Difficult Old Testament Passages: Help!

[pseudoanselm]

As many of you already know, there are some pretty tough passages in the OT that are hard to reconcile with a loving God.

Just peruse Ex 21, Lev. 20, and Deut, 7, 13, and 21 for a sampling. How do we concluding anything BUT the fact that God is a brutal, vicious, tribal tyrant simply concerned with having territory for the celebration of his cult?

**God flat out commands not only the death penalty but outright genocide for commonplace, albeit serious, crimes and sins. ** There’s no way around it. So, what do we say?

On the one hand, atheists point to exactly these passages to discredit our faith. God is nothing but a tyrant. On the other hand, there are religious fanatics out there (ie. terrorists and even some Protestants) who would like to re-institute these laws and their prescribed punishments as the norms for modern society.

How do I argue persuasively against both of these positions? I think I have an idea, but I need insight from any of you who’ve tackeled this issue.

 

[GJx86]

To the former argument, I recommend the following blog post from Jimmy Akin:

jimmyakin.typepad.com/defensor_fidei/2007/02/hard_sayings_of.html

To the latter argument: The Old Testament law was fulfilled by Christ, so its exact prescriptions no longer apply to us. Those parts of it that remain – e.g., the Ten Commandments – are part of the natural moral law that Christ summed up in “love your neighbor as yourself” (Romans 13:8-10). We also need to respect our government’s ability to make laws to deal with unethical and immoral behavior (Romans 13:1-7).

You can also appeal to the structure of the Scriptural narrative. The Mosaic laws and restrictions existed as a way to help prepare the Israelites for the coming of the Messiah. When He came, the law’s purpose was fulfilled, and we live under the new law instituted by Christ. Levitical law isn’t meant to apply to us anymore, because we no longer require preparation for Christ’s incarnation; it already happened, and now we live in Christ’s new law to be ready when He comes again.

Obviously, this argument won’t work on anyone who isn’t Christian, but for those Christian extremists who want a return to the Exodus, it may come in handy.

 

[Crepusculum]

As I understand it, there is a progression in our discernment of which spiritual entity was communicating with us - take for example:

David Counts the Fighting Men
Again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, “Go and take a census of Israel and Judah.”

1 Chronicles 21:1:

David Numbers the Fighting Men
Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel.

This also explains statements such as evil spirits springing forth from God etc.

Hope that helps,

 

[NotWorthy]

Think of Israel as you and I.

Then you’ll see that often the teachings of the NT are not so different then the teachings of the OT, just on a more developed level.

Jesus teaches what about sin? If your eye causes you to sin, cut it out. If your hand causes you to sin, cut if off.

What did God teach the Hebrews in the OT? The Canaanites are going to bring idols and false gods into your community. Kill them.

On the mortal realm, this may seem harsh. But think on it from the heavenly Kingdom. What would a God of Love and Mercy do to a group of people that were killed to teach the rest of His Children a lesson. Wouldn’t this God have a special reward for those who are innocent who suffered so that others may gain Life?

 

[FPerito]

actually, I would normally tell them that the OT is about a God of Justice while the NT is about a God of Mercy…

the OT is the story on how the people of God were called and established while the NT is about the redemption of these very same people and the promise of the Holy Spirit…

God bless!

 

[grandfather]

actually, I would normally tell them that the OT is about a God of Justice while the NT is about a God of Mercy…

the OT is the story on how the people of God were called and established while the NT is about the redemption of these very same people and the promise of the Holy Spirit…

God bless!

Mercy is for those who repent.

Revelations is the last book of the New Testament. It makes the Old Testament fire and brimstone punishments look mild.

 

[Crumpy]

I too have recently finished reading the OT.

I can’t speak for all of the concerns, but God was clearly exercising his sovereignity to order the killing of men, women,and children. God did not want the Israelites to be ‘contaminated’ with the idol worship of those people.

Think back though to Genesis and the flood of Noah. There, God apparently destroyed every living thing with the flood, except for Noah and his family and of course the animals.

Thereafter, God made a promise or covenant that he would never do that again in that instance of wickedness. The rest of the OT is remarkably God living up to that covenant. To me, God comes across as a Jewish dad, doing every thing he can to get Israel, his kids, to stop worshipping other gods and to obey all his commandments. So, after the flood, there is tremendous restraint on God’s part, that has to be said.

The patriarchs lost trust in God.
The judges lost trust in God.
The kings lost trust in God.
The Israelites ignored the wisdom books.
The Israelites ignored the prophets.
God scattered the Israelites, for the most part.
God punished the priests who apostacized.
He allowed the Jews to be taken into captivity, with a promise of restoration.

The Jews took notice at one point when God said the Assyrians were going to defeat them and make them eat their dung and urine. They were praying then, for a while.

That’s my point, God was doing everything to make them repent and obey and comply with the covenant.

See Jesus’ parable of the vinyard in Mark. The unjust stewards even slay the owner’s son, when he comes to take possession of the fruit of the vineyard.

After the writings of the OT, the next thing God does is to send his Son, to teach and to establish the spiritual kingdom and to die, to form a new covenant.

Killing of the inhabitants of Canaan was a way of demonstrating how powerful God was and what his authority was. It was a way of solidifying the loyalty of Israel, too, as far as it went.

I didn’t read all of Akin’s lengthy article; perhaps I didn’t even get to the best part of it. (Perhaps I’m repeating something that has already been said.)

Killing of the idol worshippers was also an object lesson for the Israelites to “kill” the idol worship that was in their own hearts, that they had learned in Egypt. The Mosaic law had similar penalties for idol worship.

My suggestion: read everything, not just the gory parts. You’ve got to take it all in, to understand what was happening, as the Jews themselves would have understood when it was happening.

What is the book of Numbers? As I recall from a simple reading of it it is this. The Israelites were counted twice: once before the forty years of wandering and then again afterwards. While all those who had lost faith died in the desert as punishment, Israel was restored numerically as it entered the Promised Land. Their clothing and shoes did not wear out and their feet did not swell. God preserved those who were faithful.

Lessons, lessons, lessons. Look for the Lessons. Follow the lessons.