I recently heard a message where a reference was made to people in the Bible God killed… which probably sounded as harsh to you as it did me. It was said a lot could be learned from doing a study on that topic when the main thought of God’s holiness is kept in mind.
That was enough to hook me on learning more about God’s Holiness and why He does what He does. So I did a quick search of people in the Bible that God, for one reason or another, took their life. What I found is detailed below… which is not an exhaustive list.
The first thought I have is, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked. Whatsover a man sows, that he will also reap.” The next thought I have is that my question ought not to be… “Why did God take their life,” but rather, “Why is He allowing me to continue breathing?!” My third thought is, because God is holy any infringement upon that is a SERIOUS offense… therefore I need to live in order to glorify God.
I’d be glad to read your thoughts if you have any you wouldn’t mind sharing. What follows is not an exhaustive list. Just the ones I could think of in a short amount of time.
Adam and Eve (Genesis 2:16-7, 3:6-7).
The Great Flood (Genesis 6:5-7, 7:4, 7:20-23)
The People of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19:34-35).
First Born In Egypt (Exodus 12:29-32).
Egyptian Army In The Red Sea (Exodus 14:26-28).
Korah And His People (Numbers 16:31-33).
Uzzah (2 Samuel 6:5-7).
Ahaziah’s Messengers (2 Kings 1:9-16).
Anannias and Sapphria (Acts 5:1-10).
Herod (Acts 12:21-23).
A near death experience in Corinth (1 Cor 5:1-5)
Corinthian Believers (1 Cor 11:29-32).
Others? (1 John 5:16-17).
God is serious about sin. God is serious about His glory. God is serious about holiness.
I recently came across this blog and appreciate the valuable truths you present, reflecting upon them throughout my day. I just want to encourage you to keep putting the truth out there for all to see, in this day and age when Americans put God in a box. Your thought-provoking questions about “would you do it” if given the choice to profess Christ or suffer…made me think about how likely the Christians in our culture would justify outward compliance with their persecutor in order to escape. We would do well to study those who remained faithful unto death and take their example and our commitment seriously.
~Annette
Dear Annette,
Thank you so much for your kind comments. Blogging sometimes makes you wonder if it is “all thunder and no rain.” Your comment reminds me that just because we don’t observe the fruit does not mean it is not there. I hope you have a great day!
Ron
Wow! This is a lot to think about. I have often wondered if Adam & Eve brought death to the earth or if God always intended for each of us to have an appointed time here. I guess it could be said that God also killed his son; or at least appointed him to die by our hands, and for our sins so that each of us could be saved. I guess this is another thing that we were not meant to understand and when we need to know, we will. He gave me a heart full of love for him and trust in him but not a lot of understanding.
Beth,
You brought up an interesting point in wondering… “If God always intended for each of us to have an appointed time here.”
For the answer I point to Psalm 139:16, “In your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.”
That would mean, according to this text, that every day we live and what happened on each of those days, was written down BEFORE we was born. This includes the day of our birth AND the day we will breathe our last. That is a little of an idea of how far God’s knowledge extends.
Indeed He alone deserves our worship!
Ron