Why are the enemies of God destroyed?

[Hobie]

We see it over and over, a destruction of people much like we see even today as in Hamas in Gaza. But why, the Bible gives a hint.

Deuteronomy 20:16-18
16 But in the cities of these peoples that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance, you shall save alive nothing that breathes, 17 but you shall devote them to complete destruction, the Hittites and the Amorites, the Canaanites and the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, as the Lord your God has commanded, 18 that they may not teach you to do according to all their abominable practices that they have done for their gods, and so you sin against the Lord your God.

And yet we also see this..

Jonah 3:10
And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.
Can that happen today?

 

[bobinfaith]

Good morning, Hobie;

I gave thought to what you posted this morning. God's breaking the "ites" in Deuteronomy because they chose to worship other gods and practice horrible abominations and destruction to His people in His sight.

This could very well be a Bible hint of the future of Hamas. What is their public confession of an ultimate goal? To destroy Israel's people (God's people) and replace as an Islamic Palestinian state.

In Jonah it seemed an impossibility that Ninevah could turn from their evil ways and repent. They did.
I believe repentance and turning from evil ways is and can happen in these times.

Sad, but the focus is too much on evil that gets reported and entertained more than love, peace and the Gospel Fluency in the world that brings glory to God.

These are my thoughts and prayers. Please share as I'm also learning.

God bless you, Hobie.

bobinfaith

 

[David]

Can that happen today?

When we look at it through the lens of Scripture, the picture becomes real clear.

When people or nations keep walking in rebellion, violence, and hatred, God eventually says, “Enough.” Proverbs 29:1 puts it straight: “He who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck, will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.” God’s mercy is wide, but it’s not endless. His patience has a purpose, to lead to repentance, not to let evil keep on running.

If Hamas keeps choosing the same path of terror and bloodshed, the Bible says exactly what the outcome will be. Psalm 7:15–16 paints it vividly: “He made a pit and dug it out, and has fallen into the ditch which he made. His mischief shall return upon his own head.” You can’t plant seeds of death and expect a harvest of peace.

Isaiah 13:11 says, “I will punish the world for its evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogance of the proud to cease.” That means when people glorify sin and mock God’s law, they write their own sentence. God will always humbles the proud and unmasks evil in His timing.

Unless there’s real repentance, the end will be the same as every unrepentant people in Scripture: collapse and judgment. But there is grace, God still leaves the door open for anyone who will turn to Him.

Psalm 9:16 says, “The Lord is known by the judgment He executes; the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands.” Justice will come, but mercy is still available for those who are willing to bow before it does.

So, “Can that happen today?” I think the hate runs very deep in Hamas, but we can always be hopeful.

The people of Nineveh did repent in Jonah’s day and God withheld the coming judgment. Jonah 3:10 states, “God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that He had said that He would do unto them; and He did it not.” God was merciful to that generation because they turned from their wickedness and humbled themselves before God.

However, only about a hundred years later their children returned to the same evil practices.

 

[Hobie]

That 'however' is telling, as we are getting to the same place it appears.