{"id":3527,"date":"2014-09-28T23:06:32","date_gmt":"2014-09-29T03:06:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/?p=3527"},"modified":"2017-05-24T20:38:06","modified_gmt":"2017-05-25T00:38:06","slug":"israel-as-gods-agent-of-judgment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/2014\/09\/israel-as-gods-agent-of-judgment.html","title":{"rendered":"Israel as God’s Chosen Agent of Wrath and Judgment"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\"Assyrians\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Possible depiction of Jehu King of Israel giving tribute to King Shalmaneser III of Assyria, on the\u00a0Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser III<\/span>\u00a0from Nimrud (c. 827 B. C.)<\/span> [Wikimedia Commons<\/a> \/\u00a0Creative Commons<\/a>\u00a0Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported<\/a>\u00a0license]<\/span><\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

One of the most poorly understood aspects of the Old Testament (hence brought up a lot to us apologists) are the wars where God tells the Israelites to slay every man, woman, and child. This is seen as the equivalent of the evil massacres such as we see today. They are not at all.<\/p>\n

What is missed is that these are instances of God\u2019s judgment upon the particular nations involved, since they have reached an apex of wickedness and point of no return. God then uses the Jews as His agent of judgment. When they messed up and rebelled, they were judged as well: by the Egyptians, by the Assyrians and Babylonians, and later the Romans. But their judgment wasn\u2019t to annihilation, because they were still His chosen people, to bring His message of grace and salvation to all of mankind.<\/p>\n

Now, here is a quick proof of this: the key verse of which just happened to catch my eye today, while looking for something else. The Hebrews \/ Israelites \/ Jews were to inherit the Promised Land. In order to do that, they had to drive out several nation-states that inhabited it already. Here is what God said to Abraham, when He told him he was to be a great father of nations:<\/p>\n

Genesis 15: 13-16<\/strong> (RSV) Then the LORD said to Abram, \u201cKnow of a surety that your descendants will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs, and will be slaves there, and they will be oppressed for four hundred years; [14] but I will bring judgment on the nation which they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions. [15] As for yourself, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried in a good old age. [16] And they shall come back here in the fourth generation; for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.\u201d<\/p>\n

See that last word, \u201ccomplete\u201d? That goes with \u201ciniquity.\u201d The idea was that the wickedness of the Amorites would not yet reach its fullness \u2014 be \u201ccomplete\u201d \u2014 till another four generations (roughly 120-160 years). At that time, in God\u2019s Providence they were to be judged, and that was by the Jews as God\u2019s agent of judgment, when they took over their land. God thus accomplishes two things: judges one nation and gives to another the land He promised to them. Both things are just and righteous. God has the right to utterly judge and kill even a whole nation because He is the creator, and gave moral standards to men, that they fully know from conscience, even prior to receiving revelation.<\/p>\n

God makes it quite clear in many passages, that HE is the one acting: driving our and\/or destroying nations. The Jews were just His vessels (Ex 23:23; 33:2; 34:11; Dt 7:1; 31:4; Josh 3:10; 10:12; 24:8, 18; 1 Ki 21:26; many more). Because He is the one judging wicked nations; therefore He gives orders like the following:<\/p>\n

Deuteronomy 20:16-17<\/strong> But in the cities of these peoples that the LORD your God gives you for an inheritance, you shall save alive nothing that breathes, [17] but you shall utterly destroy them, the Hittites and the Amorites, the Canaanites and the Per\u2019izzites, the Hivites and the Jeb\u2019usites, as the LORD your God has commanded;<\/p>\n

God also makes it clear that this is not because the Jews were inherently superior to the nations being judged:<\/p>\n

Deuteronomy<\/strong>\u00a09:3-6<\/strong> Know therefore this day that he who goes over before you as a devouring fire is the LORD your God; he will destroy them and subdue them before you; so you shall drive them out, and make them perish quickly, as the LORD has promised you. [4] \u201cDo not say in your heart, after the LORD your God has thrust them out before you, `It is because of my righteousness that the LORD has brought me in to possess this land\u2019; whereas it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD is driving them out before you. [5] Not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart are you going in to possess their land; but because of the wickedness of these nations the LORD your God is driving them out from before you, and that he may confirm the word which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.\u00a0[6] \u201cKnow therefore, that the LORD your God is not giving you this good land to possess because of your righteousness; for you are a stubborn people.\u201d<\/p>\n

