2 Reasons why God does not condone rape

Most people are disgusted by the Islamic group Boko Haram that abducted over 200 school girls. One can imagine what is happening to them. A similar accusation is regularly hurled against God:  He commanded the Israelites to rape the women of the conquered nations. That is such a juicy story, the enemies of God revel in it, but let us look at the issue.

 

Background

In Numbers 25 we read how Moabite and Midianite women seduced Israelite men and invited them to sacrifice to their idols. That was a clear violation of God’s command, so He disciplined them with a plague that killed 24,000 people. Then, in Numbers 31, God commanded Moses to take revenge on the Midianites.  Eventually only the virgins and livestock were saved, and they were divided among the Israelites. This is where imagination (Godcondoned the raping of women) takes over from Scriptural facts. The facts are as follows:

 

1. God demanded that captive women be treated with respect and dignity.  ‘When you go to war against your enemies and the Lord your God delivers them into your hands and you take captives, if you notice among the captives a beautiful woman and are attracted to her, you may take her as your wife. Bring her into your home and make her shave her head [a rite of renunciation and purification], trim her nails and put aside the clothes she was wearing when captured. After she has lived in your house and mourned her father and mother for a full month [a humanitarian way to help her adjust to new surroundings], then you may go to her and be her husband, and she will be your wife. If you are not pleased with her, let her go wherever she wishes. You must not sell her or treat her as a slave, since you have dishonoured her.’ ¹  That doesn’t sound like a command to rape the girls. Contrary to what usually happens to captive women in war, God’s commands reflect His concern that they should be treated decently. The Israelites were never allowed to indiscriminately rape and abuse captive women. God’s commands were to be obeyed.
2. Jesus will never override any person’s wishes. There is another reason why God would never condone rape. God the Son, Jesus, came to earth to  begin the process of getting a Bride (made up of the saved). This is entirely voluntary. Jesus is not going to ‘rape’ people to become His followers. He will not override any person’s wishes.

 

Why are people so anxious to accuse God of any possible mishaps? It is because we are in the middle of a vicious war against God and His Word. In this war the opposition side (whose commander in chief is the devil) negates honesty and integrity. Every bit of information that might impugn God is used, even if it is devoid of truth or facts.

 

Conclusion

Cherry picking certain passages in the Bible or distorting the real facts is propagandainstigated by the devil. Since we live in the midst of a war against the Bible, we can expect that distortions and lies will be spread about the wonderful God.

 

References

1. Deuteronomy 21:10-14