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childoffaith · Jan 3, 2012

Hi. I saw a "problem" while reading the Bible yesterday, and I decided to ask a question on the forum about it. Look at these verses;

Then Judah said to Onan, “Sleep with your brother’s wife and fulfill your duty to her as a brother-in-law to raise up offspring for your brother.” 9 But Onan knew that the child would not be his; so whenever he slept with his brother’s wife, he spilled his semen on the ground to keep from providing offspring for his brother. 10 What he did was wicked in the LORD’s sight; so the LORD put him to death also. -Genesis 38:8-10

When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face. 16 Not realizing that she was his daughter-in-law, he went over to her by the roadside and said, “Come now, let me sleep with you.” Genesis 38:15-16

But the men would not listen to him. So the man took his concubine and sent her outside to them, and they raped her and abused her throughout the night, and at dawn they let her go. 26 At daybreak the woman went back to the house where her master was staying, fell down at the door and lay there until daylight. Judges 19:25-26

“No, my brother!” she said to him. “Don’t force me! Such a thing should not be done in Israel! Don’t do this wicked thing. 13 What about me? Where could I get rid of my disgrace? And what about you? You would be like one of the wicked fools in Israel. Please speak to the king; he will not keep me from being married to you.” 14 But he refused to listen to her, and since he was stronger than she, he raped her.

2 Samuel 13:12-14

‘Woe! Woe to you, declares the Sovereign LORD. In addition to all your other wickedness, 24 you built a mound for yourself and made a lofty shrine in every public square. 25 At every street corner you built your lofty shrines and degraded your beauty, spreading your legs with increasing promiscuity to anyone who passed by. 26 You engaged in prostitution with the Egyptians, your neighbors with large genitals, and aroused my anger with your increasing promiscuity. Ezekiel 16:23-26

I know the Bible is a true book of history, and sometimes history can be intense, but why didn't the certain writers (and even maybe God) soften the blow just a bit. How would a Christian read the above verses to a child, or someone who wasn't mature enough to handle them? When I first read that story in 2Sam 13, I think I put the book down before finishing the rest. Can anyone give me any help with this issue?

God bless

faithfulservant · Jan 3, 2012

The Old Testament is man revealed and God/Jesus concealed. The single most obvious theme within the Old Testament is that man is evil. Additionally, this isn't just a book of history, it's the absolute, unadulterated truth. So, yes, it can be intense.

The real problem for people is they look at these things and they never, every see themselves. That's convenient. The uncomfortable truth is that we're the same as those people, but God under this new covenant, put His laws on our hearts, gave us a conscience, and His Holy Spirit to convict us of sin. These things God has given to restrain our evil, but in our flesh we're really not much different than the people of the Old Testament. The question is whether or not we're going to listen to what the LORD has put upon our heart.

That's hard to consider, isn't it? But would you rather someone lie to you about something than to simply tell you the truth? Ignorance is bliss to the world, right? But we don't follow the world, we follow Christ.

As far as teaching children goes, God has given us the sense to recognize when a child has reached a maturity level to understand His ways. So, no, I wouldn't jump to the more intense scriptures with a child who is not ready for it. Not too big of a problem, really. God created children to change and grow developmentally. Small children can't even really understand abstract ideas like salvation, anyway, because they are concrete thinkers. They should be taught that there is a God, that He responds to our prayers, and that we should worship and praise Him. As they grow they will get to know Him, as He is a God who will reveal Himself to those who sincerely seek Him.

I hope this helps.

will · Jan 3, 2012

ByGraceAlone said:
The Old Testament is man revealed and God/Jesus concealed. The single most obvious theme within the Old Testament is that man is evil. Additionally, this isn't just a book of history, it's the absolute, unadulterated truth. So, yes, it can be intense.

The real problem for people is they look at these things and they never, every see themselves. That's convenient. The uncomfortable truth is that we're the same as those people, but God under this new covenant, put His laws on our hearts, gave us a conscience, and His Holy Spirit to convict us of sin. These things God has given to restrain our evil, but in our flesh we're really not much different than the people of the Old Testament. The question is whether or not we're going to listen to what the LORD has put upon our heart.

That's hard to consider, isn't it? But would you rather someone lie to you about something than to simply tell you the truth? Ignorance is bliss to the world, right? But we don't follow the world, we follow Christ.

As far as teaching children goes, God has given us the sense to recognize when a child has reached a maturity level to understand His ways. So, no, I wouldn't jump to the more intense scriptures with a child who is not ready for it. Not too big of a problem, really. God created children to change and grow developmentally. Small children can't even really understand abstract ideas like salvation, anyway, because they are concrete thinkers. They should be taught that there is a God, that He responds to our prayers, and that we should worship and praise Him. As they grow they will get to know Him, as He is a God who will reveal Himself to those who sincerely seek Him.

I hope this helps.

That is a wonderful answer.
It certainly helped me with this particular question.

Oh, by the way, the question is also a very good one :wink:

childoffaith · Jan 3, 2012

ByGraceAlone said:
The Old Testament is man revealed and God/Jesus concealed. The single most obvious theme within the Old Testament is that man is evil. Additionally, this isn't just a book of history, it's the absolute, unadulterated truth. So, yes, it can be intense.

The real problem for people is they look at these things and they never, every see themselves. That's convenient. The uncomfortable truth is that we're the same as those people, but God under this new covenant, put His laws on our hearts, gave us a conscience, and His Holy Spirit to convict us of sin. These things God has given to restrain our evil, but in our flesh we're really not much different than the people of the Old Testament. The question is whether or not we're going to listen to what the LORD has put upon our heart.

That's hard to consider, isn't it? But would you rather someone lie to you about something than to simply tell you the truth? Ignorance is bliss to the world, right? But we don't follow the world, we follow Christ.

As far as teaching children goes, God has given us the sense to recognize when a child has reached a maturity level to understand His ways. So, no, I wouldn't jump to the more intense scriptures with a child who is not ready for it. Not too big of a problem, really. God created children to change and grow developmentally. Small children can't even really understand abstract ideas like salvation, anyway, because they are concrete thinkers. They should be taught that there is a God, that He responds to our prayers, and that we should worship and praise Him. As they grow they will get to know Him, as He is a God who will reveal Himself to those who sincerely seek Him.

I hope this helps.

Thanks! It helped a lot. I liked what you said about the Bible being the real unadulterated truth, really wise. God bless

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