In 1 Ki, Josh, Jdg, and elsewhere, why is there so much violence in the Old Testament?
First of all, even a rapid reading of Revelation will convince most people it is not limited to the Old Testament. The Bible is not a “whitewashed” book that only tells of the good things people did and pretends the evil things never occurred. Indeed, many times godly men bravely struggled for righteousness in the face of evil and violence. The violence in the Old Testament falls into three broad categories. Sinful Actions: The Bible records not only the bad things unbelievers did, but it also records honestly the evil things done by believers, such as David. At times, God is violent: Whether it be Noahs flood, plagues, or other things, God brings judgment, and many times it is violent. People have differing views of the loss of a human life, and God, who made people for Himself and sees eternity, has a different view of death than many people. Believers godly actions: Not only is God violent at times, but sometimes He intended, desired, and even ordered His obedient children to “strap
