Skeptics will point to passages like Joshua 6:17 [where the Lord commands Joshua to destroy the city along with all its inhabitants], Exodus 7-12 [where He calls down the plagues on Egypt] and Genesis 18-19 [in which He destroys Sodom and Gomorrah] etc. to demonstrate how the Old Testament portrays God as impatient, cruel and merciless. Whereas, on the other hand, it is believed that the New Testament portrays God as the epitome of love and grace who never says a harsh word. This imagined difference between “the God of the Old Testament” and the God of the New has proven both a stumbling block for many, and a platform for much finger pointing at the Bible. However it is based on a combination of several false presumptions about both God and Jesus, a tendency to view [or judge] God from our standpoint, an all too common habit of ignoring ‘other’ verses, and disregarding the circumstances of the day. The Circumstances…Israel While it is not possible to discuss all of the relevant Old Testament passages, some general principles can be established... Namely the establishing and protection of the nation of Israel and the depravity of the surrounding nations.. “Many of the Old Testament passages brought up in this are limited to a specific period in Israel's history - one in which Israel was just starting to establish itself as a new nation. And we must remember God had a very specific plan for the nation Israel - it would be the nation that would give the world God's word (ref. Rom. 3:2), and even more importantly, it would be the nation out of which the Messiah would come (Matthew 2:4-6)”. [Is the God of the Old Testament Different From the God of the New? Come Reason Ministries] “Because Israel was to provide the very elements from which all the people of the world would be saved, the survival and protection of the nation was paramount. Therefore, God gave the infant nation a special measure of protection when establishing it in the land of Canaan. This is entirely consistent with God's character”. [Is the God of the Old Testament Different From the God of the New? Come Reason Ministries]
In any case a comparison between the directive to Joshua to destroy the city of Jericho and Jesus’ instruction to turn the other cheek is strained from the outset. The first event was a combination of God establishing one nation and judging the other. The second an instruction by Jesus to individuals on how to handle other individuals who offend them. Note that “… the commands given to Joshua and the people of Israel were for a single circumstance where God was instructing them. They were to destroy all of the inhabitants of Jericho, but that command did not extend beyond them, and it was to only happen during that timeframe. This command of God did not give the Israelites license to just wipe out anyone who they deemed as in their way”. [Is the God of the Old Testament Different From the God of the New? Come Reason Ministries]
An Old Testament Longsuffering and Merciful God? If one were to pay attention, different facets of God’s character are portrayed throughout the Bible, which are not in the least contradictory. He is consistently shown as being both a God of love and a God of judgment in both sections of Scripture. He was long-suffering in the Old Testament and He is very long suffering in the New. Note that long-suffering means that He did not in the past and will not in the future put up with rampant evil forever. Two OT examples of Him giving nations time to repent are. In Genesis 15:16, God tells Abraham that they would not possess the land until the fourth generation as “the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet full”, apparently giving the nations of Canaan additional time to repent and turn from their corrupt ways, which, of course, did not happen. and they were destroyed by Israel, who in turn was taken out by both the Assyrians and Babylonians in severe judgments. Similarly, in the book of Jonah, the Ninevites (Nineveh was the flourishing capital of the Assyrian empire) were offered a chance to repent, although their cruelty and ruthlessness were legendary. They did temporarily repent and were spared, but soon returned to the old ways, which is when they were destroyed. The book of the prophet Nahum is almost exclusively taken up with prophetic denunciations against this city. Its ruin and utter desolation are foretold in Nahum 1:14; 3:19, etc.
The vengeful cruel God of the old Testament is a figment of imagination. Consider the words of the prophet Jonah when he was commanded to go preach to the Ninevites. Jonah disobeyed the command fleeing in the opposite direction.. His reasons? I fled before unto Tarshish; for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil" (Jonah 4:2).
