OT. Theologies of God - Development of Revelation of God.’ Afterlife / Hell

[richardeekw]

Can Someone help me out on this? Thanks and God Bless.

Revelation of God is a process over time and finally revealed in Jesus that “God is Love”.
This is not so especially in the Old Testament.
E.g. - in the Book of Deuteronomy, God is understood as a Lawgiver and Judge.
Also- the understanding of the After-Life and Hell is not understood until the latter part of OT writings.

I am keen to develop e a CHART and tabulate

O.T. Book Approx yr written Theology of God After-Life Hell
Zzz God is a Lawgiver No No

t will be very helpful, and useful in (especially) in explaining the Truth of (particularly) the Old Testament to Non-Christias. (In explaining a “Warlike” image of God sometimes) & the Inerrency and Inspiration of Holy Scriptures (Because with such Theologies of God as such time of Preaching/writing, God is depicted as a “Judge” “King” for the Isaelites only, Also when there is no belief of the afterlife, all rewards must be enjoyed on earth only)…

 

[dmm2000]

Not sure if this is on point, but I’ll give a try.

God is a Father, we (creatures) are his children. In early history God revealed himself, as young children see a parent. As a parent God provides the basic nessecities for life (creation). When the young child revolts (the fall), the children are disciplined in a manner to get better (the curses from the fall, and the hope of redemption). God then provides, through his providence, the most benificial way to salvation, he lets the child try without upteen rules to work out their salvation, however, as history showed the children needed some clear boundries, thus the law.

The law was provided as a merciful Father to a child, so the children will know what is good (true). As the children continue to disobey what is good (true), the Father has to condesend to his children, only to the point that always points to their good. So in those early years of life children try to please parents by not offending them.

Then as a child grows they what to please a parent by doing good (see David). Ultimately a child whats to be with their parent because of who that parent is, thus God reveals himself in the fullness of time (Jesus).

We the children, see our spiritual lives goes through very much the same as the OT children. God has revealed himself fully in Jesus and calls us out to union, away from ourselves.

Sorry if this has rambled.

 

[Della]

Can Someone help me out on this? Thanks and God Bless.

Revelation of God is a process over time and finally revealed in Jesus that “God is Love”.
This is not so especially in the Old Testament.
E.g. - in the Book of Deuteronomy, God is understood as a Lawgiver and Judge.
Also- the understanding of the After-Life and Hell is not understood until the latter part of OT writings.

I am keen to develop e a CHART and tabulate

O.T. Book Approx yr written Theology of God After-Life Hell
Zzz God is a Lawgiver No No

t will be very helpful, and useful in (especially) in explaining the Truth of (particularly) the Old Testament to Non-Christias. (In explaining a “Warlike” image of God sometimes) & the Inerrency and Inspiration of Holy Scriptures (Because with such Theologies of God as such time of Preaching/writing, God is depicted as a “Judge” “King” for the Isaelites only, Also when there is no belief of the afterlife, all rewards must be enjoyed on earth only)…

I think you are working from a flawed premise. There’s lots of evidence in the OT that God is our Father and a God of love, especially in the Psalms.

As for the afterlife, it’s not mentioned as it is in the NT, but it is not denied, either.

I believe there are already studies on the timeline of the development of doctrine, but in any case, some scholars have said that God revealed himself and his plans for humanity as he saw fit, culminating in the revelation of the Word of God, Jesus Christ. That seems the most plausible scenario to me.

 

[Mystophilus]

I agree with Della. Spend more time reading the OT, noting God’s vehement reaction against legalism, and God’s repeated demands for mercy rather than ‘justice’, and you will find a very different picture of God.

God never changes; it is only our ignorance, slowly unfolding into an ineffable light, which alters.

“10 Hear the word of the LORD,
You rulers of Sodom;
Give ear to the law of our God,
You people of Gomorrah:
11 “ To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?”
Says the LORD.
“ I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams
And the fat of fed cattle.
I do not delight in the blood of bulls,
Or of lambs or goats.
12 “ When you come to appear before Me,
Who has required this from your hand,
To trample My courts?
13 Bring no more futile sacrifices;
Incense is an abomination to Me.
The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies—
I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting.
14 Your New Moons and your appointed feasts
My soul hates;
They are a trouble to Me,
I am weary of bearing them.
15 When you spread out your hands,
I will hide My eyes from you;
Even though you make many prayers,
I will not hear.
Your hands are full of blood.
16 “ Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean;
Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes.
Cease to do evil,
17 Learn to do good;
Seek justice,
Rebuke the oppressor;
Defend the fatherless,
Plead for the widow.”

• the word of the Lord, in Isaiah chapter 1

 

[richardeekw]

Thanks for all your views.
I agree with you - however I hope to “logically” explain to a non-Christian that these Inspired OT texts have God as the author yet utilizing humain beings in their culture and understanding at such times. Therefore a Chart to show date of Biblical Book and Theology of God at such time of writing would be very useful.

(fr Dr Margaret Nutting Ralph “And God said What…”)

The Process of Revelation
That God is ‘love’ (agapao)
In the O.T. especially in the Book of Deuteronomy, God is depicted
Not as Father but as the ONE GOD who is a JUDGE and GIVER OF LAWS with a covenanted people ISRAEL .​

A Transendant,God creates all but choose and love Israel to save.​

There is no Salvation for those other than the Jewish people (the chosen people.)

That the mystery of suffering has its purpose other than sin.

]The idea of Hell
]In the O.T. the idea of hell is not understood until 300-400 years before the coming of Jesus

They did not believe in an afterlife.

Later a few liberal Jewish people began to believe that ‘some’good Gentiles may be saved with the Jews.

About 200 years before Jesus, Jews began to believe that all will rise from the dead.

The question of Judgement & hell began to a question.to arise.To under ‘heaven’ one has to compare with ‘hell’. That is how it all began. (e.g. To understand light, compare it with darkness, good, compare with evil etc)

God Bless

 

[Mystophilus]

That God is ‘love’ (agapao)

FYI
This should be: “God is ‘love’ (agape^)”

αγαπαω (agapao^) is the catalogue-form of the verb of ‘love’: it is the 1st-person singular present, i.e., “I love”.
The noun, which is the form which you want for a subject-complement, is αγαπη (agape^).

Good luck with your project.