Someone asked why it seems God is so wrathful in the OT and much softer and kind in the NT? It's a great question and I pray I can give a decent explanation. The OT is much larger in volume than the NT. It involves the history of man, particularly the nation of Israel. But more to the point, the OT central concern is God working with a sinful and disobedient Israel, the people He delivered from bondage and brought to Himself, and the sinful nations around. The NT central concern is God's work in and through Jesus Christ on behalf of all mankind. You see this particularly in the gospel accounts and Acts. We see the result of the work of Christ Jesus in the rest of the NT. What we must not overlook is there is wrath expressed from and about God in the NT.
There was a little girl who was asked why God was so wrathful in the OT than in the NT. The little girl sat and thought for a moment, then she spoke, "That was before God became a Christian!" I am afraid there are people in our society that believe that very thing!
God sent His wrath on Israel because of their continually rebelling against Him. He loved this nation and He called them His children. They constantly went astray in their hearts and the love of God could not allow them to be so evil without inflicting pain upon them to get their attention. The surrounding nations tried every thing they could to kill and destroy the nation of Israel, so God had to protect His own people by inflicting pain upon the other nations to get them to see that Israel was loved by God. What many fail to realize is that love does involve punishment! We can learn that just as parents. Why do we punish our children? Because we hate them and are wrathful toward them? No because we love them and when they go astray in their heart to do things that are not proper, we need to get their attention and show them there is pain involved in sin! When we inflict pain upon a child, that shows the child that love is making its presence felt and it is a visible love. The same with God punishing Israel in the OT.
The NT reveals the redeeming work of Christ on behalf of all mankind. God has not changed from the OT, but God is showing man His love for all in the work of Christ. There are stern warnings that go out to those who never come to God through Christ and those that come to Christ and fall away. We need to study and read our Bibles and see God's love, knowing His wrath is a wrath because of His work on behalf of mankind. You think about it and if I have missed something, please help me see!
No comments:
Post a Comment