This statement presents an angle that few have thought of... It is a testament to the character of God. “From time to time, those who do not believe the Bible -- primarily those who are educated beyond their intelligence -- say that the God of the Old Testament was a vengeful, wrathful God, a God of black thunderclouds and bolts of lightning, and that he was always killing people off. Well, do you find that here? That is not the kind of God that Jonah knew. He says, "I knew that thou art a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in love, and repentest of evil." [Jonah: The Reluctant Ambassador. Ray C. Stedman]
There are a zillion other verses in the Old Testament that testify to the above mentioned qualities.. [For See the end of the page] But the LORD was gracious to them and had compassion on them and turned to them because of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them or cast them from His presence until now. [II Kings 13:23] But He, being compassionate, forgave their iniquity and did not destroy them; And often He restrained His anger And did not arouse all His wrath. [Psalm 78:38] "They refused to listen, And did not remember Your wondrous deeds which You had performed among them; So they became stubborn and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt. But You are a God of forgiveness, Gracious and compassionate, Slow to anger and abounding in loving kindness; And You did not forsake them. [Nehemiah 9:17]
A New Testament Judgmental God As to those who claim that the God of the New Testament is exclusively a loving merciful God (read mushy old man in the sky) I will ask one question.. You have not really read the New Testament, have you? The Book of Revelation specifically speaks about God's judgment and wholesale destruction of this earth, far worse than anything that has gone before. "Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, 'Go, pour out the seven bowls of God's wrath on the earth'" And I heard a great voice out of the temple, saying to the seven angels, Go ye, and pour out the seven bowls of the wrath of God into the earth. [2] And the first went, and poured out his bowl into the earth; and it became a noisome and grievous sore upon the men that had the mark of the beast, and that worshipped his image. [3] And the second poured out his bowl into the sea; and it became blood as of a dead man; and every living soul died, even the things that were in the sea. [4] And the third poured out his bowl into the rivers and the fountains of the waters; and it became blood. [5] And I heard the angel of the waters saying, Righteous art thou, who art and who wast, thou Holy One, because thou didst thus judge: [6] for they poured out the blood of the saints and the prophets, and blood hast thou given them to drink: they are worthy. [7] And I heard the altar saying, Yea, O Lord God, the Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments. [8] And the fourth poured out his bowl upon the sun; and it was given unto it to scorch men with fire. [9] And men were scorched men with great heat: and they blasphemed the name of God who hath the power over these plagues; and they repented not to give him glory. [10] And the fifth poured out his bowl upon the throne of the beast; and his kingdom was darkened; and they gnawed their tongues for pain, [11] and they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores; and they repented not of their works. (Revelation 16:1-11).
In the end John tells us in Revelation 20:12, 13, 15 … [12] And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne; and books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works. [13] And the sea gave up the dead that were in it; and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. [15] And if any was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire.
Neither does God’s character change nor does He act in any way that is inconsistent with His character. Part of God’s character is that when people repent, He stays His wrath, but when they turn from good and do evil, He no longer stays His hand [especially evident in the Old Testament when divine justice was often swift and apparent to all]. People change, not God's standards or God's nature, and as they change, He varies in His dealings with them. This is how it has always been and always will be with God. Gentle Jesus.. Meek and Mild? The typical view of Jesus is that Jesus was always “non-judgmental, accepting of everybody, pacifistic, and always gracious”. In an article entitled Is the God of the Old Testament the same as the God of the New Testament the pastor of New Life Community Church says... “A focus on the merciful acts of Jesus during His three years of ministry does not give us a complete picture of the character of God. It must also be balanced with the terrible things that Jesus said would happen if people didn't repent, what Jesus said about His second coming, and how Jesus appears in other New Testament books - for example see Revelation 1:13-18. … I think many people overlook or ignore Jesus' tough "Old Testament" side. In order to miss the dangerous and harsh Jesus you have to close your eyes to: Jesus being the one individual who speaks more about hell and the punishments of hell, than anyone else in the Bible. Jesus' many calls to repentance with warnings of judgment, if people don't repent (example: Luke 13:1-5). Parables spoken by Jesus, such as the Parable of the Ten Minas (Luke 19:24-27) or the Parable of the Tenants (Luke 20:9-19) which end in terrible punishments. Events such as the cleansing of the temple or the cursing of the fig tree which are certainly not peaceful actions by Jesus. The hard sayings ("pluck out your eye," "cut off your hand") and harsh words of Jesus, such as calling people "hypocrites," "blind guides," "vipers," "white washed tombs," and "the one doomed to destruction." Predictions about the terrible destruction of Jerusalem which Jesus says is a judgment from God for the people's lack of repentance. And predictions about His Second Coming which is a time for "the Son of Man to come" and "separate" and "judge mankind."
