Was God ever a Segregationist? You might be thinking to yourself, how could he have done something so egregious? Or I thought my God was only a peacful God? First, I think it’s important to refer to God in the present – he was/he is/he will be, and forever. So again, let’s examine the issue of segregation. I’m going to argue here that not only has God practiced segregation but he commanded it from his chosen people, the Israelites, on several ocassions. The Old Testament is full of references where God warns his various prophets to avoid contact with certain other tribes. We find out in each case there’s a reason for that but it’s different than how Democrats of today for example think of segregation. I’d even venture to say that Democrats have earned a spot on God’s list of those that should be segregated against as well, but I may be digressing there. In one of the earliest references to the practice of “segregation” God promises Abraham that his decendants will one day drive out the Canaanites, so that the Israelites can one day occupy the land known as Canaan. It gets uglier than that though, for during the time of Moses, God makes it quite clear his intention on just where the Israelites are to live.

Deuteronomy, 20:15-20:
“But no such offer of peace was to be made to the Canaanites. Israel was to completely destroy every living thing among them (20:16-17). Otherwise, survivors would teach the Israelites to do all the detestable acts they [did] for their gods and cause the people to sin against the Lord (20:18). This matter was crucially important because Israel had already demonstrated a propensity to adopt the false religious practices of the surrounding nations (see Num 25:1-18). Also, Israel was to refrain from the common practice in ancient warfare of punishing a defeated enemy by decimating its land (20:19-20). After all, Canaan was to be Israel’s possession.”

So, I do say, it appears to me that God not only practices segregation, but even may have invented it. However, no where in my study of the Bible have I seen a reference to the color of someone’s skin as God’s reason for segregating his people – nowhere. God’s intention was always to protect those he loves from evil. In every case he commanded the Israelites to avoid mingling, inter-marriage, or co-habitating with certain tribes for there were several tribes during the centuries covered in the Old Testament he wanted isolated for reasons such as immorality, greed, lawlessness, promiscuity – you name it, God had his reasons. You might ask, did the Israelites obey his commands? For the most part they violated them time and time again, and that theme right there carries through for most of the remainder of the Old Testament.

Assessment: How are you conducting your own life? Are you conscious of who is and is not a good influence on you? Are you avoiding those that could drag you down, and keep you from growing into the best you, the one that can grow closer to God?