Old Testament God – The Lowedown

Perhaps you (or someone you know) have wondered if the Bible is actually describing two different gods, since God as He is depicted in the Old Testament seems so different than how He is portrayed in the New Testament in the person of Jesus.

Some might go so far as to deny the God of the Old Testament, using words like “blood-thirsty”, “genocidal” and even “psychopathic” to describe His behavior.

In a previous blog post entitled “Is the God of the Old Testament Petty“, I wrote about how some people view the Old Testament God as petty or jealous.

The bottom line is that many people simply cannot reconcile the actions of God in the Old Testament with the teachings of Jesus in the New Testament. How is it possible, the reasoning goes, that Jesus could teach about the need to love others while the God of the Old Testament routinely wipes out whole cultures and whimsically punishes people for no apparent reason? That doesn’t seem very loving. Ergo, many simply dismiss the Old Testament entirely since it paints a picture of God that is inconsistent with their view and understanding of who they think God is or should be.

The primary reason that people cannot reconcile the God of the Old Testament with the God of the New Testament (Jesus) is because they have created a caricature of each that is based on limited information and a false understanding of God’s nature.

These caricatures often set up the Old Testament God as being a bloodthirsty God of vengeance while depicting Jesus as mild-mannered and universally accepting of all peoples. It’s no wonder people are confused. Both versions and understandings of God are wrong and incomplete.

Regarding the God of the Old Testament, here are a few things people don’t often recognize:

First, God expelled the people who inhabited the land that Israel occupied because they were extremely wicked. This Psalm passage says that they even sacrificed their sons and daughters to the idols of Canaan. The land was desecrated and they defiled themselves.

Should God not bring punishment on the wicked?

The Israelites ultimately adopted the same wicked practices of the people they displaced, and despite God’s numerous warnings, their lack of repentance led to the same fate – punishment.

The second thing people don’t realize about the Old Testament is that the events portrayed extend out over a span of thousands of years. Yes, there is judgment, but it is not the constant rampage that people have depicted, as if God is out of control and in a continual fit of rage.

The Old Testament God is actually quite patient and reserved, if you think about the time frame related to the events. Over, and over and over and over again, God warns his people about impending judgment and punishment that will come as a result of their sin and wickedness. He provides many, many, many opportunities over years and years and years for them to humble themselves and repent. And yet, he doesn’t just talk a big talk. He delivers on his promised retribution.

The perception of Jesus, however, is that he doesn’t exhibit any of the out-of-control jealousy and rage that the Old Testament God does. Jesus is seemingly patient and kind, without a mean bone in his body. Jesus is often seen as someone who exhibits the pacifism of Ghandi, the esoteric teachings and pithy proverbs of Buddha and the generous giving spirit of Santa Claus, all at once.

But this caricature of Jesus is also false and incomplete.

Jesus affirmed the teachings of the Old Testament as being the authoritative words of God (see John 5:39, Matthew 5:17 and Luke 24:44-46). Additionally, Jesus quoted from the Old Testament and referenced many of the stories as if they were real. There is no indication that Jesus disputed any of the stories, writings or teachings of the Old Testament. If Jesus is so different than the God of the Old Testament, in terms of their nature and purpose, wouldn’t we expect Jesus to note that? Shouldn’t we expect that Jesus would point out the flaws in the Old Testament version of God and demonstrate where and how He is superior? He doesn’t.

In addition, the idea that Jesus is a kind, grandfatherly figure who never utters a harsh word is also false. Jesus had many harsh words, particularly for the religious elites of the day. Jesus demonstrated kindness and gentleness to those who were humble and those who were in despair, but for those who were arrogant and thought of themselves as sinless, Jesus often took a different tone – one of rebuke.

Jesus came to the earth to offer humanity the opportunity to partake in the kingdom of God, which required Him to go to the cross and secure payment for the sins of the world. It is clear that Jesus’ first advent was not as judge, but as a prophet and priest.

However, Jesus himself acknowledged and taught that He would come again, but this time, He would be coming as a conquering king, bringing judgment to the world. This is most clear in his extended discourse on the future in Matthew 24 and Matthew 25, but also in Revelation 19:11-21, which depicts Jesus on a white horse with the armies of heaven behind him as he defeats his enemies.

