Why did God allowed to destroy some nations in old testament

Why did God allowed to destroy some nations in old testament

If God loves everyone, why does the Old Testament show Him commanding or allowing the Israelites to conquer or destroy nations like the Ammonites, Philistines, and others?

Here’s a spiritual and theological explanation that brings several key ideas together:

God’s Justice and Mercy Work Together

God is loving, but He is also just and holy. He is patient with nations, but when they persist in extreme wickedness, especially violence, idolatry, and child sacrifice—He brings judgment.

Example:

• The Ammonites and others often practiced child sacrifice (e.g., to Molech), idolatry, and sexual immorality (see Leviticus 18, Deuteronomy 18:9–14).
• God waited hundreds of years before judging them.

Genesis 15:16 – “For the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.”
God delayed Israel’s conquest until the people’s sin had reached its full measure.

God's Judgment on Nations Is Not Racial or Partial

God never judged nations based on race or ethnicity—but on unrepentant evil. He even judged Israel when they sinned:

• Israel and Judah were exiled (Assyria & Babylon) for idolatry and injustice.
• God used Babylonians and Assyrians to discipline His own people.

Jeremiah 25:29 – “If I am bringing disaster on the city that bears my Name, will you indeed go unpunished?”

God Still Cared for Other Nations

Even while judging, God showed mercy and sent prophets to Gentile nations:

• Nineveh (Assyrians) – Jonah preached to them, and they repented.
• Rahab (Canaanite) and Ruth (Moabite) joined Israel and became part of the Messiah’s lineage.

This shows God's desire to save, not just to punish.

Ezekiel 33:11 – “I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live.”

God Used Israel as an Instrument of His Plan

Israel wasn’t just a random group. God chose them to be:

• A light to the nations (Isaiah 49:6)
• The nation through whom the Messiah would come.

To protect that mission, He sometimes removed hostile and corrupt nations that threatened His redemptive plan.

Summary Table

Reason	Explanation
God’s Justice	He judged wicked nations that committed abominations (e.g., child sacrifice, extreme violence).
Long Patience	He gave them centuries to repent (Genesis 15:16).
Impartiality	God judged Israel too when they sinned—He is not partial.
Mercy Available	He saved Gentiles who turned to Him (Rahab, Ruth, Nineveh).
Preserving the Promise	God protected the line of the Messiah and Israel’s role as a spiritual light.

Final Thought

Yes, God loves all people, but love does not ignore evil. In the Old Testament, He revealed His holiness and justice more visibly through national dealings. In the New Testament, we see the full expression of both justice and love in Jesus Christ, who bore judgment so that all people—Ammonites, Israelites, Philistines, and us—could receive grace.