Additionally Revelation 19:11-16 graphically portrays Jesus engaged in Holy War at his return: I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one but he himself knows. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter." He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. In the battle that follows, all the troops of the kings of the earth "were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse" (19:21).
So then what are we to make of the incident of the woman caught in adultery in John 7:53-8:11, in which Jesus seemed to overturn the Old Testament’s laws. In this case the woman and her paramour would have been stoned to death. Jesus And The Woman Caught In Adultery “Many people read this story as if Jesus was overturning the Old Testament punishment of stoning - in fact, some people read this event as if Jesus was saying that all the Old Testament punishments were too harsh. I believe this is a misunderstanding of what Jesus is doing. Jesus is being set up by the Pharisees (see verse 6). The dilemma that the scribes and Pharisees are setting up for Jesus is this: If Jesus said, "No, don't stone her" then it would appear that Jesus was breaking God's law given to Moses (Leviticus 20:10). If Jesus said, "Yes, stone her" then He would be breaking Roman law which didn't allow the Jews to execute anyone without their permission (John 18:31).
Jesus' fantastic answer didn't minimize her sin; didn't get him into a debate about Mosaic law; and didn't get him in conflict with Roman law. It wasn't meant as a setting aside of the Old Testament judicial punishment. It was meant to reveal how unfit the scribes and the Pharisees were to be the woman's judges and executioners. Why were they unfit? Four reasons: They were accusing her of adultery, while they were plotting to murder Jesus (see John 7:1). This is a bit hypocritical! The law required the execution of both parties (Leviticus 20:10; Deuteronomy 22:22), not just the woman! Adultery takes two people. So where is the male? More than likely the woman had been tricked into this situation and provision made for the man to escape. The Pharisees said that the woman had been "caught in the act of adultery" (v. 4). But compromising circumstances were not sufficient evidence to convict someone. Jewish law required the testimony of at least two witnesses who had seen the act. The Pharisees did not mention the names of the witnesses, nor did Jesus hear testimony from two witnesses, yet he was being asked to give judgment. Finally, the Pharisees altered the law a little. The exact manner of execution was not prescribed unless the woman was a betrothed virgin (Deuteronomy 22:23-24). Jewish custom at this time was actually death by strangulation for both offenders. So the statement in verse 5 about the Law of Moses "commanding" stoning of such women, was not entirely accurate. So Jesus wasn't really setting aside the Old Testament judicial laws. And Jesus wasn't saying that every person is unfit to render judgment upon another person. If this were the case, then juries and judges would be unbiblical! Jesus was merely turning the trap back on the Pharisees who intended to trap Him!” [Is the God of the Old Testament the same as the God of the New Testament? [http://www.new-life.net/faq024.htm]
Jesus and Turning The Other Cheek You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away. [Matthew 5:38-42].
In these verses Jesus is not speaking of dangerous or life threatening situations. If someone’s hand connects with your right cheek, it would not be the palm, but the back of their hand that connects. A blow with the back of the hand to the right cheek was an insult… contemptuous and insulting rather than intended to do real damage. [Later in Europe, people used a glove to strike the right cheek as a challenge to duel].
What it does not mean is that the Christian should roll over and plays dead when attacked and allow yourself to get beat up. In the words of Barnes “Christ did not intend to teach that we are to see our families murdered, or be murdered ourselves; rather than to make resistance. The law of nature, and all laws, human and divine, justify self-defense when life is in danger... He confines himself to smaller matters, to things of comparatively trivial interest, and says that in these we had better take wrong than to enter into strife and lawsuits. The first case is where we are smitten on the cheek. Rather than contend and fight, we should take it patiently, and turn the other cheek. This does not, however, prevent our remonstrating firmly yet mildly on the injustice of the thing, and insisting that justice should be done us, as is evident from the example of the Saviour himself”.
