Does God Kill People?

by Frederick Hoehn, copyright 2015, all rights reserved.

Chapter 1

There was an itinerant Bible Teacher a while back who had a good reputation as a teacher of a lot of good Theology.  And a kind of good Theology that wasn't widely available.  

He would go around and speak at a lot of different churches.  

He was a "Faith Teacher."    

He also had a healing ministry, and got people healed in his meetings.

He had, in his youth, received a miracle of healing from God for himself.  Then the Lord told him, "Now go teach my people faith."  

He was also a Prophet, and spoke prophetic utterances.  

He was Kenneth E. Hagin, who has now gone to be with Jesus in heaven.  

I studied under him myself, by reading his books and by listening to his audio recordings.  

Of the various Bible teachers that I know about, it is probably Kenneth E. Hagin that has taught me the most.  

His books are available at Amazon and at Rhema.org

I've also heard him speak at Lakewood Church in Houston, TX, and at Full Gospel Businessmen's Fellowship International, and at an auditorium in Fresno, California.  

He was one of the important speakers at a FGBMFI quarterly convention in California.  I was there.  I'm pretty sure that was in San Francisco, though that was quite a while back.      

But on one of his audio recordings, he made a serious blunder.  He said, "God never killed anyone yet."

What?  

God killed a whole world full of people at the time of Noah with Noah's flood, except for Noah and his family.  

But I know how K. E. Hagin happened to make this blunder.  He got hold of some bad teaching from a so-called Hebrew scholar.  

That fellow said that in the Hebrew language, there's no active tense of the verb "to kill", so that God didn't actually kill people, he merely allowed it to happen.   

But that is incorrect.  

One of God's Ten Commandments is  (Exo chapt 20), "You shall not kill,"  (meaning, you shall not commit murder.)

If there were no active tense of the verb "to kill" in the Hebrew language, then that commandment, "You shall not kill," would be meaningless.  

So then, I perceive that when God created the languages, he put an active tense of the verb "to kill" into every language, because God wants everyone on earth to understand that committing murder is sin.  

At the time of Noah, God saw that every imagination of the thoughts of men's hearts were only evil continually. (book of Genesis)

So God said, "I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth"

But Noah found grace in the sight of God.  

So, God told Noah to build an ark, which Noah did.  God gave Noah the dimensions of the ark. 

Up until that time, it hadn't rained on the earth.  God watered the earth with a mist, not with rain.  

When Noah had finished the ark, no doubt with the help of his three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, then God brought the animals.  

The animals and birds boarded the ark, and Noah and his three sons, and the four wives, eight souls, boarded the ark, and God shut the door.  

Then God did something new.  He caused it to rain.  And it rained for forty days and forty nights.  The water covered the tallest mountains on earth.  Everyone died who was not in the ark.    

So then, did God just allow that to happen?  

No, because if God hadn't caused it to rain, but instead just allowed things to happen, it would not have rained, and the mist would have continued watering the earth, as usual.  

And there would have been no flood that drowned every human except for Noah's family.

No, God did a new thing and caused it to rain, and God intentionally killed the wicked of the earth, as God had said that he would do, but He spared Noah and his family.  

God usually does what he says he'll do.  But it is possible to get God to change his mind by prayer.  

God sent the Prophet Jonah to preach against Nineveh.  Jonah told the city of Nineveh that God was going to bring destruction against them.  

But the people of the city of Nineveh repented, and used burlap for clothing.  And God changed his mind, and didn't bring the destruction against Nineveh.  

You can read more about it in the book of Jonah, in the Bible.  

Jacob, whose name God changed to Israel, had twelve sons, one of whom was Judah.  

Judah's son, Er, was wicked in the sight of the Lord, so God killed him.  Then, Er's brother Onan displeased God, and God killed Onan.  

Nadab and Abihu, sons of Aaron, offered strange fire before the Lord, and the Lord killed them.  

Uzzah and Ahio were driving the cart that carried the Ark of the Covenant.  Uzzah put out his hand to steady the Ark, and God killed him.  

A man named Korah rose up against Moses with 250 Israelites, and God opened a hole in the ground.  Today, we would call it a sinkhole.  

Those people went down into the hole, and God closed up the hole.  (So, of course, they died.)  

So, please don't tell me that God doesn't kill people.  

