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I will also send wild beasts among you, which shall rob you of your children." (Leviticus 26:22)

"The Lord commands: "... slay old men outright, young men and maidens, little children and women" (Ezechial 9:4-6)

"You will eat the fruit of the womb, the flesh of the sons and daughters the Lord your God has given you." (Deuteronomy 28:53)

The people of Samaria must bear their guilt, because they have rebelled against their God. They will fall by the sword; their little ones will be dashed to the ground, their women with child ripped open." (Hosea 13:16) (sounds like abortion was okay back then...well if it was your enemies women anyway)

Is this really the "word of God" or the cruel thoughts of Bronze age warriors?

2006-12-05 17:17:38 · 18 answers · asked by Bomb Diggity 3 in Society & Culture Religion & Spirituality

18 answers

TOMG YOUR TAKING IT OUT OF CONTEXT ROFL ROFL ROFL !!!

2006-12-05 17:19:40 · answer #1 · answered by Red Eye 4 · 1 3

The thing you must remember about the Bible is that you can't just take one or two verses out of context. For example: the first 13 verses of Leviticus 26 talk about the blessings that would come onto the people if they walked in righteousness. (verse 6 says....and I will rid evil beasts out of the land...) Starting at verse 14 we find out what happens if they don't follow God's commandments. (including verse 22 where He sends the wild beasts into the land). This doesn't mean that God is cruel...He has already told the people how to be blessed. It is our own stubborn pride that leads us into situations that cause us pain and heartache.

2006-12-06 01:32:33 · answer #2 · answered by SUSAN N 3 · 2 1

DEAR SCRIPTURE HUNTER

God in the Old Testament was...well...a bit testy. He tried to give his promised people the good life but they were a stubborn and impatient lot who were always messing things up. So God would be pretty PO'd and punish them.

He got tired of all that and decided to give all of us another chance, so he sent his only son to represent him (God) as a human being and then to die for all humans so their sins might be forgiven and God could take a rest from his anger. Sort of an anger management solution.

Now how is that for a quick summary of how things are, lol.

GOD LOVES US ALL

2006-12-06 01:26:53 · answer #3 · answered by Dust in the Wind 7 · 1 2

Yes, it's cruel. People tend to just skip over those parts or say it's out of context. If the whole bible is supposedly the truth, then even one quote is true and "god's word".

2006-12-06 01:24:25 · answer #4 · answered by i luv teh fishes 7 · 1 1

Some stories within the Torah (Hebrew bible) describe God as merciless with the trials he presents man. While some stories in the New Testament (King James) describe him as merciful.

It just matters how you perceive it, and if you're taking it out of context or not. See it from all angles, not just one.

2006-12-06 01:25:57 · answer #5 · answered by π² 4 · 1 1

When you read the Old Teatament He sounds very Wrath of God type but God is just

2006-12-06 01:23:07 · answer #6 · answered by Piper 5 · 3 1

No of course not God is not cruel. Not to worry he will not send wild beast among you. As a matter of face he is not even real. xx

2006-12-06 01:25:31 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1 1

I'll admit these verses can sound harsh and cruel when taken out of context. So, putting them in the proper context, I'll try to clarify:

1) If you look at Leviticus 26:1-13, you'll read all the rewards God has in store for the Israelites if they will only obey His commandments. As His chosen people, He longs to bless and prosper them. He has already freed them from the captivity of their oppressors, protected, provided for, and guided them in the desert, and is leading them to the promised land.

However, the Israelites had previously proven themselves to be a stubborn and "stiffnecked" people. Just look at how they made an idol for themselves (the golden calf) even after they had witnessed God's miracles and received His blessings. If you'll read the Old Testament, you see how God was abounding in patience with them and gave them numerous opportunities to repent before He took action. In Leviticus 26:14-30, God is warning them of the punishments they will endure IF they return to their disobedience. Sadly, they eventually did return to their wicked ways, and God removed His protection from them. So, the choice was theirs, and is ours also - to obey or disobey.

2) Ezekiel is a prophetic book containing words and visions from God to the priest, Ezekiel. God's wrath has been rightly provoked by the idolotry worship being practiced in His holy temple. In Ezekiel 9:9, God further explains his anger, "The sin of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great; the land is full of bloodshed and the city is full of injustice."

If you'll read Ezekiel 9:1-6, you'll see that not all were slaughtered - some were spared. "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.* Begin at my sanctuary.' So they began with the elders who were in front of the temple."

3) Again, reading this entire chapter in Deuteronomy will put things in perspective. Deuteronomy 28:53 is not something God is commanding the Israelites to do, rather it is a warning of an event that will come to pass if they choose to disobey Him. Later, in the Old Testament, with God's protection removed from them, the King of Syria laid siege against the city of Samaia. During this siege, the Israelites were starving, and some resorted to eating their newborns and children. Can you imagine the horror? All could have been prevented if they had listened and obeyed!

4) Hosea is another prophetic book. The verse you posted is once again a foretelling what God will allow to happen to them at the hands of their enemies if they are unfaithful to Him and engage in idolotry.

***WARNING: GRAPHIC***

One thing you will notice in the Old Testament is that when God instructed the Israelites to destroy certain nations (Canaanites, Amorites, Hitites, etc.), sparing no one, it was to protect His chosen people from the temptation of idolotry. The religion of these nations was a fertility cult. They turned their women into temple prostitutes, and they sacrificed their children to their pagan gods. A common practice among these idolotrous nations was to heat their idol, Molech, in the fire. Once the statue was red hot, a baby would be placed into its outstretched arms. The infant would slowly be burned alive while priests beat drums to cover the child's cries. So, these were not "innocent" people the Israelites were instructed to slaughter! God have given them over 400 years to repent of their wickedness before He had them destroyed.

In conclusion, the lesson we can learn from the verses you posted is that God is abounding in patience with us. He is more patient than we deserve. Also, He gives us a choice. We can choose to obey or disobey. Obedience is rewarded; disobedience is punished.

Is God cruel? Absolutely not. He is just.

""The Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished."

2006-12-06 06:14:02 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1 2

Yes

2006-12-06 01:19:54 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1 3

Not the "word of God". Men in Power, wanting more power!!!

2006-12-06 01:20:31 · answer #10 · answered by Miss Suki 3 · 0 2

Oh wow...a resounding *YES* to that question. Killing children and forcing people to believe with the threat of eternal damnation are pretty good indicators of a cruel streak

2006-12-06 01:21:54 · answer #11 · answered by The Wired 4 · 0 3

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