Is God fair?

When you think, “God’s not fair,” just remember He gave the world a chance first. One example is Joshua and the giants. The standard was to have your body brutally beaten, die on a wooden cross, be buried and come back to life. At a time when giants roamed as kings, this is what happened.

²⁴ Now when Israel had finished killing all the inhabitants of Ai in the field in the wilderness where they pursued them, and all of them were fallen by the edge of the sword until they were destroyed, then all Israel returned to Ai and struck it with the edge of the sword. ²⁵ All who fell that day, both men and women, were 12,000—all the people of Ai. ²⁶ For Joshua did not withdraw his hand with which he stretched out the javelin until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai. ²⁷ Israel took only the cattle and the spoil of that city as plunder for themselves, according to the word of the LORD which He had commanded Joshua. ²⁸ So Joshua burned Ai and made it a heap forever, a desolation until this day. ²⁹ He hanged the king of Ai on a tree until evening; and at sunset Joshua gave command and they took his body down from the tree and threw it at the entrance of the city gate, and raised over it a great heap of stones that stands to this day. (Joshua 8:24-29)

This king did not plead for the life of his subjects to go free as Jesus did so his body which was his city was destroyed instead. Joshua’s spear drained the blood out just as the Roman’s spear did when piercing Jesus’ side. The plunder was kept just as Jesus’ tunic was. However, after being hung on a tree until evening and buried under a heap of stones, no resurrection. Some may claim it wasn’t fair because the stones were placed on top of him. Fair enough, five kings this time; for a triple braided cord is not easily broken.

Later an alliance of five kings attacked a city that allied itself with Israel. This is what happened to them,

¹⁶ Now these five kings had fled and hidden themselves in the cave at Makkedah. ¹⁷ It was told Joshua, saying, “The five kings have been found hidden in the cave at Makkedah.” ¹⁸ Joshua said, “Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave, and assign men by it to guard them, ¹⁹ but do not stay there yourselves; pursue your enemies and attack them in the rear. Do not allow them to enter their cities, for the LORD your God has delivered them into your hand.” ²⁰ It came about when Joshua and the sons of Israel had finished slaying them with a very great slaughter, until they were destroyed, and the survivors who remained of them had entered the fortified cities, ²¹ that all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace. No one uttered a word against any of the sons of Israel.

²² Then Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave and bring these five kings out to me from the cave.” ²³ They did so, and brought these five kings out to him from the cave: the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon. ²⁴ When they brought these kings out to Joshua, Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said to the chiefs of the men of war who had gone with him, “Come near, put your feet on the necks of these kings.” So they came near and put their feet on their necks. ²⁵ Joshua then said to them, “Do not fear or be dismayed! Be strong and courageous, for thus the LORD will do to all your enemies with whom you fight.” ²⁶ So afterward Joshua struck them and put them to death, and he hanged them on five trees; and they hung on the trees until evening. ²⁷ It came about at sunset that Joshua gave a command, and they took them down from the trees and threw them into the cave where they had hidden themselves, and put large stones over the mouth of the cave, to this very day.

(Joshua 10:16-27)

References

Joshua 8:24-29

John 18:8

Matthew 20:25

John 19:34

John 19:23

Ecclesiastes 4:12

Matthew 7:27

Joshua 10:16-27