Chapter 2

___Ecclesiastes chapter 3
 1 To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven,
 2 A time to be born, and a time to die, a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what has been planted,
 3 A time to kill, and a time to heal, a time to break down, and a time to build up,
 4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh, a time to mourn, and a time to dance,
 5 A time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together, a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing,
 6 A time to get, and a time to lose, a time to keep, and a time to throw away,
 7 A time to tear, and a time to sew, a time to keep silence, and a time to speak,
 8 A time to love, and a time to hate, a time of war, and a time of peace.
 9 What profit does the worker have in that in which he labors?
 10 I've seen the travail that God has given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.
 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time, also he has set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God makes from the beginning to the end.
 12 I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.
 13 And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labor, it is the gift of God.
 14 I know that whatever God does, it shall be forever, nothing can be put to it, nor anything taken from it, and God does it, so that men should fear before him.
 15 That which has been is now, and that which is to be has already been, and God requires that which is past.
 16 And also I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there, and the place of righteousness, that sin was there.
 17 I said in my heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.
 18 I said in my heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are animals.
 19 For that which happens to the sons of men happens to animals, one thing happens to them, like the one dies, so does the other, yes, they all have one breath, so that a man has no preeminence above an animal, for all is vanity.
 20 All go to one place, all are of the dust, and all return to dust again.
 21 Who knows the spirit of man that goes upward, and the spirit of the animal that goes downward to the earth?
 22 So I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works, for that is his portion, for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?


___James chapter 1
 1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes that are dispersed around, greetings.
 2 My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into various temptations,
 3 Knowing this, that the testing of your faith works patience.
 4 But let patience have its perfect work, so you'll be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God for it, who gives to all men liberally, and won't find fault, and it shall be given to him.
 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.  For he that wavers is like a wave of the sea driven by the wind and tossed.
 7 For let that man not think that he'll receive anything from the Lord.
 8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
 9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted,
 10 But the rich, in that he is made low, because as the flower of the grass he'll pass away.
 11 For the sun has no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withers the grass, and the flower of it falls, and the grace of the fashion of it perishes, so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.
 12 Blessed is the man that endures temptation, for after he's been tested, he'll receive the crown of life, that the Lord has promised to those who love him.
 13 Let no man say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God," for God can't be tempted with evil, nor does he tempt any man,
 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed.
 15 Then when lust has conceived, it produces sin, and sin when it's finished, produces death.
 16 Do not err, my beloved brothers.
 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, nor shadow of turning.
 18 He chose to father us with the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.
 19 So, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger,
 20 For the anger of man doesn't accomplish the righteousness of God.
 21 So, lay apart all filthiness and the unnecessary naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like a man seeing his natural face in a mirror,
 24 For he sees himself, and goes his way, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.
 25 But whoever looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues in it, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
 26 If any man among you seems to be religious, and doesn't bridle his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is for nothing.
 27 Pure religion and undefiled before God the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

___James chapter 2
 1 My brothers, don't have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.
 2 For if a man with a gold ring comes to your assembly in fancy clothes, and a poor man in dirty clothes comes in also,
 3 And you have respect to him that wears the fancy clothes, and say to him, "Sit here in a good place," and say to the poor, "Stand there, or sit here under my footstool,"
 4 Aren't you then partial in yourselves, and have become judges with evil thoughts?
 5 Listen, my beloved brothers, hasn't God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him?
 6 But you have despised the poor.  Don't rich men oppress you, and bring you before the judgment seats?
 7 Don't they blaspheme that worthy name by which you're called?
 8 If you fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, "You shall love your neighbor like yourself," you do well,
 9 But if you have respect of persons, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as sinners.
 10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
 11 For he that said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not kill."  Now if you don't commit adultery, yet if you kill, you've become a breaker of the law.
 12 Speak in such a way, and do, as those who'll be judged by the law of liberty.
 13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that has shown no mercy, and mercy rejoices against judgment.
 14 What does it profit, my brothers, though a man says he has faith, and doesn't have works?  Can faith save him?
 15 If a brother or sister needs clothes, and lacks daily food,
 16 And one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you don't give them the things that are needed for the body, what good is that?
 17 Even so faith, if it doesn't have works, is dead, being alone.
 18 Yes, a man could say, "You have faith, and I have works, show me your faith without your works, and I'll show you my faith by my works."
 19 You believe that there is one God, you do well, the devils also believe, and tremble.
 20 But don't you know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
 21 Wasn't Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son on the altar?
 22 Do you see how faith worked with his deeds, and by works faith was made perfect?
 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness, and he was called the friend of God."
 24 You see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
 25 Likewise also wasn't Rahab the prostitute justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
 26 For like the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

