War!!!!

16 So Joshua conquered the entire region—the hill country, the entire Negev, the whole area around the town of Goshen, the western foothills, the Jordan Valley,* the mountains of Israel, and the Galilean foothills. 17 The Israelite territory now extended all the way from Mount Halak, which leads up to Seir in the south, as far north as Baal-gad at the foot of Mount Hermon in the valley of Lebanon. Joshua killed all the kings of those territories, 18 waging WAR for a long time to accomplish this. Joshua 11:16-18
When I was in the service the first thing I had to understand, I did not belong to me anymore. I belonged to the United States Air Force! If they told me to jump I asked "How high?", if they told me to stand here I asked "How long?". Joshua was a military commander, he led a army. When he was told to do something he did it without question. Now he may have had emotions about it (fear,doubt),but God always reinsured him that He would lead them to victory! The Lord is the one who gave Joshua his orders!" Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them. By this time tomorrow I will hand all of them over to Israel as dead men. Then you must cripple their horses and burn their chariots.” Joshua 11:6
You see many people, unbelievers and some Christians, feel God was unfair to these kingdoms for destroying everyone in them. They say "these people are innocent!!", "why would a loving God do that?" 'The God of the Old Testament is not the same God of the New Testament." The answer is yes, the OT God is the same God of the NT,"6 “I am the Lord, and I do not change. That is why your descendants of Jacob are not already destroyed." Malachi 3:6
Lets look at how innocent these kingdoms really were. The worship of Baal was all through the Phoenician and Canaanite Lands. Baal was a fertility god that the people sacrificed their babies to. God made a judgement on these lands, and He was just to do so. You see it is a type and shadow of a judgment that God will give on the second coming of Christ! These lands new of the God of Abraham and they rejected Him! " After Abram returned from his victory over Kedorlaomer and all his allies, the king of Sodom went out to meet him in the valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). 18 And Melchizedek, the king of Salem and a priest of God Most High,* brought Abram some bread and wine. 19 Melchizedek blessed Abram with this blessing: “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. 20 And blessed be God Most High, who has defeated your enemies for you.” Gen 14:17-20 "16 After four generations your descendants will return here to this land, for the sins of the Amorites do not yet warrant their destruction.” Gen 15:16
The issue is that if they did not know of Him, they were still responsible for their sins regardless! "For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard" Rom 3:23 But not everyone in those kingdoms died, and example is Rehab the harlot(Josh 6:17) was spared with her family. God is Just but he is also Merciful and full of Grace! It is a glimpse of the Gospel, He gives us a chance to make that choice to follow or not to follow Him. The outcome is either death or life. There is a great Commander coming one day riding a white horse leading an army. He is coming to judge all who has not received Him as Lord and Savior!" 11 Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for he judges fairly and wages a righteous war. 12 His eyes were like flames of fire, and on his head were many crowns. A name was written on him that no one understood except himself. 13 He wore a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God. 14 The armies of heaven, dressed in the finest of pure white linen, followed him on white horses. 15 From his mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod. He will release the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty, like juice flowing from a winepress. 16 On his robe at his thigh* was written this title: King of all kings and Lord of all lords" Rev 19:11-16
So to all the people that think the God of the Old Testament is not the God of the New Testament well please think again! Today is the day of Salvation(2 Cor 6:2) call out to Him and repent of your sins! He will receive you with open arms. God Bless