How can God kill people?

[Questioned]

It is true that one of the ten commandments "Do not kill". That seems fair, because a loving God would not want his creation to harm each other. But my concern is that if he tells us not to kill, and he loves us, then how could God cause the flood, burn Soddom and Gommarah (forgot how to spell them), and kill several people in the book of Genesis.
I actually considered Satanism because though Satan is evil, he never claimed to be good, nor has he ever killed vast amounts of people. God, on the other hand, has claimed to love and care, yet killed so many people without remorse.

So my question is, how could a loving God do all of this while being God, while Satan does none of this and is "evil".

In fact, does good or evil even exist? Who is the real good being and the evil one?

 

[Reformationist]

It is true that one of the ten commandments "Do not kill".

No. The commandment to which you refer is "You shall not murder." "Killing" and "murdering" are two different things.

That seems fair, because a loving God would not
want his creation to harm each other.

This assessment has nothing to do with Scripture but is, instead, wrought from your own presumption of what a "loving God" would do. God not only demanded that His people make war on others at certain points, He Himself sent an Angel and slew 185,000 people.

But my concern is that if he tells us not to kill, and he loves us, then how could God cause the flood, burn Soddom and Gommarah (forgot how to spell them), and kill several people in the book of Genesis.

God's commandments to us are just that, to us. God prohibits the unlawful execution of His creation. The flood killed the unrighteous, i.e., those who had committed cosmic treason against an infinitely holy God. Sodom and Gomorrah, and Admah and Zeboim for that matter, were destroyed by God because all of the inhabitants, excepting Lot, were wicked sinners. The point is, all who suffer the wrath of God are the recipients of His just judgment against their sin.

I actually considered Satanism because though Satan is evil, he never claimed to be good, nor has he ever killed vast amounts of people. God, on the other hand, has claimed to love and care, yet killed so many people without remorse.

People will embrace all manner of ideologies in rebellion against God. My advice, seek to understand the Scriptures, and the world around you, from a God centered perspective rather than judging God because you see His judgment against the wickedness of man as an action perpetrated against an undeserving creation.

So my question is, how could a loving God do all of this while being God, while Satan does none of this and is "evil".

God's judgment is righteous, even if we errantly presumt that those who suffer His wrath do not deserve it.

In fact, does good or evil even exist?

Only in relation to each other. God is the source of all righteousness and goodness. All other things are judged in reference to their relationship to the goodness of God.

Who is the real good being and the evil one?

I imagine you know the answer you're going to receive from Christians.

God bless

 

[ebia]

It is true that one of the ten commandments "Do not kill". That seems fair, because a loving God would not want his creation to harm each other. But my concern is that if he tells us not to kill, and he loves us, then how could God cause the flood, burn Soddom and Gommarah (forgot how to spell them), and kill several people in the book of Genesis.
I actually considered Satanism because though Satan is evil, he never claimed to be good, nor has he ever killed vast amounts of people. God, on the other hand, has claimed to love and care, yet killed so many people without remorse.

So my question is, how could a loving God do all of this while being God, while Satan does none of this and is "evil".

In fact, does good or evil even exist? Who is the real good being and the evil one?

Just to add to what's gone before: we see God's justice most clearly not by taking isolated stories out Genesis like that, but by looking at God among us - Jesus of Nazareth.

 

[Digit]

Hi Questioned,

It is true that one of the ten commandments "Do not kill".

Actually no, the commandment is: "Thou shalt do no murder." Murder is specifically killing with malicious intent. Killing is not outlawed, only murder is.

That seems fair, because a loving God would not want his creation to harm each other. But my concern is that if he tells us not to kill, and he loves us, then how could God cause the flood, burn Soddom and Gommarah (forgot how to spell them), and kill several people in the book of Genesis.

Well there are a few things mixed up there. The main part, is that God wiped out the sinful. The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were rife with sin and wickedness, and suffered God's punishment. As with the flood, every man and woman was sinful, and only Noah and his family pleased God, and thus God wiped them out. He considered it a clean start, but also recognised the horror of it, and promised never to do that again.

I actually considered Satanism because though Satan is evil, he never claimed to be good, nor has he ever killed vast amounts of people.

How do you know? Satan is the Father of Lies and his main strength is remaining hidden, concealed and keeping us unaware. Satan is responsible for sin in the world, as he tempted Adam and Eve to fall, so I could argue Satan is actually responsible for a great deal more death, suffering and anguish than anyone in history.

God, on the other hand, has claimed to love and care, yet killed so many people without remorse.

Put that in context, God has punished the sinful, not just those humans who are struggling with sin, but those who propagate it, relished in it and spread it. Would you reward someone who runs about destroying all your hard word, harming those you love, threatening those you care about?

So my question is, how could a loving God do all of this while being God, while Satan does none of this and is "evil".

See above.

In fact, does good or evil even exist? Who is the real good being and the evil one?

In order for mankind to have a choice between God and the world, good and evil must exist. Without evil, there is no choice, we aren't in some sort of neutral gray area.

