The first obvious non-instruction of annihilation of un-Godly peoples was what is known as the global flood.  Bare in mind, that to even consider that any annihilation done or given by God, was against an innocent people or person, is to claim our God as being a tyrant.  So why did/does God require annihilation?

 

Because of Genesis 6:5:  “every imagination of the thoughts of his [mankind’s] heart was only evil continually.”  There was no redemptive value left in them.

 

Skipping over the obvious Sodom and Gomorrah atrocities, the next instruction of annihilation of people groups is found in many places, but specifically covering many nations, that being found in Deuteronomy 20:16-18.  Why?

 

So that they “teach you [the Israelites] not to do after all their abominations.”  In particular, the reason for wiping them out along with their animals, is because of the “abomination” of having sex with their animals, which brought diseases from which a plague would wipe out everything; people along with all their livestock.

 

Also, they were sacrificing their children to their false gods.  There are many Bible verses specifically mentioning this practice.  I’ll let you find them.  Start with Deuteronomy 12:31.

 

There are many false gods set up by these nations our God had to annihilate.  Why?

 

Most of these false gods incorporated sexual acts, temple prostitution, with the worship of Ishtar/Esther in particular, which diminished the body to anything less than what it was supposed to be -- that of the Temple of God.

 

Alliances with demons is the ultimate result of all these horrific acts.  The worship of Ba-al in particular.

 

It is often forgotten when people ask how God could wipe out nations, that He also wiped-out portions (I say “portions” because there were still among them faithful followers) of the Israelites when they worshiped these same deities.  This shows that our Lord does not support institutionalized sin, especially when it infiltrates the realm of His people who have the truth.

 

Also keep in mind the contrast between the false gods and the True God; full of mercy, patience, holiness, and truth.  While the false god’s demand and promote deception, sensuality, lying, manipulation, and human degradation.  By contrast, the True God demands justice and holiness in the character of mankind, the false gods are designed to corrupt the image of God in mankind, reducing mankind to fleshly thoughts continually.  In every aspect there is a direct confrontation between the Creator and the demons disguised as gods operating in the established false worships in the world both then and now.

 

Any form of rebellion needs to be put down or punished, such that a lesson is taught.  This is why and how righteous parents instruct their children.  It is a natural thing.  Rebellion left alone and allowed to run free leads to an immoral people.  See Judges 2:2-3.  God commanded the destruction of these nations not out of cruelty, but out of mercy for a people that want to live righteously.

 

The bottom line is:  God was not just authorizing a military conquest, He was executing a spiritual judgment against a people who had passed their time of probation (see Genesis 15:16 as an example), steeped in deliberate and ongoing sin.  That’s right!!!  God put up a very long time (God is longsuffering; He suffers when we act this way; Exodus 34:6) with these people (you and me), in order to give them an opportunity of repentance.  When there was no longer any chance of a changed life, when “every imagination of the thoughts of his [mankind’s] heart was only evil continually,” Genesis 6:5 again, it was then, and only then, that our righteous God decided to deal with the situation.  And this is what the Second Coming is all about.  When probation will finally be completed for this earth.  God’s Holiness is non-negotiable.  He wants a holy people for His Holy Place, i.e., Heaven.