The Sheer Sweetness of Sacked Cities: Why I Marvel at God's Chosen Conquest
Okay, so maybe "sweetness" isn't the *first* word that pops into your head when you think about sacked cities. I get it. I totally do. But hear me out, because I’ve been chewing on this one for a while, and I think there’s a real, profound beauty to be found, even in the mess.
You know, when you read through the Old Testament, it's hard to ignore the parts where God instructs the Israelites to, well, let’s just say they weren’t always playing nice. We see cities leveled, people scattered, and, yeah, it’s brutal. But recently, while I was re-reading Joshua, specifically the story of Jericho (Joshua 6), a different kind of understanding started to bloom. I used to think, “Oh man, that’s harsh! Why, God, why?” But now? Now, I see God’s ultimate power and control. "See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men.” (Joshua 6:2) He’s not just a bystander; He's *actively* working out His will, even through these seemingly terrible acts.
It's like when we renovated our kitchen last summer. Total demolition, right? Dust everywhere, chaos at every turn. For weeks we were living in the absolute disorder of it all. But, we trusted the process, didn’t we? We knew a beautiful, functional space was going to come out of the chaos. It wasn't pretty while it was happening, but the end result was absolutely breathtaking! That's how I'm beginning to see these stories in the Bible. The destruction was not the end, but a critical step toward the promise.
I think the thing that's been hitting me so hard is the reminder that this world, in all its messiness, isn't our true home. The sacking of these cities, for all their apparent cruelty, helped the Israelites establish their promised land. And, on a personal level, I think that's why this concept resonates. Even in our lives, sometimes God has to tear things down to build something better, something stronger, something more in line with His plan. My friend Sarah recently went through a really tough breakup, and it felt like her whole world was collapsing. But you know what? She’s stronger now, more sure of herself, and more attuned to God than ever before. She’s told me, “I’d never have gotten here without the demolition.”
Think about it: "The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.” (Psalm 9:9). That stronghold doesn't always come in a package we understand or expect. Sometimes it's not gentle, sometimes it's fierce. And it’s this fierceness, this absolute authority that shows us His unwavering commitment. It's like a sculptor, chiseling away the excess to reveal the masterpiece.
Now, this doesn’t make these stories easy. It forces me to lean into faith, to admit that I don't understand it all, but to trust that God's plan is perfect, even when it looks like absolute wreckage to my human eyes. In my own life, I've been trying to apply this by not fighting the times when God seems to be shaking things up. It's scary, sure. But if God is the architect of my life, then I can trust that even the demolitions are for my benefit in the end.
So next time you're reading about those sacked cities, I challenge you to look beyond the destruction. Ask yourself, what was God building through this? And what is He building through the difficult times in your life right now? Can we learn to trust the process, even when it's chaotic, and look for the sweetness in the seemingly bitter places?
What "sacked city" in your own life is God using to build something new? How can you trust in His process today?