Jesus is in perfect alignment with God as He is portrayed in the Old Testament. He claimed to be sent from the Father and He also affirmed their unity of purpose.

Much more could be said to demonstrate this but that is beyond the scope of this limited blog post.

Suffice it to say, the idea that the God of the Old Testament is a vile, evil, rageaholic, while Jesus is Mr. Rogers on steroids is a false caricature that is based on limited information and personal preferences rather than an accurate reading and understanding of the Biblical texts.

Reflection

How would you respond to someone who says the God of the Old Testament is a different god than Jesus?

How have you reconciled in your heart and mind the differences in the Old Testament depiction of God and the New Testament portrayal of Jesus?

In what ways do you think your views and understanding of God might be deficient or incomplete?

What steps do you think you and others can take to reconcile the supposed differences between the God of the Old Testament and the person of Jesus?

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July 24, 2024January 10, 2025

Is the God of the Old Testament Petty?

Numbers 22

¹Then the people of Israel traveled to the plains of Moab and camped east of the Jordan River, across from Jericho. ²Balak son of Zippor, the Moabite king, knew what the Israelites had done to the Amorites. ³And when they saw how many Israelites there were, he and his people were terrified. ⁴The king of Moab said to the leaders of Midian, “This mob will devour everything in sight, like an ox devours grass!”

So Balak, king of Moab, ⁵sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor, who was living in his native land of Pethor*[Or who was at Pethor in the land of the Amavites.] near the Euphrates River.*[Hebrew the river.] He sent this message to request that Balaam come to help him:

“A vast horde of people has arrived from Egypt. They cover the face of the earth and are threatening me. ⁶Please come and curse them for me because they are so numerous. Then perhaps I will be able to conquer them and drive them from the land. I know that blessings fall on the people you bless. I also know that the people you curse are doomed.”

⁷Balak’s messengers, officials of both Moab and Midian, set out and took money with them to pay Balaam to curse Israel. They went to Balaam and urgently explained to him what Balak wanted. ⁸“Stay here overnight,” Balaam said. “In the morning I will tell you whatever the LORD directs me to say.” So the officials from Moab stayed there with Balaam.

⁹That night God came to Balaam and asked him, “Who are these men with you?”

¹⁰So Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent me this message: ¹¹‘A vast horde of people has come from Egypt and has spread out over the whole land. Come at once to curse them. Perhaps then I will be able to conquer them and drive them from the land.’”

¹²“Do not go with them,” God told Balaam. “You are not to curse these people, for I have blessed them!”

¹³The next morning Balaam got up and told Balak’s officials, “Go on home! The LORD will not let me go with you.”

¹⁴So the Moabite officials returned to King Balak and reported, “Balaam refused to come with us.” ¹⁵Then Balak tried again. This time he sent a larger number of even more distinguished officials than those he had sent the first time. ¹⁶They went to Balaam and gave him this message:

“This is what Balak son of Zippor says: Please don’t let anything stop you from coming. ¹⁷I will pay you well and do anything you ask of me. Just come and curse these people for me!”

¹⁸But Balaam answered them, “Even if Balak were to give me a palace filled with silver and gold, I would be powerless to do anything against the will of the LORD my God. ¹⁹But stay here one more night to see if the LORD has anything else to say to me.”

²⁰That night God came to Balaam and told him, “Since these men have come for you, get up and go with them. But be sure to do only what I tell you to do.”

²¹So the next morning Balaam saddled his donkey and started off with the Moabite officials. ²²But God was furious that Balaam was going, so he sent the angel of the LORD to stand in the road to block his way. As Balaam and two servants were riding along,

²³Balaam’s donkey suddenly saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand. The donkey bolted off the road into a field, but Balaam beat it and turned it back onto the road. ²⁴Then the angel of the LORD stood at a place where the road narrowed between two vineyard walls. ²⁵When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing there, it tried to squeeze by and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall. So Balaam beat the donkey again. ²⁶Then the angel of the LORD moved farther down the road and stood in a place so narrow that the donkey could not get by at all. ²⁷This time when the donkey saw the angel, it lay down under Balaam. In a fit of rage Balaam beat it again with his staff.

