I like it when things make sense. I need to understand. And I realise that in this world we need to have faith to live, and faith to realise truth.
However, sometimes I look at the Bible, and what I read makes me do a double take.
Most recently this has come up in the context of the topic of "Destruction".

We serve a God of Love.
The Cross is all about Jesus coming to us, shouldering our burden, our sin, our shame... before we even knew him.
Forgiveness. Fullstop.
Jesus tells the story of the Prodigal Son (Or the Running Father), about how one who has done so much wrong and caused so much hurt is welcomed back "even while he was still far off".

I don't need to stress this any more: Its so deeply ingrained into our church culture. God LOVES us. God is MERCIFUL. God forgives.
God redeems. He doesn't destroy. He's just, not arbitrary.
He's Good.

And then. And then I read some passages that make me do a double take:

1) Judges 11 (especially v. 30-40). Jephthah vows to God that he will sacrifice whatever comes out of the door of his house If God hands over the Ammonites to him. And when he returns home, it is his daughter that comes out of the door of his house. And he sacrifices her.
To God.

A number of things don't sit well with me regarding this passage. Quite apart from the old chestnut of justifying the Israelites slaughtering the neighbouring peoples... here we have a man chosen by God who prays to God to show him the right sacrifice.
And... impliedly... that sacrifice is his only daughter.
And he does this.

Does this illustrate a God who approves of human sacrifice?

Why does God do this to him? Its not a Abraham situation - because Abraham was spared having to sacrifice his Son. He needed only to demonstrate his faith. Also, in Abraham, such faith was necessary. He was to become the father of a great people. He needed to be shown worth.
Jephthah is just a judge. Just a man.
Why? Why is this necessary? And... how does this square with a God of love, compassion, and redemption?

2) Matthew 21: 18-21; Mark 11:20-25. Jesus kills a fig tree. Yes. To demonstrate his power. But, he's done this many times already. Why does he kill, and why in such a seemingly arbitrary act?

These two passages link in with a series of passages in both the Old and New Testament where God Destroys. And, often he seems to Destroy even where there seems to be a chance for future redemption. No second chance is given. No warning.

In many situations a second chance *is* given... or the completely depraved nature of those destroyed is emphasised, as in the case of the flood, Sodom and Gommorrah and Lot's wife. Often the Wrath of God falls only after many warnings have been given (The example of the Pharoh being a perfect example... though again, we see God's destructive aspect in the killing of all the first born of Egypt... many of whom must have been innocents). We can accept God's favouring of the Israelites as his chosen people over the other peoples who they slaughter - he needs them to be an example. He needs them to be undefeatable. They are going to be a testament to who he is. They are going to be the vessel through which his Messiah comes to redeem the world.

But all through this, there is this undertone of destruction. We find it even in the Deuteronomical Laws - where the Israelites believed that destroying something gave it to God.

We see it in the New Testament too. The Fig tree example has already been given. But later on, in Acts, we see Annias and Saphira. Struck dead for lying. No second chance. Just dead.

The church today - especially the seeker-friendly aspects of it - don't seem to deal with this much. Understandably perhaps. A God of destruction is not very attractive. It's also tough to reconcile with a God of Redemption and Love.

But they're both there in the Bible.
Love.
Mercy.
Destruction.
Justice.
... and Reasons I can't Understand...

We can't reduce away the destructive/seemingly arbitrary facets of God any more than we can cut the Loving, Merciful aspects of God from Christianity.

But this confuses me. And disturbs me.

How is a God of love and redemption, of infinite power and patience, also a God who destroys?
Especially when "Love never fails"?

Why would such a God demand that one kill his daughter. He loves the daughter. He loves the man. I cant see why either the pain or the death were necessary here.

I'm spending a lot of time thinking about it.
And I don't have any answers yet.

Do you?