God created and it was good. Satan, before he sinned, was assigned as a guardian cherub and was very beautiful in appearance. For his own greedy reasons, Satan wants man to die and desires to prove that humankind is irredeemable and not worth saving. Satan also wants others to worship him. However, because of Jehovah’s and Jesus’ love for humankind, they set up a redemption process for imperfect mankind. Not only a redemption process but it includes providing an earth where the righteous do not have to suffer at the hands of the wicked. This would take time (Hebrews 2:14-15 / John 12:31) – Especially with the involvement of ill-intended spirit creatures and humans. This redemption process would need to be protected for the future of mankind.
Hebrews 2:14-15 (WEB): 14 Since then the children have shared in flesh and blood, he also himself in the same way partook of the same, that through death he might bring to nothing him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and might deliver all of them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
John 12:31 (WEB): 31 Now is the judgment of this world. Now the prince of this world will be cast out.
Jehovah’s promised works will be primarily sanctified by his Son and his kingdom arrangement (2 Corinthians 1:19-20). The conclusion of this process will allow unobstructed universal good for all remaining creatures made in God’s image. Jehovah’s works will be sanctified! Can you imagine unobstructed good?
The universal issue, primarily being, the working out of God’s will. God is love and will not tolerate the wicked to oppress the righteous forever.
How long should the creator allow the wicked to harm the good people?
God is shown that he does not want anyone to die but wants the wicked to turn around. So what is God to do if a wicked person does not want to turn around and they harm a good person? What do humans do today to people who are considered a danger to society? They get locked up and in some areas of the world are killed. Sometimes attempts to rehabilitate them work and sometimes they don’t.
Some people say that capital punishment is bad and that it is wrong to kill. It is true that God had commanded in the 10 commandments that one should not kill. Jesus also stated that one should love their enemy. Jesus also stated that God is love. So, why did God kill in the past? I believe to start of answering this question that it is good to look a time that God refrained from killing.
Nineveh. In the book of Jonah we see that Jonah is commissioned to go to Nineveh and tell them that they will be overthrown in 40 days. Nineveh is full of violence and is huge. Jonah eventually proclaims this as he is walking through the huge city – It takes him a full day to walk through it. What happens? They all repent including the king! They do not want to perish. God sees that they turned back from their bad way and spares them! Jonah 3
This is a good example of God’s mercy. In the future, when God’s kingdom is established on earth, billions of people will be given the opportunity to repent and submit. Even those who have died in the past will be brought back to life to have the opportunity to choose which course to follow. Death of a human is not permanent with God as it is with humans. God can bring back the dead and give them another chance! See Psalms 2, Daniel 7:12; 12:2; John 5:28-29; Revelation 21:1-4; Ezekiel 33:11
This is certainly an interesting passage and open to many different interpretations.
Offspring of materialized angels who made bodies for themselves were born from women. These were called by some as “Nephilim” or also known as “fellers of men.” Wickedness along with violence had become prevalent. Should God allow the few righteous that were left to perish at the hands of wicked ones? No. He provided a way for Noah and his family to escape!
Some people speculate that if the Nephilim were allowed to continue to grow in number, it may have resulted in the extinction of humans or in the least, the human race would be enslaved to them. Whether this is true or not is not critical but it does make one wonder. But it is true that they were “fellers of men!”
Sodom and Gomorrah. Genesis 18-19.
Abraham’s nephew Lot and his wife and Lot’s two daughters lived here. Abraham was told that God was going to bring destruction on the area due to the degree of wickedness. Abraham “negotiated” with God that perhaps it may not be destroyed even if 10 righteous people are found. It was agreed. Apparently, there were not even 10 righteous ones because it was destroyed. However, God saw to it that righteous Lot and his daughters escaped the destruction.
In the future, the full number will need to be filled regarding those chosen ones to rule with Christ. It is critical. The principle is set here. As long as the number is filled and they have straightened their worship, we will not have to worry about the earth (All flesh) being destroyed. Malachi 4:5-6; Romans 11:25-26. Sounds harsh but it is true. I have no doubt that it will be filled. See Revelation 6:9-11.
Malachi 4:5-6 (NIV):
5 “See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. 6 He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction.”
Romans 11:25-26 (NIV):
25 I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, 26 and in this way[a] all Israel will be saved. As it is written:
“The deliverer will come from Zion;
he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.
Israel conquering nations in the “Promised Land.” Deuteronomy 6 – 7
There are a couple of reasons that Jehovah told them to annihilate these people. One is that they worshiped false Gods. A wide spread form included the sacrificing children to false Gods! Israel was to destroy all false worship. Another reason is that Jehovah promised Abraham the land. Of course, the current residents could have fled and lived but for the most part that we know, they did not.
This sets a pattern that Jehovah does not tolerate false worship. In the future, false worship will not be tolerated when God’s kingdom arrives. It will be destroyed along with all who do not submit to his Son. The kingdom will bless mankind with no more sickness, no more death from old age, everyone having a home that can’t be taken away, an abundance of food and water, and a righteous judicial system. What kind of person would really not want that?
Patterns are set:
Jehovah had to protect his redemption process for mankind since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden. This includes his promise to Abraham that all the nations of the would would be blessed because he listened to Jehovah and the redeeming value of his son’s (Jesus) sacrifice for mankind along with the establishment of God’s kingdom over the entire earth.
We can see a pattern that God does not tolerate false worship or violence as in the day’s of Noah. This pattern protects righteous worship and people from extermination or further wicked oppression.
2 Peter 2:4-13 shows us that God has reserved ones for “the day of judgment” such as the ancient world of Noah’s day and Sodom and Gomorrah. God will bring these ones back to life, to be given another chance to turn around.
2 Peter 3:9 Shows us that God wants everyone to turn around.
2 Peter 3:9(WEB): 9 The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some count slowness; but he is patient with us, not wishing that anyone should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
Jesus talked about the resurrection of the righteous and unrighteous in John 5:28-29. Daniel 12:2 also speaks of this happening when God’s kingdom is set up here on earth.
Some people believe that humans have to be perfect to please God or to be tested as to their integrity to God. However, Job gives us a lot to think about:
Job was an Oriental. He was considered by God to be blameless, upright, and a servant of God. He had a wife and children and was the greatest of the Orientals. In a heavenly assembly, before God, Satan accused Job of only serving God because of what he had. So God allowed Satan to test Job. Satan took basically everything he owned including his good health and children! Job’s wife told Job to curse God and die! But he did not. His integrity remained. Satan failed to prove his thought that the flesh was too weak and that the imperfect man Job would fail – But Job did not and was rewarded greatly! Job 1,2,42
This goes to show that even imperfect people can please God!
This is in stark contrast with the perfect man and woman Adam and Eve. Eve and Job’s wife were deceived into sinning but Adam and Job were not. Eve tempted Adam to sin against God by eating the forbidden fruit just as Job’s wife tempted Job to curse God and die! The difference being, Adam listened to his wife but Job did not! And both husbands knew what they were doing! Genesis 2:7-3:24
This had to be huge “slap in the face” to Satan! He was able to get perfect humans to sin against God but this imperfect man Job remained faithful although he lost basically everything including his health!
This should give us comfort to realize that no matter our circumstances or race, we can please God!