IS GOD SO UNFORGIVING IN THE OLD TESTAMENT BUT MORE FORGIVING IN THE NEW TESTAMENT?

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The view that God is associated with fear in the Old Testament and love in the New Testament stems from the perception that God manifests different natures or attributes under the two testaments. The fact is that God never changes His nature and attributes but the manner of His revelation. 

In the Old Testament, God is commonly identified with the laws He gave to Moses and his influence appears to be closely restricted to the Jews, His covenant people. The rest of the world appear isolated and are often depicted as hostile to God and to His people. For example, the Psalmist captures this idea in Psalms. 

Psalms 47:3-4 which says “He shall subdue the people under us, and the nations under our feet. He shall choose our inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob whom he loved.” 

Psalms 96:5 “For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens.” 

The “nations” here refer to all nations or kindred apart from the Jews who were monotheistic under God. 

The picture that the average reader will deduce from the Old Testament scriptures is that God was an angry God, a punishing God. However, there is evidence that at diverse times God did reveal His love for His people even in their disobedience. The story depicted in the Book of Hosea speaks volumes of God’s commitment to the covenant and His loving grace even in the face of rebellion by the Israelites. The passage of Hosea 11:7-9 carries a classical depiction of a loving God who patiently waited for Israel’s return from their disobedience and who exercised great restrain in the midst of their sinfulness: 

Hosea 11:7-9 “And my people are bent to backsliding from me: though they called them to the most High, none at all would exalt him. How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? How shall I deliver thee, Israel? How shall I make thee as Admah? How shall I set thee as Zeboim? Mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together. I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not man; the Holy One in the midst of thee: and I will not enter into the city." 

Psalms 103:8-13 declares “The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.” 

There are several Bible passages that show that God is not as "harsh" as He is often depicted. However, God is a just and righteous God who will punish the wicked but preserve His covenant people for His glory. 

In the New Testament, God reveals Himself more prominently in the Person of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. The two Persons were less clearly understood in the Old Testament. Jesus’ principal purpose in coming to earth was to atone for the sin of man in order to give man eternal life, a solution that God provided through His sacrificial death. The New Testament clearly reveals that God is a God of a second chance, a loving God, a redeeming God. These are the same attributes He reveals in the Old Testament. He loved Israel and had a great plan for them, but they walked away from Him. He loved Adam and Eve, but they sinned against Him. 

Today, God has made Jesus the Way the Truth and the Life by which we may access eternal life and the kingdom of heaven, but millions have reject and continue to reject this final offer. 

God will finally judge them for their rebellion in the same way that He judged Israel. The idea that God is revealed as a hostile and unloving in the Old Testament compared to the New Testament does not appear to be consistent with theological deduction of the two Testaments. 


Written by Pastor Ezekiel Kimosop 


Comments

  1. Anonymous19/9/18 5:36 pm

    God Forgave King Ahab!
    I Kings 21:28-29 "And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 29 “See how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because he has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the calamity in his days. In the days of his son I will bring the calamity on his house.”

    Meditate on God's Word: While the records of King Ahab show that his life consisted primarily of one bad decision after another, we find a moment in his life when he humbled himself and God heard his cry. Elijah the prophet delivered the words of harsh judgement to Ahab because of the sin in his life, God didn't look the other way and ignore his sin; "But there was no one like Ahab who sold himself to do wickedness in the sight of the LORD, because Jezebel his wife stirred him up. 26 And he behaved very abominably in following idols, according to all that the Amorites had done, whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel. 27 So it was, when Ahab heard those words, that he tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his body, and fasted and lay in sackcloth, and went about mourning." I Kings 21:25-27

    God heard his plea and responded; "And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 29 “See how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because he has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the calamity in his days. In the days of his son I will bring the calamity on his house.” I Kings 21:28-29

    Unfortunately, Ahab quickly returned to his sinful way but there is a point to be made here for all of us. If God could forgive King Ahab, could he forgive you, no matter what sin you have committed or what sin you are struggling with. The answer is an absolute YES.

    The key is to humble yourself in the sight of the LORD and call on the name of Jesus to forgive, restore and to empower you to live a holy life that only God can provide through the power of the Holy Spirit. "Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace." Romans 6:11-14 Take God at His Word today and trust Him to forgive you.

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