In answer to Quotes and SYN about genocide;
To pick up on SYN's point about Genocide:Yes you are right God does commit genocide in Noah’s time with the flood, and God does command Israel to wipe out the Amalekites in 1 Sam 15. No denying it.
The Flood story is one example, and based on the apparent survival of the Nephilim, no a very successful divine genocide.
Another one is 1 Samuel 15 where God commands a genocide (even farm animals are to be killed), but is dissapointed that Saul showed a tiny amount of compassion
By human standards this seems cruel and unjust. However these passages are not dealing with human standards, but with God’s standard of justice. God created this world and everything in it for a purpose and when we as humans go against God’s purpose and become sinful and wicked, God has every right to judge our wickedness. So this is not a conflict or inconsistency with God, but only with men.
Gen 6: 5 The Lord saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time.
1 Sam 15: 17 The Lord anointed you king over Israel. 18 And he sent you on a mission, saying, 'Go and completely destroy those wicked people, the Amalekites;
God saw how wicked and sinful these people were and decided he had had enough and wiped them out, the first time with a flood, the second time using Israel as an instrument.
This may seem horrifying to use and cause us to think, “why would I want to know and trust in a God like that?”
WHY? Because we to are sinful and wicked and the same fate awaits us also unless we accept what God has done for us through Christ Jesus. Jesus gave his life for us to cover our sin (Mark 10:45). If we accept this free gift of God’s grace (Eph 2:8) and turn to God we will be saved. (John 1: 12-13, 5:24)
May these incidents of biblical judgment be a warning to us all, that we would turn from our wicked ways and turn to God less the same fate fall on us.
My God open your eyes so that you can see.
Blessings
Maynard