After months of seeing it’s civilians shelled by rocket attacks from the Palestinian terror group Hamas, Israel today decided that enough was enough and launched a massive aerial attack on Hamas controlled Gaza City (in southern Israel). The attack has drawn predictable criticism by the anti-Israel media from around the world, with the emphasis being on the “many civilians” that have been killed. Never mind the fact that Hamas has been firing their rockets randomly at targets in Israel including civilians for months, as well as the fact that Hamas cowardly bases it’s headquarters in the middle of large civilian population centers (next to women and children) to be shielded from possible attacks.
Any civilian casualties in the midst of war is regrettable, however what are we to make of God’s view regarding such casualties? The Bible is replete with examples of God actually ordering the destruction of “civilians” in the midst of military attacks ordered by Him. A few examples below:Deuteronomy 2:31-34
The LORD said to me, "See, I have begun to deliver Sihon and his country over to you. Now begin to conquer and possess his land." When Sihon and all his army came out to meet us in battle at Jahaz, the LORD our God delivered him over to us and we struck him down, together with his sons and his whole army. At that time we took all his towns and completely destroyed them—men, women and children. We left no survivors.
Deuteronomy 3:1-3
Next we turned and went up along the road toward Bashan, and Og king of Bashan with his whole army marched out to meet us in battle at Edrei. The LORD said to me, "Do not be afraid of him, for I have handed him over to you with his whole army and his land. Do to him what you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon." So the LORD our God also gave into our hands Og king of Bashan and all his army. We struck them down, leaving no survivors.
Deuteronomy 20:13-15
When the LORD your God delivers it into your hand, put to the sword all the men in it. As for the women, the children, the livestock and everything else in the city, you may take these as plunder for yourselves. And you may use the plunder the LORD your God gives you from your enemies. This is how you are to treat all the cities that are at a distance from you and do not belong to the nations nearby.
Judges 21:10
So the assembly sent twelve thousand fighting men with instructions to go to Jabesh Gilead and put to the sword those living there, including the women and children.
1 Samuel 15:1-3
Samuel said to Saul, "I am the one the LORD sent to anoint you king over his people Israel; so listen now to the message from the LORD. This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'I will punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from Egypt. Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.' "
Ezekiel 9:3-5
Now the glory of the God of Israel went up from above the cherubim, where it had been, and moved to the threshold of the temple. Then the LORD called to the man clothed in linen who had the writing kit at his side and said to him, "Go throughout the city of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of those who grieve and lament over all the detestable things that are done in it." As I listened, he said to the others, "Follow him through the city and kill, without showing pity or compassion. Slaughter old men, young men and maidens, women and children, but do not touch anyone who has the mark.
The LORD said to me, "See, I have begun to deliver Sihon and his country over to you. Now begin to conquer and possess his land." When Sihon and all his army came out to meet us in battle at Jahaz, the LORD our God delivered him over to us and we struck him down, together with his sons and his whole army. At that time we took all his towns and completely destroyed them—men, women and children. We left no survivors.
Deuteronomy 3:1-3
Next we turned and went up along the road toward Bashan, and Og king of Bashan with his whole army marched out to meet us in battle at Edrei. The LORD said to me, "Do not be afraid of him, for I have handed him over to you with his whole army and his land. Do to him what you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon." So the LORD our God also gave into our hands Og king of Bashan and all his army. We struck them down, leaving no survivors.
Deuteronomy 20:13-15
When the LORD your God delivers it into your hand, put to the sword all the men in it. As for the women, the children, the livestock and everything else in the city, you may take these as plunder for yourselves. And you may use the plunder the LORD your God gives you from your enemies. This is how you are to treat all the cities that are at a distance from you and do not belong to the nations nearby.
Judges 21:10
So the assembly sent twelve thousand fighting men with instructions to go to Jabesh Gilead and put to the sword those living there, including the women and children.
1 Samuel 15:1-3
Samuel said to Saul, "I am the one the LORD sent to anoint you king over his people Israel; so listen now to the message from the LORD. This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'I will punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from Egypt. Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.' "
Ezekiel 9:3-5
Now the glory of the God of Israel went up from above the cherubim, where it had been, and moved to the threshold of the temple. Then the LORD called to the man clothed in linen who had the writing kit at his side and said to him, "Go throughout the city of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of those who grieve and lament over all the detestable things that are done in it." As I listened, he said to the others, "Follow him through the city and kill, without showing pity or compassion. Slaughter old men, young men and maidens, women and children, but do not touch anyone who has the mark.
If you listened to the "learned" in our world, all war is to be condemned. That in and of itself may be true. However few wars are started without a reason. The real question is whether the reason for the war is justifiable. Throughout the scriptures above, our Lord God saw it necessary to destroy the people of nations or tribes that were hostile to his Jewish people. His decrees were direct and complete. In many cases “civilian” casualties were not His concern.
There are those reading this post who will wonder how we can worship a “loving” God who permits these events? The simple answer is God is sovereign. He created all things. He decrees the beginning and end of all things. If our world were not hostile to God and His Son Jesus Christ, I can guarantee you that the atrocities of war would be non-existent. I have yet to see an example where God decreed the senseless destruction of His people because they worshiped Him. The story here is if you are hostile to God; hostile to the people of God: beware.
Writers Note: Somewhat unrelated to this post, I'd like to call your attention to the last scripture noted above (Ezekiel 9:3-5). I believe it is a prophetic scripture that points to the continuous distinction (with life altering consequences) that God makes between believers and non-believers.