Friday, December 16, 2011
Was God "mean" in the Old Testament?
Some secular, and even some so-called Christians, question whether there were
two Gods in the Bible. One in the Old and one in the New Testament. (That type
of heresy is nothing new-Marcion claimed that in the early days of the Church).
Others go as far as to say the God of the Old Testament was "meaner" than in the
New. They mock those who believe in Creation, the Flood and Tower of Babel as
"literalists". They claim we should therefore also follow the laws of Moses in
Leviticus about stoning homosexuals, witches, adulterers, etc. They think they
"gotchya" with that argument. That sort of thinking illustrates just how little
someone knows about the Bible, which is a chain-of-truth. When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and
called my son out of
Egypt. Hosea 11:1 The children of Israel were called
out of centuries of deep heathenism. God treated them like children-in other
words He was much stricter with them. He fenced them in to protect them with the
Mosaic Laws. Paul tells us all these things happened for examples for us. Think
of christianity as a grown up form of Judiaism. (It actually is, since we
believe the Messiah foretold has come). Your more strict and discipline firmer
your 10 year old than you would your 30 year old child. Today it is not for us
to go around stoning people for sins. But it is a lesson from the past about
what is and isn't sin and how serious God takes it. And NO, there are not two
different Gods in the Bible, and NO God was not "mean" in the Old Testament.
Then shall ye remember your own evil ways,
and your doings that were not good, and shall lothe yourselves in your own sight
for your iniquities and for your abominations. Not for your sakes do I this,
saith the Lord GOD, be it known unto you: be ashamed and confounded for your own
ways,... Ezekiel 36:31,32, Say unto them, AsI live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no
pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and
live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of
Israel? Ezekiel 33:11