Series LESSONS OF FAITH FROM JOSHUA with Pastor Mark Finley
Lesson 5: God Fights for You A Lesson on Justice, Judgment, and Hope
Lesson 5 poses a challenging but important question: Why did God command wars in the Old Testament, especially against the Canaanites? To understand this issue, we must consider God’s character as a holy, patient, and righteous Judge. The Bible shows that God’s interventions were never arbitrary or cruel, but part of His greater plan to fight evil and preserve His people. Yet the path to repentance remained open—even for Israel’s enemies. This lesson helps us interpret God’s actions in light of His justice and love. At the same time, it points beyond war to God’s ultimate goal: peace through the coming Messiah.
Content: 5.1 The Canaanites’ Iniquity God’s Justice and Patience in Dealing with the Canaanites
The referenced Bible texts show that God’s decision to give Israel the land of Canaan was not arbitrary but part of a long-term and just plan. For generations, the Canaanites lived in deep moral and spiritual corruption, including practices such as child sacrifice and occult rituals. Yet God granted them a long period of grace—over 400 years (see Genesis 15:16)—to repent. Archaeological findings and historical accounts confirm the depth of their depravity. Only when their guilt was complete and they showed no repentance did God intervene. The conquest of Canaan by Israel was thus a judgment on an unrepentant culture, not an unjust act of displacement.
5.2 The Supreme Judge God – The Righteous Judge of All Nations
These verses reveal that God is a righteous and impartial Judge who always acts in line with His holy and perfect character. He does not judge arbitrarily, but with patience, truth, and justice. As Judge, God cannot ignore sin indefinitely—neither among the Canaanites nor in Israel. His judicial role helps us understand divine warfare not as cruelty but as a final consequence in the fight against evil. God’s goal is never violence for its own sake, but the restoration of order, justice, and peace. This perspective reveals a God who fights injustice—out of love for His creation and in faithfulness to His character.
5.3 Dispossession or Annihilation? Expulsion, Not Annihilation – God’s Goal in Holy War
The compared Bible texts show that God’s original goal was not the complete destruction of the Canaanites but their expulsion and the removal of their religious practices. The focus was on destroying pagan altars and cultic sites to preserve Israel’s purity in faith. Only where the inhabitants knowingly resisted God’s will and barricaded themselves in cities did total destruction occur. Even during the conquest, God offered ways of salvation—as in the example of Rahab. Destruction was not the goal itself, but the consequence of rebellion against God’s justice. Likewise, in our personal lives, God calls for the removal of harmful influences that separate us from Him.
5.4 Free Choice Free Will in Divine Judgment – Between Life and the Ban
The war laws in Deuteronomy clearly show that God’s judgment on nations was not arbitrary but based on their conscious rebellion against Him. Even during holy war, the possibility of repentance remained—as seen with Rahab or the Gibeonites. The cherem (ban) applied only to those who actively and stubbornly opposed God’s will. At the same time, Israel itself could fall under this ban if it abandoned God’s commandments (Deut 13). This shows: Free will has always been central in our relationship with God—no one is saved or condemned automatically. Our decisions for or against God’s ways have eternal consequences, for in the spiritual battle there is no neutrality.
5.5 The Prince of Peace The Prince of Peace – God’s Goal Is Eternal Peace
The prophets of the Old Testament draw a clear picture: God’s ultimate plan for His people is not endless war, but an eternal kingdom of peace under the Messiah, the Prince of Peace. In Isaiah and Micah, we see visions of a world without violence, where justice, healing, and harmony prevail. The story in 2 Kings 6 illustrates that even in the face of the enemy, God’s way of mercy and peace is possible. Elisha did not act out of revenge but revealed God’s true nature—peace instead of retaliation. This shows: War was never God’s end goal, but a temporary measure in the fight against evil. Our mission today is to be peacemakers—a reflection of what God has intended for humanity from the beginning.
5.6 Summary God Fights – But for Justice and Peace
Lesson 5 sheds light on God’s role as a warrior in the Old Testament in the context of divine justice—not human cruelty. The conquest of Canaan was an expression of judgment against a deeply corrupt culture, not nationalism or power-seeking. God’s goal was not destruction, but the removal of godless practices—with room for repentance for all who turned to Him. As a just Judge, God acts impartially and expects faithfulness even from Israel; otherwise, it too would fall under judgment. Despite the context of war, the Bible points toward a future of peace under the Messiah, the Prince of Peace. God’s ultimate plan is not war, but the restoration of justice, reconciliation, and eternal peace.