In John 18:22- 23 one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand. Jesus however did NOT turn the other cheek but challenged the officer saying… “ If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me?”
Of which Barnes says it very well.. “While an accused person is on trial he is under the protection of the court, and has a right to demand that all legal measures shall be taken to secure his rights. On this right Jesus insisted, and thus showed that, though he had no disposition to take revenge, yet he claimed that, when arraigned, strict justice should be done. This shows that his precept that when we are smitten on one cheek we should turn the other Mat_5:39, is consistent with a firm demand that justice should be done us”. [Barnes]
In other words Jesus was challenging the Misuse of Lex Talionis, urging people to take the higher ground in a manner of speaking. “Jesus’ teaching here is confronting the popular misuse and abuse of the Old Testament law, known as the law of retaliation, in Latin, “the Lex Talionis.” The law of “life shall be for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth,” etc”. “The misunderstanding of the law would say if someone slaps you on the cheek, slap him back (after all “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth”). If someone sues you, sue him back. If you are forced to go a mile by a Roman soldier, resist and fight back. Jesus is trying to confront that type of teaching and mindset”. “… the institution of the lex talionis into the Mosaic law for the nation of Israel and the ruling authorities was, I believe, a real advancement for the cause of justice designed to prevent personal actions of retaliation and revenge. The injured person or relative of the injured person could go to the governing judicial authority in Israel to seek justice. But what should the appropriate punishment be in the case of murder or maiming? This is where the law comes into play: “a life for a life,” “an eye for an eye,” “a tooth for a tooth.” The punishment must fit the crime – no more than the crime but also no less. It was strict but fair. It was also designed to prevent and deter such crimes. It was there to remove punitive actions for crimes from the hands of the victim and his family and put them into the hands of the governing judicial system. It was designed as a principle of proportional justice. It was also designed to appropriately punish the offender. This is the irony and abuse of how people misunderstand this law. It is misunderstood now the same way it was misunderstood at the time of Jesus. A law that was designed to prevent actions of personal retaliatory revenge is used to justify it! “ [James Davis. Jesus and the Law of Retaliation (Lex Talionis) bible.org. ]
Tunics and Distances “The cloak/tunic bit must be recognized in terms of the ancient Jewish customary process of making good pledge on one's debts by handing over a valuable item as collateral; for most people in this time, items of clothing were the only thing suitable. In essence, the teaching is to provide surety of repayment of a justly-decided debt, even to those who are enemies … the double-mileage command refers in context to the legal right a Roman soldier had to make any person carry their belongings for up to one mile. As you might imagine, this was not a popular requirement in the neighborhood of Palestine, but it was the law, and the teaching again is in essence, do it, and do it without complaint, even though the Roman is your enemy. And if you need to know why, consider that your resultant testimony as a member of God's kingdom (for the Sermon on the Mount is composed of instructions for just that set) is far, far more important than a few mild inconveniences or insults to your person” [James Patrick Holding. Brains and Eggs. tektonics.org]
Which brings us to the oft asked question… Why Is It Okay For God To Kill? “There are a few circumstances where He delegates that power to us, specifically in my view, capital punishment. We know this intuitively, folks, because when men seek to make life and death decisions for others, what do we tell them? We say, "It's not right for you to 'play God.'" Well, of course it's not right for man to play God, but it implies that it is right for God to play God , and that's my point. My point is simply this: we intuitively know that man and God have different prerogatives. It is inappropriate for men to take innocent life simply because we are robbing other human beings of a God-given gift and we are not to play God in that regard. But clearly God can play God. It is His role and He is not robbing when He takes away what He has given in the first place. It is something that is under His appropriate control. He can take a life anytime He wants. Taking innocent human life is wrong for us, because taking life is God's prerogative, not ours, which means it is appropriate for Him to do it, not us, and He can dispense and retract life whenever He pleases. Part of the problem here is that we want to hold God to the same standard of morality He holds us to, as if the standard is above us both and man and God are on equal terms when it comes to behavior. Whatever we can't do, God shouldn't be allowed to do either. But every parent knows that such an arrangement is just plain false. Parents aren't constrained by the same standards that their children are constrained by, and in the same way God has a different set of prerogatives as well. Life and death is one of His, not one of ours, and that's why it is appropriate for Him to make His sovereign decisions with regards to the disposition of life and death. We are not to do so, and that's the long and short of it.” [Gregory Koukl
