What I would like to speak about is a question that we might be asked by people outside of the church. People say, "How can I believe in a God that did such cruel things in the old testament as ordering the Israelites to kill women and children? And how could God himself destroy entire cities like Sodom and Gomorrah." This is something we might be asked or we might wonder ourselves, so I'd like to study this matter.
I think we will see an interesting thing between the old and new testament.
Malachi 3:6a states, "For I am the LORD, I change not . . ."
When we describe God, we often describe him as loving and merciful. When we read about the battles that happen in the old testament, we might wonder why God would do such things. Why would he tell his people to destroy women and children? Why would he himself rain fire on cities? Well, to describe God as loving and merciful is true. To those who sincerely tried to follow him in obedience in the old testament, he offered protection and other rewards. Even today we are offered the reward of heaven of we are found faithful. But, as I think several brothers have studied in their lessons recently, we know that God punishes those who are disobedient. He even disciplines those that he loves, we read in
Hebrews 12:4-11
(KVJ says scourges....which in most extreme sense means to whip)
Even after becoming Christians, we have probably all gone through times of difficulty in our lives, but those times have often turned us into stronger Christians. We learned to trust in God rather than ourselves or money or other things. Discipline has become such a negative thing in today's world. "You shouldn't spank your child or discipline them in any way." And we've probably all seen children that were undisciplined just boldly doing pretty much whatever they feel like.
When countries in the old testament chose to be unrighteous and godless, he brought punishment on them. And even today, as I said, if we choose not to follow God, punishment awaits.
Deut 7 (whole chapter)
I think just from reading this chapter, it's clear that when the people were faithful and obedient to God in the old testament,
As I understand it, the Israelites did not totally wipe out the people they were told to. Later on, they did take on the beliefs of the nations around them...to the extent of sacrificing their children to Molech, a false God of the Ammonites. And so they fell out of favor with God as he had promised. He brought other nations like Babylon in to take them away in slavery.
Romans 9 (description of old testament events, what Jesus is to the Jews...the fulfillment of prophecy and how Pharaoh was raised up to show God's power)
Today, Christians are not ordered into physical battles. In fact,
Jesus says in
Matthew 5:39 But I tell you, Do not reist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.
Eph 6:10-24 armor of God in new testament
This emphasizes that our battle today is a spiritual one. God no longer tells his people to physically destroy those who go against God.
God had a special relationship with the people of Israel in the old testament. He directly intervened for them. He caused miracles to help them. The dividing of the Red Sea, the pillar of cloud to lead them in the day and the pillar of fire to lead them in the night, the manna from heaven to feed them as they wandered in the wilderness and many other miracles. Eventually, the people of Israel disobeyed him and they were on the receiving end of his wrath as they were conquered by other countries around them.
God intervened with miracles even in the new testament. In fact, we even see his wrath in the case of Ananias and Sapphira. in the book of Acts in the new testament. As the church was selling their possessions at that time to help those in need in the church, Ananias and his wife, Sapphira sold some land so that they could get the good reputation that would come along with doing that. But then they lied and said they sold it for less than they really did so that they could keep some mnoey for themselves. That punishment (having to die) for their lies may seem pretty extreme, but again, it emphasizes how God views sin...the sin of deception in this case. And you better believe it was a strong example to everyone else in the church and even to us today.
1. God has always ruled the nations.
God is the ruler of the nations. Daniel 4:16-17. (a vision of king Nebuchadnezzar)
A way of escape is given with punishment. Gen. 18:21-33, ch 19 Abraham tries to find 10 righteous people in Sodom and Gommora
Ch. 19. For examples of some of His judgments, see the following.
1. Destruction of Sodom, Gomorrah and the cities of the plains. Gen. 18-19.
2. Destruction of the Canaanite nations by Israel. Gen. 15:16, Deut. 9:4-6, Joshua.
3. Destruction of Israel (Northern Kingdom) by Assyria. 2 Kings 17, Isaiah 10.
4. Destruction of Assyria by Babylon. Nahum
5. Destruction of Judah by Babylon. Habakkuk, 2 King 24-25.
...Toward the later part of the old testament in the books of the prophets, we see one country taking over another as God hands out punishment to countries that are disobedient. God uses one evil nation to punish another evil nation. He used one nation as a weapon against another and then in turn punished that nation with another nation in a sort of chain. Anyway, you see that he punished these nations because of their evil.
Let me give you some examples from the Old Testament:
Exodus 34:6 "And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, "The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, 7 maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin."
2 Chronicles 30:9, "If you return to the LORD, then your brothers and your children will be shown compassion by their captors and will come back to this land, for the LORD your God is gracious and compassionate. He will not turn his face from you if you return to him."
Psalm 145:8 "The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. The LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made."
Conclusion:
It is the same God from the old testament to the new testament...punishing those who are disobedient him and rewarding those who strive to follow him.
I'd just like to say that, in my mind, seeing these events of God's wrath help to show the truth of the bible. If we were really slick, we might get some Public Relations people to go over the bible and take out these parts that might be perceived as negative today...we might say that he comes across as a tyrant so we can fix it and make it fit in with today's views. We might also take out those parts that are unpleasant or hard to understand. But we don't. We leave it all as it is and we see God's wrath against those who do evil in the old testament. And we have other things in the bible that are unpleasant to read or difficult to understand. But we take the bible as God's historically accurate truth rather than something that needs to be fixed and perfected in the minds of men.
Romans
11:22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
And even today, we will face judgement. Severity if we fall away from God. Goodness if we continue in his goodness through Jesus Christ.
Now we have all done things deserving of punishment. In fact, our punishment has already been handed out. But not to us. Jesus faced punishment in our place as he suffered on the cross. When we, his disciples, follow him, he has taken our punishment for us and we are forgiven. But many in the world choose not to have faith allow Jesus to take their punishment for them and so they will face the punishment of hell in the end.
God's judgements have not changed through time.
Old testament, very direct with punishment.
New testament, not just some soft old man either. Ananias, Sapphira.
punishment is given to Jesus (mercifully for us)
And so, as we might say parents are compassionate towards their children, it doesn't mean the children are never punished. God is merciful to us. We deserve death for our sins, but Jesus has taken it in our place if we will accept him in our lives.