These nations are judged \u201cbecause of . . . wickedness\u201d (Dt. 9:4-5), and the exact time is foreknown by God: precisely when their \u201ciniquity . . . is . . . complete\u201d (Gen 15:16).<\/p>\n

How much is in a word! \u201cComplete\u201d in context here says it all . . . But one must understand beforehand basic \u201ctheology of God\u201d concepts such as Providence, foreknowledge, and God\u2019s prerogative of judging nations for sin, via secondary agents. On a few occasions, God basically acts alone in judgment: such as Sodom and Gomorrah, which were destroyed (Gen 19:24-25) because not even ten righteous people could be found in them (Gen 18:20-21, 32). But even here, the Bible informs us that two angels assist in destroying them (Gen 19:1, 13).<\/p>\n

For further reading on this vexed topic:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Difficulties\u00a0in\u00a0Understanding\u00a0God\u2019s\u00a0Judgment\u00a0on\u00a0Heathen\u00a0Nations\u00a0(and\u00a0other\u00a0\u201cProblem\u00a0Passages\u201d\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0OT)<\/a><\/p>\n

The\u00a0Judgment\u00a0of\u00a0Nations:\u00a0Biblical\u00a0Passages\u00a0and\u00a0Commentary<\/a><\/p>\n

Reflections\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0Catholic\u00a0Viewpoint\u00a0on\u00a0Original\u00a0Sin\u00a0and\u00a0God\u2019s\u00a0Prerogative\u00a0to\u00a0Judge\u00a0and\u00a0Take\u00a0Human\u00a0Life\u00a0as\u00a0He\u00a0Wills\u00a0(Even,\u00a0Sometimes,\u00a0Entire\u00a0Nations)<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cHow\u00a0Can\u00a0God\u00a0[in\u00a0the\u00a0OT]\u00a0Order\u00a0the\u00a0Killing\u00a0and\u00a0Massacre\u00a0of\u00a0Innocents?\u201d\u00a0[Amalekites,\u00a0etc.]<\/a><\/p>\n

Did\u00a0Moses\u00a0(and\u00a0God)\u00a0Sin\u00a0In\u00a0Judging\u00a0the\u00a0Midianites\u00a0(Numbers\u00a031)?<\/a><\/p>\n

Exodus 20:5: God\u2019s \u201cPunishing\u201d or \u201cVisiting\u201d Descendants \u201cto the Third and Fourth Generation\u201d: Proof of an \u201cUnjust\u201d God or Biblical \u201cContradiction\u201d?<\/a><\/p>\n

Did God Harden Pharaoh\u2019s Heart? (Does God Positively Ordain Evil?)<\/a>\u00a0(vs. [atheist] \u201cDagoodS\u201d)<\/span><\/p>\n

