Why is God so different in the Brit Chadasha compared to the Tanakh?

[Iscah]

This is a question I've always had that I've never received a good answer to. I know He is the same always, but what I want to know is why He is portrayed so differently? What was the purpose of portraying Him so differently in the NT? What changed? Why was He portrayed so mercifully in the NT and so wrathfully in the OT? I'm asking this because I've never felt satisfied with the responses I've received and I wanted to know what the Hebraic mindset is in regards to this dilemma and also God's wrath.

I'm going to be doing a series of posts like this in my effort to try to learn as much as possible about God. I have a lot to learn! Thanks for all your help! YHWH bless you!

 

[visionary]

He came as Ben Josef Messiah. The servant. It all has to do with the work He came to do in the first coming.

He will come as Ben David, the Messiah like OT knows with His second coming.

 

[Lulav]

This is a question I've always had that I've never received a good answer to. I know He is the same always, but what I want to know is why He is portrayed so differently? What was the purpose of portraying Him so differently in the NT? What changed? Why was He portrayed so mercifully in the NT and so wrathfully in the OT? I'm asking this because I've never felt satisfied with the responses I've received and I wanted to know what the Hebraic mindset is in regards to this dilemma and also God's wrath.

I'm going to be doing a series of posts like this in my effort to try to learn as much as possible about God. I have a lot to learn! Thanks for all your help! YHWH bless you!

Welcome Iscah, a hungry mind for G-d is a worthy thing to have!~

May I ask?
Portrayed by whom? Can you give some examples?

 

[Iscah]

Hi, Lulav, thank you so much! I'm just trying to learn as much as I can and I really like what you guys have to say.

Oh, and sure, I'll post some examples!

Exodus 4:24 when Moses didn't circumsize his child.

At a lodging place on the way, theLord met Moses and was about to kill him. But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son’s foreskin and touched Moses’ feet with it. “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me,” she said. So the Lord let him alone. (At that time she said “bridegroom of blood,” referring to circumcision.)

Numbers 27 where Moses is denied the Promised Land after he became infuriated and made a mistake.

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go up this mountain in the Abarim Range and see the land I have given the Israelites. After you have seen it, you too will be gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was, for when the community rebelled at the waters in the Desert of Zin, both of you disobeyed my command to honor me as holy before their eyes.” (These were the waters of Meribah Kadesh, in the Desert of Zin.)

2 Samuel 12 where David's son died even though he repented.

Nathan answered, “The Lord has taken away your sin. You will not die. But what you did caused the Lord’s enemies to lose all respect for him. For this reason the son who was born to you will die.”
Then Nathan went home. And the Lordcaused the son of David and Bathsheba, Uriah’s widow, to be very sick. David prayed to God for the baby. David fasted and went into his house and stayed there, lying on the ground all night. The elders of David’s family came to him and tried to pull him up from the ground, but he refused to get up or to eat food with them. On the seventh day the baby died. David’s servants were afraid to tell him that the baby was dead.

Genesis 38: 8-10 The story of Onan

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." But Onan knew that the child would not be his; so whenever he slept with his brother’s wife, he spilled his sperm on the ground to keep from providing offspring for his brother. What he did was wicked in theLord’s sight; so the Lord put him to death also.

I know there is a perfectly good reason why all these things happened, this is not a challenge or obstruction to my faith in any way. I just want to understand why it seems that God was so wrathful in the OT and so merciful in the NT? Why did He let Mary Magdalene go instead of allow her to be stoned for her sin? What changed? Why doesn't He go around punishing people left and right especially since we're so much more sinful and defiant now?

Also, I'm sorry, allow me to clarify, when I say it seems as if they portray God that way, the "they" I'm referring to are the Biblical writers.

 

[Norbert L]

There's the judgement of a death sentence on Ananias and Sapphira in the NT for lying about their income.

When it comes to why God judges the way He does, forgives in one case and executes in another, the problem really is us being an armchair critic. We think of ourselves as being fully qualified to pass major judgements in what we're reading from the Bible, when in fact we're not and barely understand how to solve the minor cases of judgement. Exodus 18:22 It's hard to admit we're incompetent and don't have the understanding.

In my experience it's ok to be ignorant and acknowledge it, don't give into high mindedness. Romans 12:3 When that happens the road to greater understanding opens up.

 

[Lulav]

Iscah, I'll go through them within your post, ok?

Hi, Lulav, thank you so much! I'm just trying to learn as much as I can and I really like what you guys have to say.

Oh, and sure, I'll post some examples!

Exodus 4:24 when Moses didn't circumsize his child.

