From: Terry M. Gray (grayt@lamar.colostate.edu)
Date: Sat Dec 07 2002 - 01:37:29 EST
Burgy,
Here we go again, I guess.
Well, to honest about the character of God involves recognizing that
He is holy and we are not (and thus justly deserving of His wrath)
and that he is free to execute His righteous judgment when and where
He choses. Those who escape this wrath, do so by His mercy, which He
is free to bestow on whomever He choses for whatever purpose He may
have. As has been put by others much more eloquent than I, the
mystery is not why God judges sinners, but why God is merciful toward
any.
God's judgment upon the Amelekites was perfectly just--their cup was full.
Why is this so hard?!?
TG
>George, in replying to Howard, wrote: "The Bible presents a lot of
>its heroes "warts & all" - Abraham trading his wife for his own
>safety, Jacob the swindler, David the adulterer, &c. There is no
>reason to claim that these behaviors are being approved. Israel is
>simply being honest about who it is."
>
>George - would you extend this argument to I Sam 15 also? This is the
>passage where Samuel, claiming to speak for God, tells the Hebrews to
>slaughter ALL the Amelekites, including the infants, and when Saul
>does not QUITE obey, murdering the infants, it seems, but sparing the
>Amelekite king and the livestock, Saul is punished by God.
>
>Is the text "being honest" about the character of God -- or would you
>offer another interpretation here (I hope so).
>
>Burgy
-- _________________ Terry M. Gray, Ph.D., Computer Support Scientist Chemistry Department, Colorado State University Fort Collins, Colorado 80523 grayt@lamar.colostate.edu http://www.chm.colostate.edu/~grayt/ phone: 970-491-7003 fax: 970-491-1801
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