If "God is love," why did he command the genocide of the Amalekites?

Question

"God is love." -- 1 John 4:8

Answer 1

"Tough love," I guess.

Answer 2

Right. And why did God throw Adam & Eve to the wolves for a minor infraction? And why did God drown the human race in Noah's flood? And why did God slaughter the firstborn babies of Egypt? And why did God sabatage the Tower of Babel? And why did God commit the terrorist attacks on Sodom and Gamorrah? And why did God strike a guy dead for walking too close to the arc of the covenant? The list of atrocities goes on and on.

The answer is that these are Old Testament events. God wasn't love in those days. God didn't become love until the New Testament.

Answer 3

so some distance because the Israelites were in contact, genocide isn't a theory they're acquainted with the way we do immediately. The Amalekites in any case were blood enemies to the Hebrews the instantaneous they crossed the Reed Sea, so it wasn't like they're being ordered to kill their purely right associates. They were in spite of everything those that would plunder raid and rape the Hebrews with out hesitation. in case you want some actual moral project, replace Jews with individuals, and Amalekites with Taliban/ Al-Qaeda. it truly isn't any longer incorrect to kill an Al-Qaeda operative with a bomb strapped to his chest operating in the route of a crowd in circumstances sq., yet is it incorrect to kill his youthful ones and spouse residing in poverty lower back in Pakistan?

Answer 4

'God is love' is a Christian concept. The command to destroy the Amalekites precedes Christianity by 1300 years or more.

Answer 5

God destroyed the whole inhabited earth in the days of Noah. He rained down fire and brimstone and destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. He promises that He will yet again judge the world with fire. God is Love, He is also HOLY, and perfectly Just. Jesus was the one who said "Unless you repent you shall all in like manner perish" (Luke 13:5)

AND THEN HE WENT AND DIED ON A CROSS FOR YOUR SINS!!!

Don't wait around for any apologies from God - When all the facts come to light, I assure you they won't be needed.

Answer 6

G-d is love and a just judge. He punishes those who break his law, but has mercy on those who repent. Where not the Amalekites sinful?

Answer 7

it is loving on Gods part to remove people who are passed all moral sence, or destroying the world, or any number of things.

I mean, would you send a spirtual people into Sodom and expect them to be happy

would it be loving to send your children into a place where the people sacifice to false gods,

would you let your child visit a high crime rate area for example?

God is love, but not a hippie "its all good-do what makes you feel good"

for righteousness God himself Destroyed Sodom, Gommorah, and the other cities,
HE brought about the Flood,
he killed all the armies of egypt, all the firstborn of egypt,
many times Gods judgements are recorded,

these are not acts of hate,
they are acts of love, tward those who are trying to presue a life of peace, in harmony with Gods will.

Answer 8

to protect the Jewish people from the consequences of the Amalekites sin

Answer 9

Death is not so tragic for God, in whose hand those who are not evil will be comforted.

The Jewish people were to be the "root" of Abrahamic religions, if you will. And they needed a place to live and, for a time, be pure.

Answer 10

Or the Egyptian Children, or any of the tribes the "chosen people" supposedly displaced in the promise land.

Answer 11

Because they were an evil nation, and He was using their genocide as a sign not to mess with Israel. I'm sure He tried and tried to get them to get rid of their ways, but they just turned their backs to Him.