These chapters were extremely helpful in my understanding of God and why he is having whole cities devoted to destruction.
In chapter 6, God tells the people to tell their children when they come to them and ask why they are to do all of the testimonies and statutes:
“We were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt. And the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. And the Lord showed signs and wonders, great and grievous, against Egypt and again Pharaoh and all his household, before our eyes. And he brought us out from there, that he might bring us in and give us the land that he swore to give to our fathers. And the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as we are this day. And it will be righteousness for us, if we are careful to do all this commandment before the Lord our God, as he has commanded us.”
This helped me to realize just how much God cares about his people. The reason he’s done all of these things and given all these “rules” is for the betterment of His chosen people. He does everything to give them a step up.
He then talks later about the cities to bring to destruction when they cross them and that they shouldn’t have pity on them.
“Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations, and repays to their face those who hate him, by destroying them. He will not be slack with one who hates him. He will repay him to his face.”
God has his chosen people, and those who are not his chosen people will one day be brought to destruction. Everyone has the opportunity to be his chosen people if they accept and believe in Him. And we are to invite them in. Unlike the people of Israel, we had the choice of inviting people in before they were devoted to destruction.
How much do you care about people? Will you allow them to go to eternal destruction? Or will you invite them to accept the free gift of salvation that Jesus gives?