NOTE<\/strong>: This topic is too emotional for most people to discuss with objectivity (it\u2019s right up there with hell); therefore, I have closed the comments. The \u00a0excessively emotional comments \/ queries that were formerly here have been replied to already in one or more of the above papers.I urge anyone who has questions about these matters to read some of the papers above.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Possible depiction of Jehu King of Israel giving tribute to King Shalmaneser III of Assyria, on the\u00a0Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser III\u00a0from Nimrud (c. 827 B. C.) [Wikimedia Commons \/\u00a0Creative Commons\u00a0Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported\u00a0license] *** One of the most poorly understood aspects of the Old Testament (hence brought up a lot to us apologists) are the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2331,"featured_media":3529,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[448,172],"tags":[800,799,796,798,797,224,795],"class_list":["post-3527","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-jews-judaism-old-testament","category-trinitarianism-christology","tag-ancient-israel","tag-chosen-people","tag-god-as-judge","tag-gods-indignation","tag-gods-wrath","tag-judgment","tag-judgment-of-nations"],"yoast_head":"\nIsrael as God's Chosen Agent of Wrath and Judgment<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"What is missed is that these are instances of God's judgment upon wicked particular nations. 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Formerly a campus missionary, as a Protestant, Dave was received into the Catholic Church in February 1991, by the late, well-known catechist and theologian, Fr. John A. Hardon, S. J. Dave\u2019s articles have appeared in many influential Catholic periodicals, including \\\"This Rock\\\" (now called \\\"Catholic Answers Magazine\\\"), \\\"Envoy Magazine\\\" (Patrick Madrid), \\\"The Catholic Answer,\\\" \\\"The Coming Home Journal,\\\" \\\"Gilbert Magazine\\\" (American Chesterton Society), and \\\"The Latin Mass.\\\" He also writes a featured column for every issue of \\\"The Michigan Catholic\\\": published by the archdiocese of Detroit, and was editor for most of the apologetics tracts published by the St. Paul Street Evangelization apostolate. Dave\u2019s apologetics and writing apostolate was the subject of a feature article in the May 2002 issue of \\\"Envoy Magazine.\\\" He served as the staff moderator at the Internet discussion forum for The Coming Home Network, from 2007-2010. Dave has been interviewed on many nationally syndicated Catholic radio shows, including \\\"Catholic Answers Live\\\" (twice), \\\"Faith and Family Live\\\" (Steve Wood), \\\"Kresta in the Afternoon,\\\" \\\"Son Rise Morning Show,\\\" \\\"Catholic Connection\\\" (Teresa Tomeo), and \\\"The Catholics Next Door.\\\" His large and popular website, \\\"Biblical Evidence for Catholicism,\\\" was online from March 1997 to March 2007, and received the 1998 Catholic Website of the Year award from \\\"Envoy Magazine.\\\" His blog of the same name (now transferred to Patheos), begun in February 2004, contains more than 1,500 papers, at least 500 debates or dialogues, and over 50 distinct \\\"index\\\" web pages. Unsolicited correspondence has indicated many hundreds of conversions (or returns) to the Catholic faith as a result, by God's grace, of these writings. Dave's conversion story was published in the bestselling book \\\"Surprised by Truth\\\" (edited by Patrick Madrid; San Diego: Basilica Press, 1994). Sophia Institute Press has published six of his books: \\\"A Biblical Defense of Catholicism\\\" (Foreword by Fr. John A. Hardon, S. J., 1996 \/ 2003), \\\"The Catholic Verses\\\" (2004), \\\"The One-Minute Apologist\\\" (2007), \\\"Bible Proofs for Catholic Truths\\\" (2009), \\\"The Quotable Newman\\\" (editor: 2012), and \\\"Proving the Catholic Faith is Biblical\\\" (2015). He is co-author (with Dr. Paul Thigpen) of the inserts for \\\"The New Catholic Answer Bible\\\" (Our Sunday Visitor: 2005), and editor for \\\"The Wisdom of Mr. Chesterton: The Very Best Quotes, Quips, and Cracks from the Pen of G. K. Chesterton\\\" (Saint Benedict Press \/ TAN Books: 2009). \\\"100 Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura\\\" was published by Catholic Answers in May 2012. His \\\"Quotable Wesley\\\" compilation was published by (Protestant \/ Wesleyan publisher) Beacon Hill Press in April 2014. Several of his 49 books are bestsellers in their field. Dave maintains a popular personal Facebook page, a Facebook author page, and has a Twitter account as well. He offers almost all of his books in e-book form on his own Biblical Catholicism site (http:\/\/biblicalcatholicism.com\/), at a permanent deep discount: only $2.99 for ePub, mobi, and AZW, and $1.99 for PDF. His writing has been enthusiastically endorsed or recommended by many leading Catholic apologists, authors, and priests, including Dr. Scott Hahn, Fr. Peter M. J. Stravinskas, Marcus Grodi, Patrick Madrid, Steve Ray, Tim Staples, Devin Rose, Mike Aquilina, Al Kresta, Karl Keating, Fr. Dwight Longenecker, Brandon Vogt, Marcellino D'Ambrosio, and Fr. John A. Hardon, S. J. Dave has been happily married to his wife Judy since October 1984. They have three sons and a daughter, and reside in southeast Michigan (metro Detroit).