Cheers,
Digit

 

[Adoniram]

It is true that one of the ten commandments "Do not kill". That seems fair, because a loving God would not want his creation to harm each other. But my concern is that if he tells us not to kill, and he loves us, then how could God cause the flood, burn Soddom and Gommarah (forgot how to spell them), and kill several people in the book of Genesis.
I actually considered Satanism because though Satan is evil, he never claimed to be good, nor has he ever killed vast amounts of people. God, on the other hand, has claimed to love and care, yet killed so many people without remorse.

So my question is, how could a loving God do all of this while being God, while Satan does none of this and is "evil".

In fact, does good or evil even exist? Who is the real good being and the evil one?

The others have supplied very good and correct answers to the specifics of your post. But I want to address it generally.

You have rightly said "a loving God." God is indeed, Loving. But he is much more. He is also the Supreme Creator, Ruler, the final Authority, and the Salvation of the universe, and beyond. He is the Father of all that he surveys, and that is very much more than what we can see on or from the earth. As such, he is the creator of Love, but also responsible for Justice and Order. He holds all the reins of power in his hand. The examples of his "killing" that you mentioned above are the implementation of justice and judgment upon evil-doers.

Yet, he is also supremely Merciful. There are many examples of this in the Bible, right along side of the afore mentioned examples of his judgments. Perhaps you are familiar with the story of Jonah, the man who was swallowed by the whale (great fish). The part of the story that often gets overlooked is that God told Jonah to go to Nineveh, a city of great wickedness, and warn them of their impending destruction (in forty days) unless they turned from their wicked ways. After the whale incident, Jonah went and delivered the message. The people of Nineveh heard the message, turned away from their evil ways, and God spared them. But there is a twist at the end of the story: God's mercy on the people of Nineveh displeased Jonah. He was upset that God had uprooted him from his peaceful existence, caused him to go through so much trouble and effort (such as being swallowed by the fish), just to deliver a message when he knew that God would be merciful anyway. "Ah, LORD, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm." (Jonah 4:2) So God said to him "Is it right for you to be angry?......"And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons...?"

The point is that God is merciful, wants to be merciful, and goes to great lengths to extend mercy. After all, he sent his only Son to die for us so that we may obtain mercy. But, He can only extend His mercy to those who ask for it and repent of their sinful ways. It is only in the face of great evil and rebellion that he is faced with implementing justice through the destruction of the evil-doers.

As for Satan, you are right in assessing his evilness but wrong in your conclusion. Satan is responsible for an untold number of deaths throughout history. He is the author of every evil imagining in the hearts and minds of men that have led them to kill and maim, go to war, enslave, and commit all sorts of atrocities. For example, the holocaust is straight from the mind of Satan. His only goal in this world is to destroy whatever goodness there is.

That he does not is another miracle of God's mercy. God has him on a leash, and he is only allowed to do so much. You will find in the first chapter of Job that God puts a limit on the evil that Satan is allowed to perpetrate on mankind. God has a "restraining order" on Satan, but only for the time being. "For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way." (2 Thes. 2:7)

Your take on this whole deal is from the perspective of one who has little knowledge of the heart and mind of God, and that is why the other posters have suggested that you study the Scriptures. But also, your perception is colored by your unbelief, and you will not fully understand God's ways until you place your faith in Jesus Christ. "But the natural [unsaved*] man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Cor. 2:14; *- my word)

I hope and pray that you will commit your life to God as you study His Word, and that He will give you understanding.

 

[Digit]

So Digit, you say that: "Actually no, the commandment is: "Thou shalt do no murder." Murder is specifically killing with malicious intent. Killing is not outlawed, only murder is"

SO does that mean that if you had no malicious intent, at all, you are free to kill anyone you feel. Furthermore, I am sure Angels (He Himself sent an Angel and slew 185,000 people. - Reformationist) sent by God and even Humans engage in the fallacy of malicious killing. It is the intent to cause pain and misery through the act of killing. To engage in killing with intent to inflict pain in my books.... is murder.

Hi Talkingmonkey,

If you wish to talk about this, you will need to start your own thread, non-Christians are not permitted to post in other non-Christian threads here.

In answer to your question, there are other sins you must obey before you can get to the conclusion that you can go around killing people as you see fit. Also do not forget that God has commanded we follow man's law, unless it leads us to sin, then we follow God's law. So no, you may not kill people.

Cheers,
Digit

 

[Digit]

Hi all,

Also something to add to this, if the commandment was 'thou shalt not kill' then how would we feed ourselves? It would be impossible to harvest crops and slaughter animals for food, it does not say thou shalt not kill (or murder) people, it focuses on the evil of malicious destruction.

Cheers,
Digit

 

[Adstar]

[FONT=&quot]

It is true that one of the ten commandments "Do not kill". That seems fair, because a loving God would not want his creation to harm each other. But my concern is that if he tells us not to kill, and he loves us, then how could God cause the flood, burn Soddom and Gommarah (forgot how to spell them), and kill several people in the book of Genesis.
I actually considered Satanism because though Satan is evil, he never claimed to be good, nor has he ever killed vast amounts of people. God, on the other hand, has claimed to love and care, yet killed so many people without remorse.

