I was told to just read the NT and not even worry about reading the OT. I've read a little of the OT and find God to be quite intimidating. Very different than Jesus in the NT. It's almost like they're completely different. Why is this? I know it was different eras, but God is unchanging. However, there's definitely a change in mood between the two testaments.
The apostle Paul wrote: "All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness, that the man of God may be fully competent, completely equipped for every good work."(2 Tim 3:16, 17) This is in harmony with with Jesus words to Cleopas and his friend after his resurrection: "O senseless ones and slow in heart to believe on
all the things the prophets spoke ! Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into his glory ?"(Luke 24:25, 26) Luke 24:27 now says that "commencing at
Moses and all the Prophets (Jesus) interpreted ("interpret", Greek
diemeneuo, meaning to "explain thoroughly", Strong's # G1329) to them things pertaining to himself in
all the Scriptures."
In order to understand the Bible of 66 books(and Jesus role in the outworking of God's everlasting purpose toward the earth), the Hebrew Scriptures (commonly called the Old Testament) must be thoroughly examined along with the Christian Greek Scriptures (commonly called the New Testament).
The Bible is
one complete book, not two "testaments" as the churches would have one believe. Without understanding the Hebrew Scriptures, a person cannot begin to grasp the meaning of the Christian Greek Scriptures. They are interlocked as "one", for they have but one author, Jehovah God.
Concerning God, James, the half-brother of Jesus, wrote: "Every good gift and every perfect present is from above, for it comes down from the Father of the [celestial] lights, and with him there is
not a variation of the turning of the shadow."(James 1:17) Hence, our Creator has never changed his moral standards, boundaries, nor his righteousness. Yet some feel that the "God of the Old Testament is harsh whereas the God of the New Testament is loving." Why ?
Simply because these cannot seemingly grasp or appreciate God's righteousness. The Bible describes the Creator as “a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in loving-kindness and truth, preserving loving-kindness for thousands, pardoning error and transgression and sin.” (Exodus 34:6, 7)
The expression “loving-kindness” (Hebrew
kheh'-sed) translates a very meaningful Hebrew word. It denotes a kindness that lovingly attaches itself to an object until its purpose for that object is realized. It can also be translated “loyal love.” Jehovah’s kindness lovingly attaches itself to his creatures and accomplishes his wonderful purpose.
However, God's righteousness requires that justice be served at the appropriate time, for Exodus 34:7 continues saying that "by no means will he give exemption from punishment, bringing punishment for the error of fathers upon sons and upon grandsons, upon the third generation and upon the fourth generation.” Jehovah God cannot turn his back upon that which is unjust, and at his appointed time, he removes that which is wrong.
The land of Canaan, the land promised to Abraham's descendants, was a land inhabited by Canaan's (grandson of Noah through his son Ham and who committed a perverted sexual act upon his grandfather when Noah was unintentionally drunk -Gen 9:20-26) descendants. These practiced sexual and other perversions, taking up the demented desires of their forefather, Canaan.
For example, Abraham told his servant Eliezer concerning a wife for his son Isaac: "Put your hand, please, under my thigh, as I must have you swear by Jehovah, the God of the heavens and the God of the earth, that you will
not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Ca′naan·ites in among whom I am dwelling, but you will go to my country and to my relatives, and you will certainly take a wife for my son, for Isaac.”(Gen 24:2-4) Isaac also told his son Jacob: "You must
not take a wife from the daughters of Ca′naan," but to "take yourself a wife from the daughters of La′ban the brother of your mother." Why ?
The population of the land of Canaan, as a whole, practiced immoral and wicked conduct. During the centuries that followed, the land of Canaan became saturated with detestable practices of idolatry, immorality, and bloodshed. The Canaanite religion was extraordinarily base and degraded, their “sacred poles” evidently being phallic symbols, and many of the rites at their “high places” involving gross sexual excesses and depravity. (Ex 23:24; 34:12, 13; Num 33:52; De 7:5)
Incest, sodomy, and bestiality were part of ‘the way of the land of Canaan’ that made the land unclean and for which error it was due to “vomit its inhabitants out.” (Lev 18:2-25) Magic, spellbinding, spiritism, and sacrifice of their children by fire were also among the Canaanites’ detestable practices.(Deut 18:9-12)
Added to their other degrading practices was that of child sacrifice. According to Merrill F. Unger: “Excavations in Palestine have uncovered piles of ashes and remains of infant skeletons in cemeteries around heathen altars, pointing to the widespread practice of this cruel abomination.” (
Archaeology and the Old Testament, 1964, p. 279)
Halley’s Bible Handbook (1964, p. 161) says: “Canaanites worshipped, by immoral indulgence, as a religious rite, in the presence of their gods; and then, by murdering their first-born children, as a sacrifice to these same gods. It seems that, in large measure, the land of Canaan had become a sort of Sodom and Gomorrah on a national scale. . . . Did a civilization of such abominable filth and brutality have any right longer to exist? . . . Archaeologists who dig in the ruins of Canaanite cities wonder that God did not destroy them sooner than he did."(Vol. 1, p. 739)
For the protection of his people, the Israelites, Jehovah God had them removed from the land by force. Just as a loving father will see that his family is protected from unclean practices, so likewise does God, but even more so. Just before the Israelites entered the land of Canaan in 1473 B.C.E., Moses told them that "it is for
the wickedness of these nations that Jehovah is driving them away from before you."(Deut 9:4)
Therefore, Jehovah God told the nation of Israel that "little by little I shall drive them out from before you, until you become fruitful and really take possession of the land."(Ex 23:30) As David said at Psalms 9:8, that Jehovah God will "himself will judge the productive land in righteousness; He will judicially try national groups in uprightness." Hence, his removal of the Canaanites by means of the nation of Israel (which they did not completely fulfill) was because of his judging "the productive land (of Canaan) in righteousness." Therefore God has not changed, for he has an appointed time to remove all wickedness soon from the entire earth, at "the war of the great day of God the Almighty...Armageddon."(Rev 16:14, 16)
