaanites, Canaanite Genocide, Genocide, genocidal, genocidal God, Utter destruction, Annihilation, utterly destroy, utterly destroyed, exterminate, extermination, destroy utterly, total destruction, totally wipe out, wipe out, wipe out the Canaanites, totally destroy, ethnic cleansing, wiping out the Canaanites, violence, violent God, God of love, Racial extermination
Bible reference(s): Exodus 23:23, Num 21:2-3, Deu 2:34, Deu 3:6, Deu 7:2, Deu 13:15, Deu 20:17, Numbers 33:52, Deuteronomy 12:2, Deuteronomy 20:16-17, Jos 2:10, Joshua 3:10, Jos 2:10, Jos 6:21, Jos 8:26, Jos 10, Jos 11, Joshua 16:10, Joshua 17:16, Jdg 1:17, Jdg 21:11, 1Sa 15:3, 1Sa 15:8-9, 1Sa 15:15, 1Sa 15:18, 1Sa 15:20-21, 1Ki 9:21, 1Ki 20:42, 1Ch 4:41, 2Ch 20:23, 2Ch 31:1, 2Ch 32:14
Source: The Testimony, February 1995, pg. 72.
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