Joshua 10:36-43

³⁶ Then Joshua and all Israel with him went up from Eglon to Hebron and attacked it. ³⁷ They took the city and put it to the sword, together with its king, its villages and everyone in it. They left no survivors. Just as at Eglon, they totally destroyed it and everyone in it.
³⁸ Then Joshua and all Israel with him turned around and attacked Debir. ³⁹ They took the city, its king and its villages, and put them to the sword. Everyone in it they totally destroyed. They left no survivors. They did to Debir and its king as they had done to Libnah and its king and to Hebron.
⁴⁰ So Joshua subdued the whole region, including the hill country, the Negev, the western foothills and the mountain slopes, together with all their kings. He left no survivors. He totally destroyed all who breathed, just as the Lord, the God of Israel, had commanded. ⁴¹ Joshua subdued them from Kadesh Barnea to Gaza and from the whole region of Goshen to Gibeon. ⁴² All these kings and their lands Joshua conquered in one campaign, because the Lord, the God of Israel, fought for Israel.
⁴³ Then Joshua returned with all Israel to the camp at Gilgal.

Death Penalty

The Philippine Senate considers the restoration of death penalty. People have opposing opinion. Many are against it and many have welcomed the idea.
Joshua narrates that God commanded the Israelites to destroy the Canaanites. God wanted the Canaanites to be destroyed so that Israel won’t follow their lifestyle.
What does the New Testament teach about death penalty?
It says in Romans 13:4, ⁴ For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.

The word “wrong” is properly translated evil deeds. It’s not some kind of unintentional error. It’s inflicting harm or trouble. And when it says that “rulers do not bear the sword for no reason,” it teaches that God has ordained rulers to serve punishment on the wrongdoers. Such punishment would serve God’s wrath.
Did God ordain death penalty for evil doers? God establishes authorities He chose to implement it. Not all authorities are expected to agree with death penalty.
But Joshua and all Israel obeyed the Lord’s command to destroy the Canaanites.

³⁶ Then Joshua and all Israel with him went up from Eglon to Hebron and attacked it. ³⁷ They took the city and put it to the sword, together with its king, its villages and everyone in it. They left no survivors. Just as at Eglon, they totally destroyed it and everyone in it.
³⁸ Then Joshua and all Israel with him turned around and attacked Debir. ³⁹ They took the city, its king and its villages, and put them to the sword. Everyone in it they totally destroyed. They left no survivors. They did to Debir and its king as they had done to Libnah and its king and to Hebron.

1. All Israel

The term “all Israel” pertains to all the Israelite soldiers who were with Joshua—those who joined him when they conquered the cities and destroyed everything in them. It also implies that there was no casualty among them. Nobody was left behind. All Israel have the strength to keep on obeying the Lord’s command to destroy.
Obeying our human want is natural. Obeying God’s will is supernatural. It takes supernatural strength from God to do the will of God, not by human effort. The person called by God shall be supplied with necessary factors (wisdom, strength) to accomplish God’s purposes. It says in 1 Corinthians 2:9-10, ⁹ “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”—the things God has prepared for those who love him—¹⁰ these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.
To do God’s will is easy but the difficult part is to let the Holy Spirit prevail in us.
The human mindset would argue or suggest an easier option. That is why, not a few can take the brutal destruction of the Canaanites. For humans, it’s not a loving way.
The killing of wicked people in the Old Testament is a practical reality of what may happen on the Judgment Day. Many people would welcome a loving God but cannot accept the sternness of God. By faith, we accept that God is merciful and just.
It says in 2 Peter 3:9, ⁹The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

When the Holy Spirit is at work in us, we understand this passage properly. Some people assume that God would eventually bring to heaven every person, believer or not. It’s similar example for people who appreciate encouraging sermons but detest and abhor admonition and rebuke. It’s an example of selective reading.
It follows in 2 Peter 3:10-13, ¹⁰ But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. ¹¹ Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives ¹² as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. ¹³ But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

Surely, God is patient and desires everyone to repent but He also set an appointed time for the punishment of those who keep on ignoring Him. Heeding God’s warning is also a manifestation of faith in Him. Faith is more exemplified in obedience.
God’s command may not look pleasant, at first, but the obedient is blessed.
Joshua and all Israel displayed obedience and totally destroyed all who breathed.

2. All Who Breathed

⁴⁰ So Joshua subdued the whole region, including the hill country, the Negev, the western foothills and the mountain slopes, together with all their kings. He left no survivors. He totally destroyed all who breathed, just as the Lord, the God of Israel, had commanded. ⁴¹ Joshua subdued them from Kadesh Barnea to Gaza and from the whole region of Goshen to Gibeon. ⁴² All these kings and their lands Joshua conquered in one campaign, because the Lord, the God of Israel, fought for Israel.
⁴³ Then Joshua returned with all Israel to the camp at Gilgal.

Joshua and all Israel were so quick to destroy all who breathed. They did not take their time to rest. They left no survivors. They were so furious and ruthless.
Did the Canaanites try to surrender? Did they cry for mercy? The Canaanites had no time to assemble. They did not call for reinforcement or backup from other cities.
All the Israelites went to their camp safe. No casualty!
God had been very patient with the Canaanites for hundred of years but their lifestyle never changed. God showed that He is just when He instructed the Israelites to destroy totally everyone that has breath.
We are not commanded to destroy but we should do what’s proper and right without sacrificing our integrity. So, what should we do when people abuse or take advantage of our kindness? What if those who abused our kindness are the same people we care and love—like relatives or friends?

King David

When Absalom rebelled and tried to grab the kingdom from his father, David was too kind and did not face his son in battle. He escaped instead of defending his throne.
In 2 Samuel 18:3-4, ³ But the men said, “You must not go out; if we are forced to flee, they won’t care about us. Even if half of us die, they won’t care; but you are worth ten thousand of us. It would be better now for you to give us support from the city.”
⁴ The king answered, “I will do whatever seems best to you.”

King David was torn between his love for his son and his responsibility to defend the throne and his loyal soldiers. He let his soldiers decide what’s best.
It has been very stressful church experience in the past weeks and months. Everyone has been affected positively or negatively. We desire for better church life and we have no idea yet why the Lord allowed such incidents. He has better plan for sure.
In Jude 18-21, ¹⁸ “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” ¹⁹ These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit. ²⁰ But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, ²¹ keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.

This church has been infiltrated with people with idealism not compatible with our church doctrines. Let us not lose hope in the Lord. The latest stressful incident in the church, did the Lord use it to separate those He has chosen for the restoration of the fortunes of the church. Let us pray like the Psalmist in Psalm 126:1-6.
¹ When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dreamed.
² Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” ³ The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. ⁴ Restore our fortunes, Lord, like streams in the Negev. 5 Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. ⁶ Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.

><((‘> … ><(((‘> tmec\2020 <‘)))>< …<‘))><