Q&R: The 10th Plague: if God isn’t the destroyer, is the destroyer the redeemer?

Question: In your books and articles, you cite John 10:10 to say that God is not 'the destroyer' but is revealed by Jesus as the life-giver. But in stories such as the 10th plague of Egypt or the fall of Jericho, God's victory seems to come through the destruction for the firstborn or the crumbling walls of the city. Curiosity and reason lead me to ask, if God isn't the agent of destruction, does that make the Destroyer the agent of deliverance? It seems like a pretty big coincidence. Response: Thanks for your insightful and VERY difficult question. This is exactly the kind of quandary that the Jews wrestle with throughout the text of ...