Denver Seminary

should murder another human being (Gen. 9:6). This remains a covenant with the entire human race. Violence against other humans is forbidden. God places such value on each and every human being, whom He created in His image, that if anyone should murder another person, they forfeit their own life. No amount of gold or earthly goods can pay for such violence done to another human being. Far from promoting a cruel God, the story of Noah and the flood describes God's attempt to end violence and its toll on human life. Due to humanity's wickedness, this did not happen. But that does not change the vision God gave to us. God opposes violence and cruelty. However, His engagement in a world full of violence requires Him—in holiness and love—to stand against such sin using a similar measure to what is being used against Him and His people. SALVATION RATHER THAN STARVATION When we come to the extinction of the Canaanites, we need to begin as the Bible does: with this story in Genesis. God promises Abraham in Genesis 15:13–16 that his descendants will leave the Promised Land and then return "for the sin of the Amorites has not reached its full measure." This, as well as passages such as Leviticus 18:3 and 24, suggest that God will not continue to give His land to those who sin against Him. However, an often unnoticed text in the story of Joseph appears in Genesis 47:13–20. Joseph has reserved the surplus grain from the seven years of plenty. When the time of famine arrives, Joseph uses the grain to feed the starving Egyptians and Canaanites. The text says that the whole land of Canaan was dying from famine. Without Joseph's provision of grain, they would not have survived. Like Egypt, Canaan owed its continued life to Joseph and to God's work through him. Joseph tells his brothers that, although they intended him harm, "God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives" (Gen. 50:20). This salvation extended to the Canaanites, whose lives were delivered from starvation. Generations later, when the Canaanites sought to destroy Israel (Josh. 6:1; 9:1–2; 10:1–5; 11:1–5), they had forgotten what they owed Israel's ancestor, Joseph—their lives. Thus the Israelites were forced to fight an enemy determined to eradicate them and their families from the face of the earth. We can have confidence that the holy, loving God of the Bible is trustworthy and consistent. Far from cruel, His mercy is longsuffering. He longs for us to turn to Him. Much more could be said about this topic than space here permits. I hope this brief review of some of the texts in Genesis provides an example of how important it is to read Scripture in its original context before succumbing to the charges that the Bible is full of problems—especially that the God of the Bible is cruel. Instead, we can have confidence that the holy, loving God of the Bible is trustworthy and consistent. Far from cruel, His mercy is longsuffering. He longs for us to turn to Him. These qualities are also the fruit of God's Holy Spirit to which He calls us. As we live lives of mercy and love, we reflect the character of God into the world around us and join in God's mission to bless the world (Gen. 12:1–3) by spreading the good news of the gospel (Matt. 28:18–20). For more on this topic, see Richard S. Hess in: "Appendix 2: Apologetic Issues in the Old Testament," pp. 662–76 in Douglas Groothuis, Christian Apologetics: A Comprehensive Case for Biblical Faith (Downers Grove: IVP Academic; Nottingham: Apollos, 2011); and additional references there. Richard S. Hess, PhD EARL S. KALLAND PROFESSOR OF OLD TESTAMENT AND SEMITIC LANGUAGES ENGAGE 9 MAKES YOU THINK Dr. Hess has taught at Denver Seminary for 17 years. He is married to the Rev. Jean Hess, DMin, who pastors 316, a Celtic Christian Church in the Denver area. They have three married children and six grandchildren, all living nearby. Hess' most recent publication is Ancient Israel's History (Baker, 2014), co-edited with Bill Arnold. Slazdi/iStock

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