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Writer's pictureBible Brian

About that so-called "genocide" in the Bible


Unbelievers (atheists in particular) often ask us about the alleged "genocide" in the Bible. This emotionally charged word allows these unbelievers to claim that God, if He is real, is evil, and thus not worthy of worship. Is this a legitimate charge? Does God really commit genocide?

There are two very important things to consider when asking this question. The first is that God does not see race as we do. The second is that God is not bound to human rules. Rather the opposite is the case. Human rules are bound to God.


First, God is what is commonly referred to as a Young Earth Creationist. That is, He intended the book of Genesis to be interpreted as a historical narrative. It records the actual origins of the human race. This is very important, because it means there is actually no way for God to commit actual genocide without wiping out the entire human race. Yet, He has never done that, and will never do that.

What God does do is divide the human race into nations. Groups of people inhabiting set borders, usually descending from a single patriarch. Israel is an obvious example, as they descend from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Abraham and Isaac both had other sons, who also have/had a nation descend from them. The thing about nations is that God raises, lowers, and even in some cases destroys them according to His purposes. And He has every right to do so.


See, this world belongs to Him. It is His right to dictate who is allowed to live in it, where, when, and under what terms. It is also His right to determine the consequences for when those terms are violated. This is where the alleged "genocide" comes in. See, the nations God destroyed were filled with all kinds of iniquity. Such iniquity that, in some cases, it took 400 years to reach its height. The former inhabitants of Israel would do some very horrible things, both to their enemies, and even to their own children. They committed abominable acts. Communication with spirits, sex with animals, sacrificing their children to false gods, God hated all these acts, and yet they were taking place at a national level. Thus, it was time to fulfil His promise to Abraham that his descendants would inherit this land.


In effect, a Godly judgement of this sort can be seen as an eviction and a court summons (death is not the end; those who die in the flesh survive in the spirit, and are judged by God, receiving full and perfect justice for their lives). The former inhabitants of Israel could have just fled. There was no command to pursue them across the globe, just to get rid of them in the land. Those who chose to stay behind and die, God had the right to kill. He gave them their life, He can take it back. God gave them their land, He can take them out of it and give it to someone else. It's His prerogative.

Ultimately, far from being genocidal, God is a just judge. Death is the penalty for sin, and those who receive it have no right to object. Life is a gift God owes no one, and those who receive it should praise Him endlessly. There is no genocide in the Bible. There is only the justice and mercy of God.

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