Why was God so harsh in the Old Testament?

Answer 1

Well (assuming we're disccusing the Judeo-Christian concept of God here), God is unchanging. So clearly when the Old Testament talks about him becoming "angry", and then "changing his mind" and "repenting", it doesn't *literally* mean that God got angry. I mean, God doesn't experience emotions in the same way we do. He's not human. But the Old Testament WAS written by people, and, by and large, by people who had not received a sophisticated education in a 21st century understanding of theology and of God. The fact is, God relates to us in exactly the same way from the moment we're conceived through all eternity. WE relate to HIM differently over time, though, and so when the people of Israel sinned and pushed God away, they wrote of the consequences of that as God's "anger." When they repented of their sins and turned back to Him, they wrote of the consequences of those choices as God "repenting of his anger." We understand that that's impossible, so we instead have to understand that the Israelites were not writing a history book or even a theological treatise, but were simply recording their people's relationship with God from their perspective. They were simple nomads, not philosophers or scholars, so they wrote of things which neither they nor even we can fully understand--God's creation of and concurrent interaction with our world--in the way which came most naturally to them: in terms of crime and punishment, of judges and judged, of covenants and of breaking them. We must see beyond the historically unique style(s) of describing an encounter with God in the Scriptures to the underlying messages--of the whole book, not just of isolated stories; the message of all of the stories taken in context with each other--which God tries to communicate to us, here and now, today.

Answer 2

The character of God is portrayed differently be each different author of the Old Testament. The Elohist ('E' source) always used 'Elohim' as the name for a transcendent God who required obedience and was feared by his people. In later times, the Priestly source spoke of a remote and unmerciful God.

On the other hand, the Yahwist, an approximate contemporary of the Elohist, described a God who made promises and covenants with his chosen people, and was somewhat less harsh and unforgiving.

Some authors may have felt that a harsh and judgemental God was needed, to enforce religious discipline.

AnswerGod, although combining both love and justice in all time periods, is seen in the Old Testament as operating under the Old Covenant whereas in the new, there was a different covenant in place. God wrought punishment where it was due, following many warnings and opportunities for reconciliation but judgement followed if the warnings were not heeded much as a parent warns but must penalize in order to bring a child onto the right path. Throughout time, God withheld judgement on the unrepentant so as many as possible would repent and turn to Him.

Answer:

The God of the Old Testament is the same God of the New. His name is Jesus Christ.

"He was in the world, and THE WORLD WAS MADE BY HIM, and the world knew Him not." (John 1:10)

The world still doesn't know who He is. Nor did He "change" between the Old and New testaments.

"For I am the Lord, I CHANGE NOT; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed." (Malachi 3:6)

"Jesus Christ the SAME YESTERDAY, AND TODAY, AND FOR EVER." (Heb.13:8)

Read the Old Testament. The only people He was harsh with were those who were wicked and disobedient. Generally, it was the leaders of the people with whom He dealt the harshest. It's the leaders who are the "examples" the people follow. They are the ones who make the judgements over civil disputes and conflicts. They are all the more responsible to God, therefore, for their behavior.

"Not many of you should presume to be teachers (masters, leaders), my brothers, because you know that we who teach WILL BE JUDGED MORE STRICTLY." (James 3:1 NIV)

Jesus was just as harsh with the leaders of the people during His earthly ministry.

"...woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, HYPOCRITES!... Woe unto you, YE BLIND GUIDES... YE FOOLS AND BLIND... " (Matt.23:13,14,15,16,17...).

There were also those who obeyed Him with whom He was pleased and whom He blessed.

This Jesus is the very same God who is bringing the Kingdom of God to the earth... and will RULE IT WITH A ROD OF IRON!!! (Rev.19:15)

As a matter of fact... He will also assign His saints their positions, jobs and offices of authority in the Kingdom to co-rule under Him. To them He says:

"...he that overcometh, and keepeth My works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: and he shall RULE THEM WITH A ROD OF IRON..." (Rev.2:26-27).

A harsh God? The world has yet to see His wrath. The world still doesn't know Him. But when He returns with His Kingdom, the nations shall witness God's justice on the wicked:

"...But those mine enemies, which would that I should not reign over them, bring hither, and SLAY THEM BEFORE ME." (Luke 19:37)

God is only harsh on the wicked. He always has been and He always will be.

He changes not.