In view of such a possibility we feel
like exclaiming, "O, the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom, and
knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past
finding out!"
Very recently there came to me a new idea; and it came with such
suddenness that I can believe it was a suggestion from another Mind. I
was listening to a very able and thoughtful sermon. The theme was the
retention of the Canaanites in the land, instead of driving them out. We
read that "When Israel was strong, they put the Canaanites to tribute,
and did not utterly drive them out." The very natural and telling
application that was made by the preacher was, the many compromises with
evil that are made in our own time for the sake of gain.
BARBAROUS IDEAS.
But the preacher took the ground that it was a very cruel and barbarous
thing to exterminate those nations, or to put them to the sword. He
dwelt on the barbarous ideas that then prevailed, contrasting them with
the toleration that prevails now. He said that we convert men now,
instead of killing them. He took the ground that the extermination of
those people was due to an entire misconception of the divine command.
It struck me at the moment that such an idea was entirely contrary to
the fact. Here is the command, and the substance of it was often
repeated: "Ye shall utterly destroy all the places wherein the nations
which ye shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and
upon the hills, and under every green tree; and ye shall overthrow their
altars, and break their pillars, and burn their groves with fire; and ye
shall hew down the graven images of their gods, and destroy the names of
them out of that place.
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