God on Trial – #2 - How Jericho Could've Been!
God now speaks to Moses, Aaron, Joshua and says, “While the family of Abraham grew into a large nation in Egypt for the last 430 years, many peoples and cities have inhabited the land that was at one time the dwelling place of your forefathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The people of Jericho, Moab, Midian, Canaan, and many others do not know you, nor do they have a quarrel with you. They are not at war with you, nor do they wish you any harm. You are to go around them, and move to another land that I shall give you. You are to be a nation of peace, love, and bring no harm to anyone around you.
Moses asks, “But Lord, you promised that land to us as our inheritance. Why can we not take back our land?”
God says, “Do you want war, the shedding of blood, and great devastation? Israel is now without any land, so why take land from those who dwell there now for over 400 years? Let’s act in peace and build a new land. For the real hope is to have a good land where you and all Israel can dwell in peace, is it not? And, as your God, my promise is to give you good land where you and all Israel can live happily, so let’s do it this way Moses.”
Moses thankfully accepts God’s will. Then God go on to say “Okay people, I have set aside the land east of the Jordan river. It is currently uninhabited. It was a dessert, but I have made it blossom as the rose, a land of milk and honey. Tomorrow, when you wake up, there will be thousands of horses and wagons to carry your tired people to this land. You will have fresh food, water, wine, clothing and all your needs met along the way.
“When you arrive, you will be protected from all other nations. I want the nations to see what peace and love are all about. If they try to attack you, you will not need to fight. I will simply set up a shield of angels all around you who will keep the attackers out. No one will get hurt. The nations about will see how a loving God blesses and protects his people with peace.
“They can peacefully visit you, but without arms in hand. You can greet them and tell them that they too can become part of God’s work. But they are not to be harmed, or forced, or in anyway intimidated. If they try to cause harm, my angels will kindly remove them outside the land. These attackers will be barred from entering the land again.
“Any one of Israel is free to come and go and leave the land and return. While visiting other lands, my people will always be protected by a shield and no harm can be brought to them. This way, as people of other nations see how a loving God works in ways of peace, using his great power to help people, kindly protecting them, and causing no harm to others, then they may find in their own hearts a desire to walk with God. They must be free to choose in their own hearts, and see for themselves how the ways of peace and love conquer over violence, aggression, stealing, murder, war, and other such ways that are so needless and unproductive.
“By this all will know that the ways of God their father are the ways that bring genuine happiness, love, and rich lives."
My Thoughts: God reportedly has massive power to create the universe, including all life, and keeps everything in motion and functioning. He is believed to live outside space and time as we know it in the 3rd dimension. Certainly, if the above had taken place as fantasized by me, would this have proven to be an effective and wise way for God to act? - Amazing