Reading from Monday, April 12

Hey now. How's it goin there? Work has finally slowed down to a pace where I'm not drowning in my own tears, which is excellent, and now I'm about to watch me a little LOST. Oh yeah.

Reading for April 12
Joshua 5:1-7:15
Man...just when I'm starting to get over the Midianites, here comes the story of Jericho. So before I start freaking out - let me quickly summarize the story.

Joshua is visited by an angel of God who tells him the way to break down the walls surrounding the city of Jericho, which is part of the promised land. He tells Joshua to have all the Israelites march around the city for six days, once each day. Then on the seventh day, he is told to have everyone march around the city seven times while the priests are blowing trumpets. When they finish the seventh lap, they priests are to sound a loud blast on the trumpets, everyone is supposed to yell and the walls will fall. Well, that's exactly what happens. Bit by bit, the Israelites follow these instructions and the walls of Jericho collapse.

You know, this is difficult to say because of what happens next, but I think God was having fun here. He could have easily had the Israelites doing something cooler than marching around a city blowing trumpets. He could have had them waving swords around and making sweet, super intimidating dragon robots that could tear down the wall. But God instead had them do something totally weird and out of the ordinary to show their obedience to him.

So after the walls fall, the Israelites are ready to take over the city, but instead of just rousting the people from their homes, God commands them to kill everything. Men, women, children, elderly people, animals, plants - everything. Why the hell does he have to kill children?! Because they weren't worshiping him?! Unacceptable. Absolutely unacceptable.


Here's what its like: A father promises his son that he will have a turn on the best swing at the park that day. But when they get there, there's another kid already on the swing. So the father tells his son to go over and push the other kid off the swing, and then kick him in the mouth after he falls. Then while the kid is bleeding and crying, take the toys he brought with him and break them in half. Then piss all over them and the kid. Then get on the swing and enjoy.

But if his son disobeys his father, then the father gets to kick his son in the mouth. WHAT KIND OF FATHER IS THAT?! A terrible one! Right?? What is that teaching his son? "You can have whatever you want as long as you're obeying me, and you should claim what I promised you through brutal violence"? NO! I can't get behind that!

Luke 15:1-32
Hm. I used the father analogy to express my anger about what happened in Jericho - only to see the parable of the prodigal son here in Luke. Here's a brief summary of that story:

There was a father with two sons. One of them decided he had enough of his life and asked his father for what would be his inheritance, basically saying 'you're dead to me'. He leaves and realizes that life isn't so great away from his father's house. So he comes home expecting his father to hate him, but instead he rushes out to greet him and throws a huge party because he has returned.

So we should feel that when we turn to God, or turn back to him after a long time, that he welcomes us with open arms.


I need to remember that God's character changes after Jesus' sacrifice...but I still can't get over a genocide...

Plus the fact that it would be very easy to discount the existence of God through these early history stories of the Israelites. They were a growing, fledgling nation of people and were trying to conquer new territory. They were mad with a thirst for power and decided to destroy everything in their way, and made up a God to justify their actions.

As I finished typing that last sentence, a big empty ball of nothingness hit me in the gut. What am I supposed to do with this anger?

Psalm 81:1-16
¹⁵ Those who hate the LORD would cringe before him,
       and their punishment would last forever.
 ¹⁶ But you would be fed with the finest of wheat;
       with honey from the rock I would satisfy you."

Oh, so because one of my good friends is Hindu, and was raised Hindu, and his peaceful religion does not include my God, his punishment will last forever. But because I believe in this specific God, I will get honey from a rock. Wow. I am so much better than everyone else. 

Proverbs 13:1
 ¹ A wise son heeds his father's instruction,
       but a mocker does not listen to rebuke.

Whatever.