Numbers 11:1-3

 

Numbers 11:1-3

When the complaining, ungrateful Hebrews spoke disrespectfully of Yahweh, on at least on this one occasion he burned fire close to them, consuming some of them, to warn them to shape up. Wow. Don’t mess with God.

Here are these lines from Chapter 11, Numbers, entitled Discontent of the People, from my The New American Bible: “Now the people complained in the hearing of the Lord, and when he heard it, his wrath flared up so that the fire of the Lord burned among them and consumed the outskirt of the camp. Hence that place was called Taberah, because there the fire of the Lord burned among them.

Here are these same verses from the Holy Bible (KJV): “And when the people complained, it displeased the Lord; and the Lord heard it and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the Lord burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost part of the camp.

And the people cried unto Moses; and when Moses prayed unto the Lord, the fire was quenched.

And he called the name of the place Taberah: because the fire of the Lord burnt among them.”

My response: What do I conclude from this? It seems to me that God can be angry if humans disobey De, and God’s punishment of humans can be violent, even a death sentence. God will use force to make De’s point and to punish transgressors.

This informs me that good people are not to be gentle, Quaker-like pacifists, but be armed and violent if necessary, but limited mostly to self-defense or only whenever absolutely required, no alternative being available. Therefore, some wars are just.