In 1Samuel chapter 15, verses 2 & 3 we read about our Holy God who gave the command, “Thou shall not kill” telling Saul to kill women, children and infants!!
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.' (NIV)
The preacher’s two explanations: (1) the focus of this passage is on obedience (verses 22, 23) and not killing of people, (2) God is sovereign and not to be questioned, is similar to our parent’s reason of “just obey my words, this is for your own good”. Like an inquisitive child, these answers alienate my understanding of a loving God further and contradict what I am told that Christianity is a reasonable faith - a faith in God that can be reasoned, not blind faith (i.e. just believe) like other religions. While I am convicted and encouraged of God’s sovereignty through the preacher’s testimony of how God performed a “miracle” to bring him back to Singapore for his church’s anniversary, yet the question remains unsolved – “why did God want to kill innocent infants?”
I once read a Buddhist critics, sent to me by sister Wei Lin, that Christianity is a cruel faith where you read of God being a warrior and killing innocent people in the Bible while Buddhism is truly benevolence with absolute no killing of all living things. 1Sam 15:2&3 would surely serve to justify his argument if we can’t find any explanation within our understanding of Christian theology, however good this passage is being preached.
Before you read further, which is only a handful of you, let me honestly say that I am not attacking the preacher or any church leaders with this blog. My writing is a reflection, journal and struggle of my walk and faith in God. IT IS MY PERSONAL ENCOUNTER WITH GOD. However, I think some of you may face the same struggle (or just curious) and so you choose to read what I write. Others will ignore this blog. Journaling helps me to be honest with God and transparent to people. I need not wear a “mask” to church. What you read is what I am thinking (but not all things. There are so many thoughts and I write down the strongest thought that convicts me.) Also, I am learning and do correct me if my thoughts are somewhat off skew, just like a concern sister-in-Christ who sometime ago sent me an email to caution me about my thoughts on pastor. Thank you.
My finite mind will always struggle with my infinite God and His Word
TO BE CONTINUED …. (will be back, after much thinking & struggling)
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1 Sam 15:2&3 is about God’s judgment to the Amalekite and fulfilling Duet 25:17-19. The Amalekite took opportunity to slaughter the women and children of the Israelite during their wandering in the wilderness. Their wickedness invoked their final judgment. But why is it that children and infants are not spared?
Well, there is a final judgment in all wickedness. The first incident is in Gen 6-9. Here the world is so wicked that God sent a judgment on the world – the universal flood. It destroyed everything, including children and infants. The agent of judgment is the flood. Is God cruel to destroy infants through the flood? Apparently not, as the final judgment is on all things. Next, Gen 19 is the final judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah. The agents of judgment are the angels, bringing sulfur and fire. The whole cities are swipe off, definitely including children and infants. Likewise, for the Amalekite’s final judgment, the agent of judgment is to be Saul. Unfortunately, he failed God and so a very serious sin indeed.
May we learn this serious lesson of not invoking the wrath of God through our wickedness and also learning to be obedient as being agent of God’s service.
Mark
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