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From: jordan@noscvax.UUCP (Martin C. Jordan)
Newsgroups: net.religion.christian
Subject: Re: The horrifying Old Testament
Message-ID: <45@noscvax.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 8-Oct-85 13:25:40 EDT
Article-I.D.: noscvax.45
Posted: Tue Oct  8 13:25:40 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 15-Oct-85 11:05:16 EDT
References: <627@dicomed.UUCP>
Reply-To: jordan@cod.UUCP (Martin C. jordan)
Organization: Naval Ocean Systems Center, San Diego
Lines: 81

In article <627@dicomed.UUCP> katy@dicomed.UUCP (Kathleen Cornelson) writes:
>I was raised in a Christian home and truly believed in a loving,
>holy and good God. As I grew older my beliefs led me to read the
>Bible, that I might "meditate on the word". As I read the Old
>Testament I became more and more horrified. The many violent and
>cruel acts which God demanded of his chosen people seem so
>inconsistent with the gentle God I had been taught to believe in.
>
>The "damager god" discussion so far has been a debate between
>Christians and non. But I would like to open this discussion 
>strictly between believing Christians. How do you other 
>Christians deal with this. I don't really want to give up the 
>religion I grew up with, the God that I truly believe in, but is 
>the good and loving God that I believe in the same one
>that they talk about in the Old Testament? I don't think I like
>that God.
>

        As a disciple of Christ for the past 18 years, I would like to
comment on this "damager god" discussion as well. It seems to me that
most people dwell only on the loving aspect of God, i.e. "God is love."
It seems that they overlook the fact that God is a righteous, just, and
HOLY God as well. He wishes all to come to repentance, to turn from their 
wicked ways and seek his face so that the communion between God and man 
before sin entered the world might continue. But, God lets man make the 
choice whether or not to do so. This is called free-will. If instead, man 
decides to go off and persue other gods, be they Dagon, Baal, the almighty
dollar, or anything else made-up by man, God must and will judge them for
their sin and disobedience.
        How does this relate to the Old Testament? There were people in 
those days, entire nations, which chose not to worship the one true God.
If you get a chance, read up on some of the religious practices of such
wiped out peoples as the Canaanites, AMorites, Moabites, Assyrians, etc.
Historians and archeologists have found these people to be among the most
cruel, debauched, and barbaric (not only in terms of religious practices)
that have ever existed. The small studies I have conducted have left me
completely aghast. If ever there were people in need of judgement by God, 
they fit the bill perfectly.
        Now, consider that God has a "master plan" to save mankind from
his sinful nature. For reasons probably known only to God, he planned to 
have Jesus Christ, the Redeemer of ALL mankind, be of the lineage of
Abraham of Ur. In LOVE, God sees that  his chosen people are brought out 
of slavery in Egypt. He watches over and takes care of them in their travel 
to Canaan. As they enter Canaan, he has the whole land put to the sword.
Why? Not because He hated the inhabitants, read about Rahab in Jericho
for an example of love and mercy to believers, but because they had totally
rejected Him and His people. His people were to be a holy people so that
the Messiah could come from them. Then, continue to read in Joshua and you
find that Gods chosen people disobeyed Him by failing to clear out the
land. Judges, Ruth, and I Samuel show these same people returning to haunt
and subjugate them. A good example to me that sin has its price, but also
a good example that God is faithful to watch over His chosen people, i.e.
those that believe in Him.
        Israel then wanted to be ruled by a king, as "the other nations." 
They were no longer satisfied to be ruled by God, as a theocracy, but
now wanted to establish a worldly monarchy. Samuel prophesied and told
them the undesirable outcomes of this. Men are fallible and subject to
all sorts of mistakes. God is not. Nevertheless, Israel chose to be ruled
by a king, and the rest as they say is rock 'n roll. At various times in
their life as a nation, Israel was judged for its disobedience to God. But,
at the same time, provision was always made for them to return to Him. Time
and time again, Israel, and later Judah, rejected the men of God; his 
prophets, teachers, and leaders. Finally, they rejected the Son of God,
the Lamb that takes away the sin of the world. But again, God left a
proviso. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.
        Today, we live in an age where grace rules. The "Good News" of
the Resuurection is being spread throughout the world. This is a day to
experience the love of God. But, the Revelation describes a time when the
righteousness and holiness of God demands that sin be judged. We are all
guilty, believer and unbeliever alike. Those who believe in the Lordship
of Christ will point to the cross. Jesus Christ, the great Intercessor,
will stand between God and me and say "I died for Martin," allowing me
access to the Kingdom of Heaven. But those who reject the Lordship of
Christ, "to them is reserved everlasting judgement."  Let us also
remember (1) we have not even addressed  the activities of Satan in this
world, and (2) God's thoughts are not our thoughts, nor our ways His ways. 
May the love of Christ be experienced by all who read this.

                                                In His service,

                                                        Martin Jordan