12. Our God is perfect, kind, wonderful, nice and..... Why did HE let Israel kill all people in a town once Joshua attacked and occupied the town. It seems too brutal!

Answer: The Old Testament period was the age of the Law. God's justice was emphasized. When the sins of a city, a race or a country reached the full measure, God's righteous judgment would come upon them. For examples the destruction of the ancient world by a great flood (Gen. chaps 6-8) and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. chap. 19) were total.

At the time Israel entered Canaan, the sins of the Canaanites had reached their full measure (Gen. 15:16). Lev. Chap. 18 records many detestable sins practiced by the inhabitants of Canaan. These include all forms of sexual sins, homosexuality, sacrificing children to the god Molech, worshipping many idols etc.

God wanted the nation of Israel to be kept from the influence and defilement of the Canaanites. Lev. 18:27-29 says: "for all these things were done by the people who lived in the land before you, and the land became defiled. And if you defile the land, it will vomit you out as it vomited out the nations that were before you. Everyone who does any of these detestable things-- such persons must be cut off from their people."