And another relevant thought.. “… we live in a very sanitized and unrealistic world today. It is easy to sit safely and securely in our homes, even in a gated community, with money in the bank, a good job, good retirement, hiring other people to slaughter our animals for steaks and deal with the violent elements of society for us, never having to deal with death except in a “clean” way while pretending that it is not real, taking pills for the slightest ache, while watching pretend reality TV, and watching movies or playing video games that let us vent our anger and frustration at injustice by vicariously killing pretend people, all the while rather self-righteously condemning any form of violence of which we do not approve. And then we expect God to be that same sanitized version of ourselves. This even creeps into our worship, in which we think that all forms of worship should only be upbeat with no hint of anything negative. We are imagining a God that conforms to our cultural model of what God ought to be like as if he were an affluent upper middle-class 21st century American. [Dennis Bratcher. http://www.naznet.com/community/showthread.php?t=16420]
Old Testament Verses The following passages, all from the Old Testament, show the fact that God was indeed a gracious and merciful God to Israel. "In Your loving kindness You have led the people whom You have redeemed; In Your strength You have guided them to Your holy habitation. [Exodus 15:13] but showing loving kindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. [Exodus 20:6] “If the LORD is pleased with us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us-- a land which flows with milk and honey.” [Numbers 14:8] "He is a tower of deliverance to His king, And shows loving kindness to His anointed, To David and his descendants forever." [II Samuel 22:51] But the LORD was gracious to them and had compassion on them and turned to them because of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them or cast them from His presence until now. [II Kings 13:23] in unison when the trumpeters and the singers were to make themselves heard with one voice to praise and to glorify the LORD, and when they lifted up their voice accompanied by trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and when they praised the LORD saying," He indeed is good for His loving kindness is everlasting," then the house, the house of the LORD, was filled with a cloud, [II Chronicles 5:13] "For if you return to the LORD, your brothers and your sons will find compassion before those who led them captive and will return to this land. For the LORD your God is gracious and compassionate, and will not turn His face away from you if you return to Him." [II Chronicles 30:9] The LORD, the God of their fathers, sent word to them again and again by His messengers, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place; [2 Chronicles 36:15] "They refused to listen, And did not remember Your wondrous deeds which You had performed among them; So they became stubborn and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt. But You are a God of forgiveness, Gracious and compassionate, Slow to anger and abounding in loving kindness; And You did not forsake them.[Nehemiah 9:17] "Nevertheless, in Your great compassion You did not make an end of them or forsake them, For You are a gracious and compassionate God. [Nehemiah 9:31] Wondrously show Your lovingkindness, O Savior of those who take refuge at Your right hand From those who rise up against them. [Psalms 17:7] But He, being compassionate, forgave their iniquity and did not destroy them; And often He restrained His anger And did not arouse all His wrath. [Psalm 78:38] But You, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, Slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness and truth. [Psalm 86:15] Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; Yes, our God is compassionate [Psalm 116:5]. but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things," declares the LORD. [Jeremiah 9:24] "And it will come about that after I have uprooted them, I will again have compassion on them; and I will bring them back, each one to his inheritance and each one to his land. [Jeremiah 12:15]. The LORD appeared to him from afar, saying, "I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness. [Jeremiah 31:3]. who shows lovingkindness to thousands, but repays the iniquity of fathers into the bosom of their children after them, O great and mighty God. The LORD of hosts is His name; [Jeremiah 32:18] "But I will have compassion on the house of Judah and deliver them by the LORD their God, and will not deliver them by bow, sword, battle, horses or horsemen." [Hosea 1:7]
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