\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/biblicalcatholicism.com\/\",\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dave.armstrong.798\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@LuxVeritatisApologetics\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/author\/davearmstrong\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Israel as God's Chosen Agent of Wrath and Judgment","description":"What is missed is that these are instances of God's judgment upon wicked particular nations. 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Formerly a campus missionary, as a Protestant, Dave was received into the Catholic Church in February 1991, by the late, well-known catechist and theologian, Fr. John A. Hardon, S. J. Dave\u2019s articles have appeared in many influential Catholic periodicals, including \"This Rock\" (now called \"Catholic Answers Magazine\"), \"Envoy Magazine\" (Patrick Madrid), \"The Catholic Answer,\" \"The Coming Home Journal,\" \"Gilbert Magazine\" (American Chesterton Society), and \"The Latin Mass.\" He also writes a featured column for every issue of \"The Michigan Catholic\": published by the archdiocese of Detroit, and was editor for most of the apologetics tracts published by the St. Paul Street Evangelization apostolate. Dave\u2019s apologetics and writing apostolate was the subject of a feature article in the May 2002 issue of \"Envoy Magazine.\" He served as the staff moderator at the Internet discussion forum for The Coming Home Network, from 2007-2010. Dave has been interviewed on many nationally syndicated Catholic radio shows, including \"Catholic Answers Live\" (twice), \"Faith and Family Live\" (Steve Wood), \"Kresta in the Afternoon,\" \"Son Rise Morning Show,\" \"Catholic Connection\" (Teresa Tomeo), and \"The Catholics Next Door.\" His large and popular website, \"Biblical Evidence for Catholicism,\" was online from March 1997 to March 2007, and received the 1998 Catholic Website of the Year award from \"Envoy Magazine.\" His blog of the same name (now transferred to Patheos), begun in February 2004, contains more than 1,500 papers, at least 500 debates or dialogues, and over 50 distinct \"index\" web pages. Unsolicited correspondence has indicated many hundreds of conversions (or returns) to the Catholic faith as a result, by God's grace, of these writings. Dave's conversion story was published in the bestselling book \"Surprised by Truth\" (edited by Patrick Madrid; San Diego: Basilica Press, 1994). Sophia Institute Press has published six of his books: \"A Biblical Defense of Catholicism\" (Foreword by Fr. John A. Hardon, S. J., 1996 \/ 2003), \"The Catholic Verses\" (2004), \"The One-Minute Apologist\" (2007), \"Bible Proofs for Catholic Truths\" (2009), \"The Quotable Newman\" (editor: 2012), and \"Proving the Catholic Faith is Biblical\" (2015). He is co-author (with Dr. Paul Thigpen) of the inserts for \"The New Catholic Answer Bible\" (Our Sunday Visitor: 2005), and editor for \"The Wisdom of Mr. Chesterton: The Very Best Quotes, Quips, and Cracks from the Pen of G. K. Chesterton\" (Saint Benedict Press \/ TAN Books: 2009). \"100 Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura\" was published by Catholic Answers in May 2012. His \"Quotable Wesley\" compilation was published by (Protestant \/ Wesleyan publisher) Beacon Hill Press in April 2014. Several of his 49 books are bestsellers in their field. Dave maintains a popular personal Facebook page, a Facebook author page, and has a Twitter account as well. He offers almost all of his books in e-book form on his own Biblical Catholicism site (http:\/\/biblicalcatholicism.com\/), at a permanent deep discount: only $2.99 for ePub, mobi, and AZW, and $1.99 for PDF. His writing has been enthusiastically endorsed or recommended by many leading Catholic apologists, authors, and priests, including Dr. Scott Hahn, Fr. Peter M. J. Stravinskas, Marcus Grodi, Patrick Madrid, Steve Ray, Tim Staples, Devin Rose, Mike Aquilina, Al Kresta, Karl Keating, Fr. Dwight Longenecker, Brandon Vogt, Marcellino D'Ambrosio, and Fr. John A. Hardon, S. J. Dave has been happily married to his wife Judy since October 1984. They have three sons and a daughter, and reside in southeast Michigan (metro Detroit).","sameAs":["https:\/\/biblicalcatholicism.com\/","https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dave.armstrong.798","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@LuxVeritatisApologetics"],"url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/author\/davearmstrong"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3527","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2331"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3527"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3527\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3529"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3527"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3527"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3527"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}