So what's with all the killing?

[Fez]

I have always looked at it in more simplistic terms I guess...

Isa 29:15 Ah, you who hide deep from the LORD your counsel, whose deeds are in the dark, and who say, "Who sees us? Who knows us?"

Isa 29:16 You turn things upside down! Shall the potter be regarded as the clay, that the thing made should say of its maker, "He did not make me"; or the thing formed say of him who formed it, "He has no understanding"?

Simply put, He is the potter and we the clay. If you make something out of clay it is yours to do with what you wish. Fill it with wine, or break it.

Our God is the "Potter", and I believe it is not for us to question or doubt Him and His plans. (We cannot, they are just infinite). When we try (and I am not saying this is what you are doing - questions about scripture are edifying if asked correctly, and this thread has got me to thinking, even if it is on a tangent), we often try to reduce God to our level. (again I understand that is not what you are doing).

Blessings

[childeye]

God has killed personally by wiping out sinful cities, sinful people etc. If you look at OT books like Judges, he even commands others to kill and intructs them on exactly how to carry out that job. My Bible study group can never make much headway on this topic since we only know a loving God who forgives us and treats us with even greater kindness than we treat each other. I find my experiences with coming to know God to run counter to this view of a vengeful Lord who smites the wicked. I'm not refuting anything, or wavering in my faith. I just am interested in feedback and heartfelt opinions. I ask that you tell me from your own heart how you feel about this.

P.S. If you are not christian, please don't use this for a base of argument about the nature or existence of God.

I believe that what is imperfection in spirit or heaven is being made apparrant here on earth and sifted through flesh. I believe the book of Job is an excellent example where the faith of God is challenged by the unfaith of Satan. The point being to see if there exists a faith in God that is pure. Job is subjected to undeserved punishment even as he has been blessed with undeserved wealth to see if Job will curse God after experiencing great suffering even as he praises God for blessing Him. Job as we know is an upright man, holds fast to integrity and says, the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. The fact that Satan is betting that men only love God for what good things He gives us is quite revealing. It actually says more about Satan than about Job. Nonetheless, there are elements of this corrupt thinking in mankind. So often I hear people ask why would God allow evil, but never, why would God allow good. He is taken for granted, and we are all guilty to some degree. That is my thought.

Edited March 16, 2011 by childeye

[other one]

God has killed personally by wiping out sinful cities, sinful people etc. If you look at OT books like Judges, he even commands others to kill and intructs them on exactly how to carry out that job. My Bible study group can never make much headway on this topic since we only know a loving God who forgives us and treats us with even greater kindness than we treat each other. I find my experiences with coming to know God to run counter to this view of a vengeful Lord who smites the wicked. I'm not refuting anything, or wavering in my faith. I just am interested in feedback and heartfelt opinions. I ask that you tell me from your own heart how you feel about this.

P.S. If you are not christian, please don't use this for a base of argument about the nature or existence of God.

I think I do like Leonard's simple explanation. If you look throughout Biblical history at the people that God himself killed, or had others to eliminate them are people and things that were a danger of complete corruption of his creation. From the flood to the people of Sodom and Gomorrah to those who worshiped demonic gods in the Holy Land were all a danger of corrupting all of creation.

Sooner or later we all die and will be judged, and some days I do think we put too much emphases on life and the pleasures and comfort of our present days. If today is all that it's about, well, i can't print that thought here.

[sheya joie]

Keep in mind that God, as Creator, has the right to determine how long each of his creatures lives and the manner of each one's death. The reason murder is evil is not so much because it is ending a life - murder is evil because it is stealing God's right to say when and how someone dies.

[other one]

Keep in mind that God, as Creator, has the right to determine how long each of his creatures lives and the manner of each one's death. The reason murder is evil is not so much because it is ending a life - murder is evil because it is stealing God's right to say when and how someone dies.

Sounds like you agree with Leonard...... sometimes folks just need killin' It's a good thing that we don't normally get to make that decision.

[sheya joie]

Keep in mind that God, as Creator, has the right to determine how long each of his creatures lives and the manner of each one's death. The reason murder is evil is not so much because it is ending a life - murder is evil because it is stealing God's right to say when and how someone dies.

Sounds like you agree with Leonard...... sometimes folks just need killin' It's a good thing that we don't normally get to make that decision.

Sorry, I don't see how what I said led to what you said? If "sometimes folks just need killin' " I didn't say it was up to us to make that decision. It is God's business and His only to decide when and how one of the people He has made should die. He did give us guidelines on capital punishment, of course.

[Guest man]

Keep in mind that God, as Creator, has the right to determine how long each of his creatures lives and the manner of each one's death. The reason murder is evil is not so much because it is ending a life - murder is evil because it is stealing God's right to say when and how someone dies.

Actually, I believe murder is evil because it goes against the commandment of loving your neighbor as yourself.

[mizzdy]

Keep in mind that God, as Creator, has the right to determine how long each of his creatures lives and the manner of each one's death. The reason murder is evil is not so much because it is ending a life - murder is evil because it is stealing God's right to say when and how someone dies.

Actually, I believe murder is evil because it goes against the commandment of loving your neighbor as yourself.

Or that its a direct command from God that we do not murder.

[Isaiah 6:8]

My thoughts, (building a long post on this later) is that since our physical death is guaranteed from the moment we draw breath, we should not be worried about the manner of our death, or others for that matter but the matter of the spiritual condition. When people were killed in the Bible, there was always a reason on the effect they would have in future generations, and if they would draw people away from God or not. You see, all those people that God killed, would be dead by now any way... the point is not that they were killed but what evil influence was removed. You see in the end, God Judges us after death anyway that is the most important aspect.