The statement I have heard, more than once, “God is so violent in the Old Testament. I like the God of the New Testament.” As Pastor Alex so ably pointed out this Sunday, God is the same and the Bible presents the entire history of man- both good and bad. It shows God’s dealings with man and reveals his hatred and intolerance of sin along with His grace and mercy. As you study the entire Bible you begin to see more clearly the character of God. If the Bible only showed how God reacted to good things our view would be distorted. It tells the story of man, the evolution of sin and God’s plan to deal with the sin we brought upon ourselves. Adam and Eve’s fall affected us ALL! The world is changed because of sin and just as 1 rotten apple will spoil the whole barrel, small sins grow and affect us and those around us. We would not be told the truth from God if we did not see human nature unfold and see how God reacts to it.
We see in Genesis 6 the picture of a corrupt Earth, and yet God saw good in Noah and spared mankind through Noah. Similarly, Abraham pleaded with God to find even 1 good man in Sodom and Lot was found. (Genesis 18) Lot was able to leave with his family but his wife looked back and was turned to a pillar of salt. The story of Jonah pointed out God’s mercy to Nineveh by sending Jonah with a message of repentance. Jonah was upset as the Ninevehites were enemies of Judah and he did not feel they deserved to be spared. God said in Jonah 4:11 “And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?” God desires that all should come to know Him and repent from their sins. 2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”
I agree with Pastor Alex, there are parts of the violent Old Testament times that I do not understand. But God does. In 1 Samuel 15, God gives instructions to Saul through Samuel the priest that he is to defeat the Amalekites and kill all of them, taking no plunder. Saul disobeys “And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive and devoted to destruction all the people with the edge of the sword. 9 But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fattened calves and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. All that was despised and worthless they devoted to destruction.” Samuel confronts Saul in 1 Samuel 15:22 “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.” God knew the future the Israelites would face if the Amalekites were not obliterated. They would be constantly in battle, tempted into idolatry and David even had 2 wives and all his good stolen! Heart ache was ahead if they were not dealt with. Similarly, the Israelites were to enter the Promised Land and subdue it, driving out the inhabitants. They did not do this and faced years of temptation and wars. God knows and even though His actions seemed harsh to us, He knew what was right and just.
On a personal note, I have come to grips with the violence- all the battles and death by focusing on the nature of God. In studying the Old Testament the overarching theme, besides the coming Messiah, is the Sovereignty of God. God watched over, guided, corrected, punished and trained those who followed Him. God knew what needed to happen for them to be protected. He made promises to those who followed Him and He kept them all! What this pattern of protection revealed was His great character. Here are a few of God’s attributes that give us a glimpse into this marvelous character:
Good- Nahum 1:7 “The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble;
he knows those who take refuge in him.
Lamentations 3:25 “The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.
Just-Isaiah 30:18 “Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.”
2 Peter 1:17 “ For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,”
Merciful- Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
1 Peter 5:10 “And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”
Sovereign- 2 Chronicles 20:6 “O Lord, God of our fathers, are you not God in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. In your hand are power and might, so that none is able to withstand you.”
Acts 17:20 “And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place.”
I would encourage you to look into God’s grace, compassion, love, omniscience, impartiality, forgiveness, eternality, faithfulness, long-suffering, holiness….. and the list goes on and on. You can never plumb the depths of God’s character or His Word!!
As Pastor Alex concluded, Jesus is the theme presented thought-out the Bible showing God’s love and plan for our redemption. I’ll conclude with this bit of scripture. Romans 5:6-9 “ For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.”
God loves me and knows what is best for our world. We need to cling to Jesus, God’s promises and hope in our eternal future with Him. It is indeed good news to a troubled world. Keep on telling others.
Linda
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