21) Why does the God of the Old Testament seem so different to the loving father spoken of by Jesus?

Just the other night in our Bible study the observation was made to the effect that the God of the Old Testament  seems a very different God to the one spoken of by Jesus. It can be a bit of a shock to encounter texts that portray God as vengeful, punishing, jealous and demanding.  At the same time there are comforting texts that speak of the mercy of God and God's compassion not only for Israel, but for all creation. How do we make sense of the strong contrasts between these points of view?

One of the first things to remember is that Israel's understanding of God developed over time and that the Old Testament preserves different perspectives, sometimes even within the same period. There are texts that will focus on God's power to punish such as:

Lev. 26:18 And if in spite of this you will not obey me, I will continue to punish you sevenfold for your sins.

Psa. 59:5 You, LORD God of hosts, are God of Israel.
Awake to punish all the nations;
spare none of those who treacherously plot evil.

Is. 13:11 I will punish the world for its evil,
and the wicked for their iniquity;
I will put an end to the pride of the arrogant,
and lay low the insolence of tyrants.

These texts, like all texts, need to be interpreted and their purpose understood within their original context. Israel was often in a situation where it needed to be reminded that their God was, despite appearances, a God of power more than equal to the high gods of the nations that surrounded them. It was only natural that their language would reflect that of their contemporaries. If God was not acting for them how was this to be understood? If they were suppressed by more powerful nations, or in exile was it that their God was powerless, or was God punishing them for their sins? The people of the Old Testament needed to understand their history and if calamities befell them then this was often seen through the filter of being a direct punishment for the sins of individuals, or the nation.

This is not the only point of view that we encounter in the Old Testament.  By way of contrast there are texts that speaks poignantly of  Israel's God as the one who listens to the cries of the people:

Ex. 3:7 Then the LORD said, “I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings "

Deut. 26:7 we cried to the LORD, the God of our ancestors; the LORD heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. 

 Psa. 40:1 I waited patiently for the LORD;
he inclined to me and heard my cry. 

The God of Israel's tradition was the one that Jesus called Father and there are plenty of texts that talk of the mercy of God rather than judgement.  A great example is God's self disclosure after the episode of the people's idolatry in Ex 32.

Ex. 34:6 The LORD passed before him, and proclaimed,
“The LORD, the LORD,
a God merciful and gracious,
slow to anger,
and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness"

The traditions found within the prophets will speak of judgement, but they also speak of graciousness and mercy.

Joel 2:13 "rend your hearts and not your clothing.
Return to the LORD, your God,
for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love,
and relents from punishing."

It is worth reflecting on the fact that even among Christians today there are those more comfortable with a vengeful God rather than a merciful one. It should not surprise us that the same variation can be found within the Old Testament itself!

Karen Armstrong is well recognised for her work in the area of comparative religions and in tracing the development of the understanding of God. You may be interested in her work in this area and in the development of the idea of the Golden Rule and compassion within the major religions.

Karen Armstrong on the Roots of Religion