Does The Old Testament Always Convey What God Is Really Like?
by Mike Edwards
Did OT writers always understood God perfectly, or were they influenced by surrounding cultures as to what an all-powerful God should look like? The OT frequently records “God said” but God wasn’t speaking audibly. The writers could have simply been conveying figuratively an inner conviction that God was revealing themselves. Jeremiah 1:8 says: “But the Lord said to me, ‘Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I commend you.” I doubt that Jeremiah always waited for some magical inner voice before speaking for God.
Did God really always do things the biblical writers claimed?
God supposedly denies Moses entrance into the Promised Land because Moses strikes than speaks to a rock (Num. 20). God supposedly kills Uzzah for touching the ark of the covenant as it was falling to the ground (2 Sam. 6). Even in the New Testament God supposedly struck dead Ananias and Sapphira for lying how much money they donated to the church (Acts 5). God is said to kill some for celebrating Communion without examining their heart (I Cor.11:30).
Did the writers always understand God perfectly?
We often attempt to rationalize how a loving God could be responsibilities for deeds that seem evil from a human perspective. Some explanation is needed when evil according to the brain God created us with is good sometimes. Rather than justifying it is also possible actions were wrongly contributed to God. Even today people claim God causes certain disasters in judgment. We have every right to question when God’s love doesn’t match how God created us humans to love.
What use is the Bible if the writers didn’t fully understand God?
The Bible will always be valuable whether the writers always understood God perfectly or not. The Bible records experiences of beginnings with God and Israel culminating with the life of Jesus that we don’t possess in any other documents. Writings about God keep us talking and reflecting what God is like. God didn’t necessarily have in mind that recordings would not be questioned.
Then, we can’t know God if the Bible can’t be trusted?
C’mon! Who doesn’t know God hates murder, sexual abuse, beheading people because they don’t share your beliefs, etc.? The Bible doesn’t even claim to be the specific guide to Truth. Jesus when leaving this earth said His Spirit, not some Book, would guide us in truth (Jn. 14:16–17; 16:13). Jesus didn’t worry Truth requires discernment. Different opinions standing side by side, as we continually evaluate the most loving approach, is better than claiming certainty and being wrong.
We can know God is relational.
Why would God even bother to create if not to share life together? He had enough angels for worship. God is often described as our heavenly Father/Parent. Our only analogy is human parents. I rather be challenged or questioned, than feared, if it will lead to more of a relationship. Love out of fear only leads to brief obligations. God’s uncontrolling nature, because of the freedom to oppose God, suggests God’s desire for authentic relationships. My prayers don’t begin: “Dear God, the Holy One, the Feared Creator of the Universe…” I talk to God as if a close Friend, and I haven’t been struck dead yet! God didn’t create us to give God the glory and shut up.