___James chapter 3
 1 My brothers, don't be many masters, knowing that we'll receive the greater condemnation.
 2 For in many things we offend all.  If any man doesn't offend in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
 3 See, we put bits in the horses' mouths, so they'll obey us, and we turn around their whole bodies.
 4 Look also at the ships, which though they're so large, and are driven by fierce winds, yet they're turned around by a very small helm, wherever the captain wants.
 5 Even so, the tongue is a little member, and boasts great things.  See how great a matter a little fire kindles!
 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of sin, so is the tongue among our members that it makes dirty the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature, and it is set on fire by hell.
 7 For every kind of animals, and of birds, and of snakes, and of things in the sea, gets tamed, and has been tamed by mankind,
 8 But no man can tame the tongue, it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
 9 With it we bless God, the Father, and with it we curse men, who are made after the likeness of God.
 10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing.  My brothers, these things ought not to be.
 11 Does a fountain send out at the same place sweet water and bitter?
 12 Can the fig tree, my brothers, produce olive berries?  Or a vine, figs?  So no fountain can yield both salt water and fresh.
 13 Who is a wise man, possessing knowledge among you?  Let him show out of a good lifestyle his works with meekness of wisdom.
 14 But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, don't glory, and don't lie against the truth.
 15 This wisdom doesn't descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
 16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be reasoned with, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
 18 And the fruit of righteousness is planted in peace by those who make peace.

___James chapter 4
 1 Where do wars and fightings among you come from?  Don't they come from your lusts that war in your members?
 2 You lust, and don't have, you kill, and desire to have, and can't obtain, you fight and war, yet you don't have, because you don't ask.
 3 You ask, and don't receive, because you ask wrongly, so you can consume it on your lusts.
 4 You adulterers and adulteresses, don't you know that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God?  Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world is an enemy of God.
 5 Do you think that the scripture says for nothing, "The spirit that lives in us lusts to envy?"
 6 But he gives more grace.  So he says, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble."
 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God.  Resist the devil, and he'll run away from you.
 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.  Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double minded.
 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and cry, let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he'll lift you up.
 11 Don't speak evil about each other, brothers.  He that speaks evil about his brother, and judges his brother, speaks evil about the law, and judges the law, but if you judge the law, you're not a doer of the law, but a judge.
 12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy, who are you that judges someone else?
 13 Go on now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we'll go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and make a profit,"
 14 Actually, you don't know what will happen tomorrow.  For what is your life?  It is a puff of steam, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away.
 15 For you ought to say, "Lord willing, we'll live, and do this, or that."
 16 But now you rejoice in your boastings, all such rejoicing is evil.
 17 Therefore to him that knows to do good, and doesn't do it, to him it is sin.

___James chapter 5
 1 Go on now, you rich men, cry and howl for your miseries that shall come on you.
 2 Your riches are corrupted, and your clothes are moth eaten.
 3 Your gold and silver are rusted, and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh like fire.  You've heaped treasure together for the last days.
 4 See, the wages of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which you've kept back by fraud, shouts, and the shouts of those who've reaped have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabbath.
 5 You've lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton, you've nourished your hearts, like in a day of slaughter.
 6 You've condemned and killed the just, and he doesn't resist you.
 7 Be patient therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord.  See, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, and has long patience for it, until he receives the early and latter rain.
 8 You also be patient.  Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is getting near.
 9 Don't grudge against each other, brothers, so you won't be condemned, see, the judge stands at the door.
 10 Take, my brothers, the prophets, who've spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.
 11 See, we count them happy that endure.  You've heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord, that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
 12 But above all things, my brothers, don't swear, not by heaven, nor by the earth, nor by any other oath, but let your yes be yes, and your no, no, so that you don't fall into condemnation.
 13 Is anyone among you afflicted?  Let him pray.  Is anyone merry?  Let him sing psalms.
 14 Is anyone sick among you?  Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord,
 15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up, and if he has committed sins, he'll be forgiven.
 16 Confess your faults to each other, and pray for each other so you'll be healed.  The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man is does a lot of good.
 17 Elijah was a man subject to the same kind of passions that we are, and he prayed earnestly that it wouldn't rain, and it didn't rain on the earth for three years and six months.
 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.
 19 Brothers, if any of you strays from the truth, and someone converts him,
 20 Let him know, that he that converts the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.