So my question is, how could a loving God do all of this while being God, while Satan does none of this and is "evil".

In fact, does good or evil even exist? Who is the real good being and the evil one?

Gods Laws are made for us. Not Him. God does not kill. He executes. Killing means that you end a life for no just reason. While execution is a judgement upon an offender.

Plus the law is thou shalt not murder.

So God did not create the laws for Himself He created them for us.


All Praise The Ancient Of Days[/FONT]

 

[capnator]

[FONT=&quot]

Gods Laws are made for us. Not Him. God does not kill. He executes. Killing means that you end a life for no just reason. While execution is a judgement upon an offender.

Plus the law is thou shalt not murder.

So God did not create the laws for Himself He created them for us.


All Praise The Ancient Of Days[/FONT]

I was just about to post pretty much what Adstar said, so yeah... "what he said".

 

[heron]

It does sound heartless, but look at what these people were doing. In Sodom, mass-rapes of visitors to the city were common and accepted.
Molech-worship involved child sacrifice. Ishtar devotees had to serve regular duties as temple prostitutes (male and female).

It was not just sin in the way that we think of it -- steal-envy-imbibe. It involved abuse against other people, and social condoning of the abuse.

There were many instances where God allowed things to go on for many years before He rebuked them or took action. There was usually a public warning beforehand, to allow for a change of heart.


God is in charge of life and death, and where our souls go afterward. I am certain that, after death, He did not lump everyone in the "straight to Hell" group. Some went on to better places!

God is also the one that puts a hedge around us from danger. At times, He lifts that protective shield. It is our own doings, or the natural dangers around us, that do the actual killing. In the case of many Old Testament stories, God "gave them up" into the hands of their enemies. The enemies did the killing, but God stopped protecting.

 

[pistolhip2]

God does not kill people. People kill people.

 

[Reformationist]

God does not kill people. People kill people.

Is 37:36
Then the angel of the Lord went out, and killed in the camp of the Assyrians one hundred and eighty-five thousand; and when people arose early in the morning, there were the corpses—all dead.

So much for that theory.

 

[childofGod31]

God destroys people according to his providence and plan, yes. God doesn't hide it. He is loving towards his children and punishes those who are not his children.

But Satan doesn't love any human, not even his followers. Satan's only plan is to be in the way of God's plan, he doesn't care how many humans suffer in the process, in fact he rejoices over such prospects. Satan is the ruler of this world, hence all the suffering. When Jesus will be the ruler, I am sure the world would be a beautiful place to be in.

God is showing people now how bad the world can be when Satan rules it. It's a place of suffering and darkness. Satan incites people to do bad things, and other people do it just by their wicked nature. God lets Satan be a ruler until a certain time. Then, he will stop it.

 

[mpok1519]

how do you know that the angel didn't kill all those people on his own free will without asking God?

 

[heron]

There have been archaeological discoveries about different events, where natural disasters were shown to coincide with some of these. Odd-sized pellets were found near Sodom/Gomorrah where God rained down brimstone from the sky. The plagues of Moses/Pharoah played out the same way a magma leak in a body of water would.

It does not mean that God was lying, but that He knows what is set up on this earth, hinging on disaster. "I will deliver you into the hand of the Philistines" -- armies already ready and waiting for a kill.

That doesn't make these any less stunning in my eyes, or involving supernatural beings any less. Our daily lives should play out this way, allowing God to find the situations and opportunities that we are not aware of.

 

[mpok1519]

the mid-east (the cradle of religion) has always been very prone to disaster.

natural disasters occur, and people usually die because they aren't prepared for them.

 

[heron]

the mid-east (the cradle of religion) has always been very prone to disaster.

Interesting point.

I actually considered Satanism because though Satan is evil, he never claimed to be good, nor has he ever killed vast amounts of people. God, on the other hand, has claimed to love and care, yet killed so many people without remorse.

So my question is, how could a loving God do all of this while being God, while Satan does none of this and is "evil".

I think you'd need to separate what religions espouse, what the actual beings have claimed and done. Do you really think that Satan is flawless just because a group of followers say he is? It is the same thing you are saying about Christianity -- who do we trust, what claims do we believe. If the truth were easier to find, everyone would be on the same page.

In the Christian religion, Satan is considered to be the driving force behind suicides, unresolved feuds, crime, militant frenzy, murder, deception. And you're right, it's not fair to pin all of that on him, because most of it is due to our own selfishness.

What each of us has to come to terms with -- how much we believe in a spiritual plane of unseen activity. How much do we think goes on at a supernatural level, and can we avoid it.

Do we want to be in on it just enough to prevent negative impact on our personal lives. Does this unseen world hold any implications for our lives that we should know about.

How much force is really behind these beings, and do we dare play with fire when it comes to the supernatural world.