It was Moses job to circumcise his sons, apparently he did one and not the other, perhaps because his wife, foreign to this, objected. But the covenant was made that whomever was not circumcised would be 'cut off' from their people. ​

Numbers 27 where Moses is denied the Promised Land after he became infuriated and made a mistake.

Moses sinned, he did not do as the L-RD asked so there was a consequence to this. He was allowed to see it though, G-d was gracious to him and he was the only one we know of that was 'buried' by G-d himself. ​

2 Samuel 12 where David's son died even though he repented.

Nathan answered, “The Lord has taken away your sin. You will not die. But what you did caused the Lord’s enemies to lose all respect for him. For this reason the son who was born to you will die.”

Yes, David did not die for his sin, but his son did. There is always a consequence for sin, even Yeshua taught that: "Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven."​

Genesis 38: 8-10 The story of Onan

Again, this was a breaking of the Torah, given from the garden to be fruitful and multiply.​

I know there is a perfectly good reason why all these things happened, this is not a challenge or obstruction to my faith in any way. I just want to understand why it seems that God was so wrathful in the OT and so merciful in the NT? Why did He let Mary Magdalene go instead of allow her to be stoned for her sin? What changed? Why doesn't He go around punishing people left and right especially since we're so much more sinful and defiant now?

As to your last questions. Concerning the woman caught in adultery I think you mean, who is unnamed, nothing changed, those who presented Jesus with this legal case did not do so properly. Jesus said she sinned and told her to go and sin no more. However she could not be stoned to death because her 'partner in crime' was not brought also. This was an illegal trial. Jesus said that they didn't condemn her (because they knew they were wrong in bringing just her to trial) and so neither did he.

 

[Elihoenai]

Can you tell the difference between a follower of Jehovah/Yahweh God and the Heathen?


The Merchant of Venice

To bait fish withal; If it will feed nothing else, it will feed my revenge.
He hath disgraced me and hindered me half a million
Laughed at my losses, mocked at my gains,
Scorned my nation, Thwarted my bargains,
And what's his reason? I am a Jew!
Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs,
dimensions, senses, affections, passions; fed with
the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject
to the same diseases, healed by the same means,
warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer
as a Christian is? If you prick us, do we not bleed?
If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us,
do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge?
If we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that.
If a Jew wrong a Christian, what is his humility?
Revenge. If a Christian wrong a Jew, what should his
sufferance be by Christian example? Why, revenge.
The villainy you teach me, I will execute,
and it shall go hard but I will better the instruction.
(Act III, scene I)

​

The Isis

"...For a few days I amused myself with Pablo Fanque fishing in the Isis. Pablo was a very expert angler, and would usually catch as many fish as five or six of us within sight of him put together. This suggested a curious device. You must know that Pablo is a coloured man. One of the Oxonians, with more love for angling than skill, thought there must be something captivating in the complexion of Pablo. He resolved to try. One morning, going down to the river an our or two earlier than usual, we were astonished to find the experimental philosophic angler with his face blacked after the most approved style of the Christy Minstrels[3]..."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Isis

​

Deuteronomy 32:35 King James Version (KJV)

35 To me belongeth vengeance and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste.



Ecclesiastes 12:14 King James Version (KJV)

14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

​

Romans 2:16 Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

16 in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men, according to my good news, through Jesus Christ.​

 

[sickntired771]

I think God is equally loving and merciful and disciplining and authoritative in both the Tanakh and Brit Chadasha. Why does it sound different textually? Well, my answer is that the Brit Chadasha has been influenced by gentile interpretations and they took a Jewish savior and story and Hellenized it and sanitized it of it's Jewish roots.

 

[Torah Emunah]

There is always the obvious answer that does not need an explanation. They are not the same G-d.

 

[Iscah]

There is always the obvious answer that does not need an explanation. They are not the same G-d.

Why do you say that?

 

[Chicken Little]

Genesis 38: 8-10 The story of Onan

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." But Onan knew that the child would not be his; so whenever he slept with his brother’s wife, he spilled his sperm on the ground to keep from providing offspring for his brother. What he did was wicked in theLord’s sight; so the Lord put him to death also.

I can do this one and one other but won't.
this one is about robbing a widow of support and her part of his families land through a male child .
the lesson is It isn't good to rob widows ,of care or support or land or anything.
it isn't about anything like touching yourself. It is about robbing her of a child and inheritances ..
like Ruth Gave her first born son to Naomi for her care and support and help in her old age and her right to live on her husbands land. it is about Culture and taking care of the widows and orphans and legally protecting and putting that hedge around them . which Boaz did gladly and Onan refused. Boaz is a blessed kinsman redeemer ( and picture of Jesus ) and Onan died for his selfishness and greed.

