Utterly Destroyed | Sunday, May 17, 2020

And I sent messengers from the wilderness of Kedemoth to Sihon king of Heshbon, with words of peace, saying, "Let me pass through your land; I will keep strictly to the road, and I will turn neither to the right nor to the left... only let me pass through on foot..." But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass through, for the LORD your God hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate, that He might deliver him into your hand, as it is this day... And we utterly destroyed the men, women, and little ones of every city; we left none remaining. We took only the livestock as plunder for ourselves... There was not one city too strong for us; the LORD our God delivered all to us. (Deuteronomy 2:26-37)

Before God judges, He always offers peace—and that truth turns the Bible's hardest passage into an invitation.

A Topic Our Culture Detests

I want to speak this morning on a topic that has been anathematized by a culture that detests the concept of moral culpability. Words like accountability, liability, responsibility, and guilt stir our emotions, especially when joined to the idea of morality.

We are not generally hostile to these concepts when they are applied to someone we don't like—someone on the other team. Then we are more than ready to pick up stones and judge. If we're honest, we revel in it when someone we dislike gets judged. But we grow uncomfortable when moral accountability comes anywhere near us, and we become almost indignant if we feel those in the seat of justice are not being fair or righteous. This is why our text today is one of the most problematic passages for 21st-century Westerners.

Some of the things in this passage are extremely challenging and problematic for us, so it is worth pausing to pray for understanding, that we might wisely interpret and apply it.

The Trump Card of the New Atheists

In October 2006 and May 2007, two books hit stores dealing with the topic of God, each becoming a bestseller and solidifying its author as a spokesman for what is now called the New Atheism. The first, by English biologist Richard Dawkins, was The God Delusion; the second, by the late journalist Christopher Hitchens, was God Is Not Great. Each of these atheistic heavyweights argued against God, Judaism, and Christianity at least in part on the basis of passages like this one in Deuteronomy 2.

For atheists like Dawkins, Hitchens, and Sam Harris, a passage like this presents the believer with a moral conundrum. Since these bestsellers, an oft-cited trump card against the Bible has been a moral argument against the "genocide" passages of the Old Testament.

Several things about this fascinate me. First, it is more than a little ironic that atheists who ultimately believe there is no such thing as objective moral standards claim the moral high ground against religion because of passages like these. Second, in nearly fifteen years this has become one of the primary arguments levied against Christians, brought up in countless debates, articles, documentaries, and classrooms—often in a "drop the mic" way that assumes believers have no worthwhile answer.

Third, this challenge reveals a very narrow perspective on world history. It is easy to belittle other people in other places and times when you are doing so from the highly modern, peaceful, and safe position of the 21st-century Western world. Most of us who have lived in North America and Western Europe over the last sixty years cannot really conceptualize heinous evil and how it ought to be confronted—which is really what is happening here. Fourth, this antagonistic position assumes there is no moral law and no moral lawgiver, so it refuses to accept that God has any jurisdiction over our lives. To that mindset, this text is nothing more than ancient imperialistic warmongering genocide.

Living Before a Holy God Without Mercy

But if you are a Christian, your worldview is different. This passage presents a moral accountability to a moral Lawgiver. Passages like this in the Old Testament reveal what it looks like to live before a holy, righteous, and just God without mercy and grace. And here is the frightening fact: the God of the Old Covenant is still on the throne. Though under the New Covenant He extends grace and mercy in Christ, the Scriptures reveal a future day of judgment that will be as bad—and likely much worse—than the judgment in Deuteronomy 2 and 3, in Genesis 19, and in the book of Joshua.

In this section of Deuteronomy, Moses reminds Israel of their recent history just before they enter the land promised to Abraham centuries before. After 38 years of wilderness wandering, as they were about to cross from east of the Jordan into the Promised Land, they came to the land of the Amorites. There they did battle against Sihon king of Heshbon, and later against Og, the Amorite king of Bashan. This is the beginning of Israel's conquest of the Promised Land.

Words of Peace Before Judgment

Before we get to the utter destruction of the men, women, and little ones, we must not miss the opening words: "I sent messengers... to Sihon king of Heshbon with words of peace."

You can check me on this, but as far as I can tell from more than two decades of intense study of Scripture, before God renders judgment He always offers grace and extends words of peace. Our critics decry the harshness of God's judgment but never consider His offers of grace, mercy, and peace.

I want this to be utterly clear. As a Christian I believe that one day God will judge the earth—this truth runs throughout Scripture. But right now He has sent His messengers throughout the world with words of peace and an offering of grace in and through Jesus. That is the gospel: good news of grace and peace in Jesus. For twenty centuries Christians have gone throughout the world to testify of the gospel of the grace of God. If you do not receive His offer of mercy in Jesus Christ, then you stand in opposition to the holy and mighty God, and His justice will one day come.

It is not the church that brings about God's justice; one day He will bring justice Himself. Romans 1:18 says, "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness." Hebrews 9:27 says, "It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment." And Hebrews 10:26-31 goes further:

For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries... For we know Him who said, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. And again, "The LORD will judge His people." It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

How the Amorites Responded

We are living during an extended time of the offering of God's grace, mercy, and peace. The Amorites also lived for centuries during a time of extended grace, and even at the end God offered them words of peace through Moses. How did they respond? Numbers 21:21-23 records it:

Then Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, saying, "Let me pass through your land... we will go by the King's Highway until we have passed through your territory." But Sihon would not allow Israel to pass through his territory. So Sihon gathered all his people together and went out against Israel in the wilderness, and he came to Jahaz and fought against Israel.

