Is God a Moral Monster? ch. 17

Copan ends his defense of God's ordering of the destruction of the Canaanites by making a few arguments. First, Jesus himself argues that those who live by the sword will die by the sword and that the kingdom he established is not of this world and therefore not the same as national Israel. Second, Copan reminds us that God's larger goal was to bless Israel, the Canaanites and all the world. Third, he makes a case that God's love and wrath are not at odds with one another (see quote from Volf on p. 192). At the end of the day, we must remember that the same God who commanded the destruction of the Canaanites also was crucified for their (and our) salvation.