In With The Old, In With the New

A common argument that has been needing some clarification for awhile is that of God's "Old Testament Nature." The mere fact that the secular world and some Christians still consider the "Old Testament" God and "New Testament" God different just shows how far our society has fallen. (Malachi 3:6, Hebrews 13:8, James 1:17).

When I hear someone say that God approved of, or condoned any number of acts of immorality in the Old Testament, I have to really resist the urge to call bologna on them. It has always been men who acted immoral, not God.

The popular theory among the secular world, based I'm sure on some "wise" man's opinion of an out of context verse of the Bible, is that God approved of incest, rape, polygamy, etc...

As an example of man's sinfulness not condoned by God, Abraham had sex with Hagar (not his wife) of his own accord because he had a lapse of faith in God's promise to give him a child. The family squabbles through his generations should certainly demonstrate that God never once said to Abraham,

"go into your maidservant" (Gen 16:2).

Rather, it was Sarah (human) who encouraged this, and then promptly became jealous of Abraham giving attention to Hagar and Ishmael.

God's intention was always for Sarah to give birth, despite her age, but as we are want to do often, we get impatient and take matters into our own hands.

If you think God promotes rape, just look at the fact that due to a rape an entire tribe of Israel is exiled. It's what calls Israel back to its senses after the time when every man was letting subjective opinion guide actions.

Judges 17:6

"In those days there was no King in Israel and everyone did what was right in his own eyes;"

One man's view of what was right included raping strangers as hospitality. Clearly not condoned by God's absolute moral standard.

But what about God commanding the murdering of innocent women and children? Let's consider, though granted even with this explanation, a secular worldview, and false sense of morality, may still feel these aren't valid reasons.

1) No one is technically "innocent" by God's standard (Romans 3:10-12; Psalm 14:1-3)

2) God is sovereign and holy and his decisions are not for us to put to judgment. Our politically correct society likes to impose our moral standard on God, when it is God's moral standard that should be imposed upon us.

3) God had given those nations ample time (hundreds if not thousands of years) to repent and turn to him. They were well aware of the "God" of the Hebrew people, and even feared him in some cases.

The Israelites were promised the land that these nations inhabited and God promised to drive out those who would be a burden to them. (Deuteronomy 4:1)

If God tells my family to pick up and move to a location that He knows has turned from him once and for all. A nation that is so evil they sacrifice their own children in fire and have lewd sexual acts as part of worship. A nation whose men welcome other visitors by raping or killing them. What would need to happen for my family to go to that land?

Well, if God knew that intermingling with them would eventually lead my family into the same practices of child sacrifice and lewd acts, and ultimately separation from Him, I imagine He would allow them to be eliminated so that his chosen people could not be corrupted.

Bear in mind that Israel was a theocracy, under the 600+ laws of God, and also very prone to worshipping the gods of other nations during there many lapses of faith.

God delivers those evil nations into the hands of Israel because, He is true to his word always and will not forsake his covenant with Abraham. Because, he loves his children, and wishes to protect them from immorailtiy and danger. In addition, He wants to show that without him, Israel is nothing (That without God, we are nothing)

We could debate the political correctness of this all day, but rather let's look back to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham has the world's greatest haggle with God over the destruction of the town. First he asks God to spare the town if _____ amount of righteous are found. When they aren't, he lowers his offer. Finally only Lot and his family are seen in the town as righteous, and judgment comes on the rest. (Genesis 18:22-33)

God is sovereign and knows ultimately who will choose him. God grants us free will in the choices we are capable of making in this realm, but does not allow us to override his plan through our choices.

God, knowing the hearts of the people of the town were evil, and would not turn to Him no matter what signs or wonders were given, SAVES the righteous (whom He deems as righteous) dwelling within. He SAVES the righteous. If God is the mean spirited deity that skeptics paint him out to be, why save anyone at all? And, applying this to God as he reveals Himself in the New Testament, why sacrifice Christ to save those who He called? God grants Mercy (not punishing for what is deserved), and Grace (extending kindness to those unworthy of it) in sacrificing His only Son as propitiation for our sins. He is a loving, just God, and the fact that God reveals His Holiness more than His love (still existent) during the Old Covenant time, does not make Him any different or meaner than during the New Covenant, in which He chose to reveal His love. Again, if God is mean-spirited, why bother with us at all?