God gave us the capacity to choose how we respond to His offer of peace, and He will hold us responsible for that response. Like it or not, this is what the Bible teaches.

"The LORD Hardened His Spirit"

Someone will object to what they perceive as inequity on God's part. Deuteronomy 2:30 says, "But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass through, for the LORD your God hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate."

There is much to be said here, but I'll say this: like Pharaoh in Exodus before him, Sihon's heart was already hard and obstinate toward God. God only allowed him to remain in his stubborn position. When all is said and done, don't let Pharaoh and Sihon be your role models. Do not harden your heart. There is grace, mercy, and peace on the table.

Utterly Destroyed

The account continues in verses 31-37, where Israel utterly destroyed the men, women, and little ones of every city, leaving none remaining, taking only the livestock as plunder. This is what it looks like to live without mercy before a pure and holy God.

When you read the Bible from Genesis through to this passage, you realize the Amorites were given 400 years to repent. Then they were given the opportunity to let Israel pass through—an opportunity for peace. But when they obstinately stood against God, His people, and His offer of peace, His judgment would be final and complete.

It is worth noting that some scholars believe the language of utter destruction, including upon women and children, is hyperbolic. The traditional consensus, however, is that it is literal—that this actually happened. At a distance of 3,400 years we cannot know for certain, but the main point remains: God's judgment will be final and complete. This is why we need His grace, mercy, and peace in Jesus Christ. There will be no excuse when we stand before God.

Who Is Really in the Judgment Seat?

This is the point at which modern Westerners shake their heads and ask, "How can you believe this? I could never serve a God who would judge like this. It's just wrong." But notice what you have done: you have placed yourself in the judgment seat and condemned God as unjust. I want to suggest that our moral judgments against God are more unrighteous than He will ever be in His judgments of us.

A little more than 400 years before Israel's defeat of the Amorites, God brought judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah, recorded in Genesis 19. But before pouring out judgment, God revealed His plan to Abraham. And Abraham did exactly what you and I should do when we realize God will judge other people—he prayed. He interceded on behalf of the wicked people of Sodom and Gomorrah.

If you are a follower of God today, I have to ask: are you praying for the people you know who do not yet know God? If not, I hope you'll start. As Abraham interceded, he asked the same question we wrestle with. Genesis 18:24-25:

Suppose there were fifty righteous within the city; would You also destroy the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous that were in it?... Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

That really is the question. If there is a moral law and a moral Lawgiver who will one day judge the earth by His law, then He must be right and righteous in His judgments. And God answered in Genesis 18:26, "If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes." We can be certain He will be righteous, for the Scriptures declare, "With righteousness He shall judge" (Isaiah 11:4).

We Are No Better

But there is a huge problem. Romans 2 says:

Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things... Do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who "will render to each one according to his deeds."

The problem is this: you and I are no better than the Amorites, no better than those in Sodom and Gomorrah. We deserve every bit of the judgment they received.

Jesus made the point in Luke 13:1-5:

Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.

And Paul, testifying in Athens in Acts 17, said, "Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent." That is the word for us today. As God overlooked the Amorites' ignorance for 400 years, He overlooks ours—but when they refused to repent at His offer of peace, they were judged.

Receive the Prince of Peace

You can get angry with God at what your finiteness perceives to be wrong, or you can receive His offer of peace by receiving the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ. I hope that's what you'll do, because the alternative is not good. Romans 5:1-2:

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

And in verses 6-9:

For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly... But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.

The peace of God will be found only in Jesus Christ. Just as Moses sent messengers to the Amorite kings before judgment came, God has sent His messengers—pastors, friends, family members—bringing you the gospel, the good news of what Jesus did on the cross so that we might have peace with God.

This is the clear and simple gospel. In 1 Corinthians 15 Paul says, "This is the gospel that I preached to you, by which you are saved": that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. Romans 4 tells us He was raised for our justification. He died in our place to take away our sin and give us peace and righteousness.

There is coming a day of judgment, and no one will be able to stand before a holy and righteous God unless they are clothed in the righteousness of Jesus. Romans 10 tells us that if we believe on the Lord Jesus and confess Him as Lord, we will be saved. If you would like to do that today, pray this simple prayer of faith with me:

Dear Jesus, I recognize that I am a sinner. I ask You to come into my life, forgive me of my sin, and help me to follow You by faith. Be the Lord of my life. In Jesus' name, Amen.

If you prayed that prayer today, we would love to know. Please go to the website, commit.life, and fill out the form. We would love to send you a Bible and help you as you begin your walk with the Lord.

Closing Prayer

Father, we thank You right now for the work that is happening through this church and many others as people are being reached with the gospel. We pray that You would move in a mighty way in our nation and in the world. Move against this virus, Lord—whether You provide a vaccine, therapeutic drugs, or simply do a miraculous work. In the midst of this trial, encourage the hearts of Your people to rejoice in the good things You are doing. Philippians 1 says the things that have happened to us have turned out for the furtherance of the gospel; it is becoming clear that You are working, causing Your church to be all the more bold to share their faith. Continue that work, Lord, and bring about a revival. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.

And so may the grace, mercy, and peace of God be upon you in fullness this week, in Jesus' name. Amen.