Blogging Through the Bible...OT Grace

For some reason, we in the church have created a false perception. It goes like this: "The NT God is a God of love and grace while the OT God is a God of wrath and judgment." Have you ever heard that, thought that, believed that, felt that? I don't know how you could not thanks to an overwhelming preference for the NT in today's churches. The OT seems unexplainable. It seems harsh. It seems messy & bloody. It goes against our sophisticated, western, idealism.

And yet, when I sit down and read the OT, not just picking and choosing stories but really reading it through, I can't help but walk away amazed at the grace of God. Is there wrath? Yes! Is it at times unexplainable, harsh, messy & bloody? Absolutely! However, look at what God had to work with!

Look at the major failures by even the good guys: Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Aaron, Gideon, Saul (good guy?), David, Solomon...and that is just to name a few! I don't have time to list all the "should be good guys gone bad," or the "always were very bad guys."

And yet, God continues to fulfill His promises. He continues to keep a remnant of the faithful even in the midst of the darkest of times. He sticks with families of rulers because of the covenants He made even when the families completely reject Him.

God is ALWAYS a God of love, grace, mercy, compassion. And yet, He is a God who takes care of sin (Ex. 34:6-7). As we continue through the depressing stories of failure and sin, watch for God's grace. It is there! Don't miss it!