Richard Dimery wrote on 11 June:
"The 'God of the OT` is a God of mercy too. ... God is consistently just,
merciful, loving and holy."
We can see God's love as a central element in his eternal character when
we consider Moses, portrayed as a man who lived in fellowship with God as
close as anyone in the OT. In Exo 33:13 Moses asked God:
"If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and
continue to find favor with you."
And in Exo 33:18: "Then Moses said, 'Now show me your glory`." (NIV)
Although he was already walking closely with God, Moses wanted to know
God in a still deeper way. God answered Moses' request in Exo 34:6-7:
"And [God] passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, 'The Lord, the Lord,
the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and
faithfulness, 7 maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness,
rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he
punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to
the third and fourth generation.`" (NIV)
The primary thing God wanted Moses (and us) to know about him is that he
is "'The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to
anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, 7 maintaining love to
thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin."
John Misasi wrote on 09 June:
"... in the OT, God set out rules so that we might become acceptable to
him ..."
The OT moral law may appear to "set out rules so that we might become
acceptable to him." However, in my understanding that was not its most
fundamental purpose. This purpose is stated in Gal 3:24: "So the law
was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by
faith." (NIV)
During the OT era, a conscientious believer in God would learn by
experience that he could not fully keep God's law, and so would cry to
God for mercy. He would realize that he needed a Redeemer, sent by God.
He would be driven to trust in God alone for his salvation.
Peace,
Don DeGraaf