Deuteronomy 2: Spoils of War

"We took only the livestock and the spoil from the cities we captured as plunder for ourselves."
Deuteronomy 2:35

God gave the land of Heshbon to the Israelites, who destroyed every last man, woman, and child therein.  As I read about the mass killings in these battles, I am reminded of Matthew 26:52, where Jesus reminds us that "all who take up a sword will perish by a sword."

At first, I thought that, surely, these Israelites must perish by the sword for these gruesome murders.  However, I then remembered that the Lord has a tendency to weave together the actions of all mankind in ways that baffle us completely.  The following is all conjecture, not based on any fact or historical information.  It's just a gut reaction telling what could have been the case.  It is quite likely that my thoughts are completely off, but perhaps a reader might know more facts and be able to correct me in a comment.

Perhaps the residents of Heshbon were evil men who had taken up their own swords in the past, and God sent the Israelites to fulfill His ruling that violent men would die violently.  Perhaps the residents of Heshbon were as sinful and vile as those who once inhabited Sodom and Gomorrah.  We know that the Lord is giving this land to Israel because He promised to give it to Abraham's descendants, but perhaps He chose this particular land (instead of some other) because He knew that its inhabitants would be unworthy of anything other than complete destruction.

Question of the Day:

Have you ever had that spark of insight which comes from understanding how two seemingly separate events, which alone make no sense, come together in an unexpected way that clarifies every answer?  That's wisdom.

Prayer of the Day:

Lord, give me wisdom, as You gave it to Solomon.  I do not ask for riches or women.  I do not ask for adventure or prosperity.  I ask only for the wisdom to know how to serve You best - how I fit into Your plan for the world around me.  Amen.