Key Question: If God is so evil in the Old Testament, as some say, by commanding the Israelites to wipe out the Canaanites, or any other group, then how does the objector explain God’s great mercy and love shown through the cross in the New Testament to the worst of the worst in this world? My goal is not to give an exhaustive answer to the so-called “genocidal” acts of God in the Old Testament (here is a good start), but simply to show how one can possibly neutralize one’s response by understand how deep His love is expressed to the chief of sinners in the New Testament.
Let us look at Jeffrey Dahmer’s life as an example. His murderous acts were (and are!) unspeakable! The world was in shock to discover the depths of evil displayed in the acts of Dahmer. Yet, towards the end of his life, it was reported that Dahmer became a Christian by accepting Christ as Savior. Many, apparently, were shocked to hear that even God could forgive such a man. Yet, if the gospel is true, in that it is for sinners of every type (see 1 Timothy 1:15-16; Romans 5:8, etc.), then even someone like Dahmer can be forgiven by God because of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. There is no wrong act that is so wrong that God could not forgive, nor is there any person so bad that God could not forgive as well. This thought of such love and grace is scandalous to some. Yet, it is interesting to me that so many could be appalled at the mercy and love of God shown to Dahmer. So many want to hold so tightly to a “loving God,” yet they will reject that love when it is shown to the worst of humanity? These same folks might say, “Yes, God is Good! And Yes, God is Loving…BUT He isn’t THAT GOOD or THAT LOVING to save EVEN JEFFREY DAHMER! (name your villain here!)”
Now, I want to tie in this scandal of God’s mercy shown to Jeffrey Dahmer, and others, back to the objection towards the so-called “Genocidal Acts of God” in the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 20:16-18; Deuteronomy 7:2; Joshua 10, as a sampling). It must be noted that “genocide” is not an accurate term and that there are multiple ways to explain what one sees in these passages…https://www.biola.edu/blogs/think-biblically/2022/god-genocide-and-biblical-interpretation. Nonetheless, this is a stern objection against the goodness of God. Many look at these passages in the Old Testament and say, “Why would God command Israel to wipe out an entire group of people? These seems so barbarous, wrong, and evil!” As a result, this is a shock to most who read it. But in light of God’s mercy and love, will anyone allow the “shock” of God’s mercy and love shown towards Dahmer (or any other “great” sinner) to neutralize what is seen by some as nothing less than violence done by God in the Old Testament? In other words, if we are in shock with these passages in the Old Testament of supposed “genocide,” then why aren’t we equally in shock by God’s great love, grace, and mercy shown towards sinners at the cross in the New Testament? Will we allow God’s love in the New Testament to neutralize and overwhelm these acts of God in the Old Testament?
When you put all of these concepts together, one tends to find that people don’t want a God who is too loving, nor do they want a God who is too just. It looks like people want a God who is lukewarm about all of our acts in this world. The problem here is that the God of the Bible will explode the limitations we put on Him. Our sins are far worse than we can fathom (and are, thus, deserving of all wrath and eternal hell!), but God’s grace towards us is equally as unimaginable (calling the Jeffrey Dahmers of the world to salvation and sonship through Jesus Christ!). Instead of criticizing the living God Who shows great wrath beyond our comprehension or great love beyond our comprehension, we should rejoice that He offers His grace to us, while at the same time rejoicing and taking comfort in the fact that evil will ultimately be punished on Judgement Day. Because God is good and God is love, He will keep His promise to abolish evil forever one day. We are wise to accept God as He has revealed Himself to us in Scripture and rejoice that He includes us, who accept and trust in Jesus Christ, in His salvation plan.