²⁸Then the LORD caused the donkey to speak. “What have I done to you that deserves your beating me these three times?” it asked Balaam.

²⁹“Because you have made me look like a fool!” Balaam shouted. “If I had a sword with me, I would kill you!”

³⁰“But I am the same donkey you always ride on,” the donkey answered. “Have I ever done anything like this before?”

“No,” he admitted.

³¹Then the LORD opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the roadway with a drawn sword in his hand. Balaam fell face down on the ground before him.

³²“Why did you beat your donkey those three times?” the angel of the LORD demanded. “I have come to block your way because you are stubbornly resisting me. ³³Three times the donkey saw me and shied away; otherwise, I would certainly have killed you by now and spared the donkey.”

(Numbers 22:1-33, NLT)

The Daily DAVEotional

Have you ever heard someone accuse the God of the Old Testament of being petty? Or genocidal? Or narcissistic?

It’s a common argument that people make, particularly if you want to discard portions of the Biblical text that don’t suit your moral preferences. After all, if we can discredit the God who is portrayed in the Bible, why should we be required to adhere to any of his commands or statutes?

This passage from Numbers may be cited by some as an example of the “pettiness” or fickle nature of the Old Testament God.

The argument may go something like this:

1. Some men come and ask Balaam to go and curse the Israelites. He will be rewarded if he does.
2. Balaam tells the men that he must inquire of the Lord and can only do what God tells him to do.
3. God tells Balaam not to go.
4. Balaam tells the people that he cannot go and sends them home.
5. A bigger delegation comes a second time offering more riches
6. Balaam tells them he is powerless to do anything against the will of the the Lord but he invites them to wait and see if God might have more to say on the matter.
7. This second time, God tells Balaam to go, which he does.
8. God is then mad at Balaam for going.

On the surface, this story seems to show God as being a fickle, petty whiner. Balaam does EXACTLY what God asks him to do. He goes. So why in the world would God be mad? How in the world COULD God be mad? It doesn’t seem to make any sense.

But as ESPN College Football Analyst Lee Corso says, “Not so fast, my friend.”

There’s more going on than what we might notice on the surface. First of all, while it appears that Balaam is doing EXACTLY what God has asked, we cannot see what is going on under the surface, that is, in his heart.

For example, if Balaam is so committed to following the Lord’s command, why does he invite the delegation to stay another night so that he may inquire of the Lord further? He has already heard the Lord’s directive on the issue.

Verse 32 confirms this suspicion as the angel of the Lord says that Balaam is “stubbornly resisting me.” Balaam confesses his sin and agrees to “go back home if you are against my going.”

This indicates that while Balaam said the right things, in his heart, he really wanted to go, as indicated by his decision to inquire of the Lord AGAIN. God allows him to go but He realizes that Balaam is resisting Him internally.

God uses Balaam’s donkey to teach him a lesson, which is that we don’t always see what is happening around us. We see the obvious, surface level stuff, but we have no idea what is happening under the surface. But God does.

There is more to the story surrounding Balaam but the main idea here is that God is not petty, nor is He fickle. He judges our motives as well as our actions because He sees and is aware of EVERYTHING.

By contrast, we tend to evaluate God and judge His motives with limited information and understanding. We are like Balaam in the story. We are mad at the donkey, or the circumstances that we wrongly interpret as being unjust, unfair or immoral, all the while we’re completely oblivious to the unseen world and forces around us.

God’s message to us is “Open your eyes!”

Reflection

What has been your opinion or understanding of the God of the Old Testament?

What would you say to someone who claims that the God of the Old Testament is petty?

What is a situation when you rushed to judgment or jumped to a conclusion, only to realize later that you didn’t have all the information?

Balaam said the right things but internally he was resisting God. What does it look like for you when you are resisting God? What steps can you take to ensure your inner heart toward God matches your outer actions?

Photo by Alfredo Mora on Unsplash