 

[Torah Emunah]

Why do you say that?

It has been suggested by others.

 

[visionary]

There is always the obvious answer that does not need an explanation. They are not the same G-d.

Like there are two?

 

[SkyWriting]

This is a question I've always had that I've never received a good answer to. I know He is the same always, but what I want to know is why He is portrayed so differently?

Supposing a person has lung cancer.
What do they write about?
.
.
.
Do you see that there is no standard answer to this?
They write about whatever they choose to write about.
They may write love topics, death topics, or hobby topics.
A person could be dying and write about the blessings of each moment.
There is no expected topic.
This same question comes up from one sentence to the next in scripture.

 

[Chicken Little]

They are not the same G-d.

well actually I am going with this one over all. except I have to remove the word "G-d", so I say they are not the same persons, being represented at all .

the persona is a different side of the same God being presented because of Purpose or goals and sacrifices . to me this is the most important reason I stopped going to church is I couldn't find a paster in any church who even knew who Jesus was .

Jesus while on earth said over and over and over and over in so many way
" I only do what I see my Father in heaven doing ". so when we see Jesus on earth He is the mirror of the Father .. he is not being himself..
you see I think 'the Father' is actually the holiest of his pieces .. and most silent and in no way could deal with any of mankind directly . this also makes him stuck away and out of our reach .. But he is also the most loving and has sacrificed the most in actuality . and thus his plans were for the most mercy without giving up his holiness and becoming Unlawful or Magical and thus a deceiver .. He is above all Lawful and Loving, he is THE Will, provider and supplier , and Father , Daddy, Papa !!! He holds all things in his hands and He more than anything else was ripped to spreads by our sin because he held creation when we ripped the very foundations of everything when we, first doubted , then usurped him , we stole it , then lied about it , and in doing that destroyed the foundations of his creations in the ultimate terroristic act of self destruction.

Now Jesus is the Right arm , thus is the creator , covenant maker and builder, the potter and warrior and the fire and the avenger of blood , righter of wrongs and equalizer or balancer . and the only one mankind has ever in anyway really dealt with. He was the creator as part of the persona of God's full personage and maybe dealing with mankind directly made him well less smooshy faced then the Ancient of days/ father of spirits ( who was the three as one force or entity). It is the Father is who we see pictured in Jesus while Jesus was on earth. Jesus is doing the Fathers business not his own business we are seeing the Father personality in him when he is on earth. yes Jesus does his own business later in a truly proven to be Meek fashion. Jesus is The one who gets fed up and wipes out the sinners or allow the entities like creation to hwn it get full up and it wants to wipe out all who usurp everything and everyone around them with all murdering and blood mongering , theft and raping and pillaging , now that one is Jesus . the real 'Big brother'

and the only 'big brother' that ever matters !

so yes I go with , because they are different personages being revealed.

 

[Torah Emunah]

Like there are two?

Yes. Some are of the opinion that the god of the Greek Testament is a god conjured up by Paul. Not the true Creator.


Shalom

 

[Chicken Little]

Yes. Some are of the opinion that the god of the Greek Testament is a god conjured up by Paul. Not the true Creator.


Shalom

so good luck with that one.
since chances are .. by ancient law of the Hitities ( which later after huge events that changed the seas they become the Greeks ), he claims a right by blood clan to gain right to a kingdom , that you call Israel. and since you rejected that king and thus a rightful kingdom , they didn't have one for 2000 years. Since they did and you are rejecting that 1/2 Hittite ( by clan on his momma side ) because it seems no on else in all Israel had blood rights to have a kingdom by anyones ancient laws except by those he claimed and you all rejected once.. hopefully not again.
and shalom to you too..

 

[Torah Emunah]

so good luck with that one.

No doubt. I don't agree with that opinion either.

since chances are .. by ancient law of the Hitities ( which later after huge events that changed the seas they become the Greeks ), he claims a right by blood clan to gain right to a kingdom , that you call Israel. and since you rejected that king and thus a rightful kingdom , they didn't have one for 2000 years. Since they did and you are rejecting that 1/2 Hittite ( by clan on his momma side ) because it seems no on else in all Israel had blood rights to have a kingdom by anyones ancient laws except by those he claimed and you all rejected once.. hopefully not again.
and shalom to you too..

I honestly cannot understand a word of that. Any chance you could dumb it down...a lot?