ever notice the theological changes between the old testament and the new testament?

Question

think about it. In the old testament, God is just plain mean. with all the brimstone and fire and ordering ethnic groups to be killed, it's a wonder anybody with just the old testament ever believed in God, he's so cruel. Then in the New Testament, excluding Revelation, God is all nice and happy, and full of love. What happened? Did God develop multiple personalities. The same is true for Satan. In the Old Testament, he's still an angel; he just doesn't like man. We get to the New Testament, and Satan is the Devil and is the enemy of God. What happened? These are pretty major theological shifts here.

Answer 1

I believe that at the very heart of this question lies a fundamental misunderstanding of what both the Old and New Testaments reveal about the nature of God. Another way of expressing this same basic thought is when people say: “The God of the Old Testament is a God of wrath while the God of the New Testament is a God of love.” The fact that the Bible is God’s progressive revelation of Himself to us through historical events and through His relationship with people throughout history might contribute to people’s misconceptions about what God is like in the Old Testament as compared to the New Testament. However, when one reads both the Old and the New Testaments it quickly becomes evident that God is not different from one Testament to another and that God’s wrath and His love are revealed in both Testaments.

For example, throughout the Old Testament, God is declared to be “merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in loving-kindness and truth” (Exodus 34:6; Numbers 14:18; Deuteronomy 4:31; Nehemiah 9:17; Psalm 86:5; Psalm 86:15; Psalm 108:4; Psalm 145:8; Joel 2:13). Yet in the New Testament, God’s loving-kindness and mercy are manifested even more fully through the fact that “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Throughout the Old Testament, we also see God dealing with Israel much the same way a loving father deals with a child. When they willfully sinned against Him and began to worship idols, God would chastise them, yet each and every time He would deliver them once they had repented of their idolatry. This is much the same way that we see God dealing with Christians in the New Testament. For example, Hebrews 12:6 tells us that “For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives."

In a similar way, throughout the Old Testament we see God’s judgment and wrath poured out on unrepentant sinners. Likewise, in the New Testament, we see that the wrath of God is still “revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness” (Romans 1:18). Even with just a quick reading of the New Testament, it quickly becomes evident that Jesus talks more about hell than He does heaven. So, clearly, God is not any different in the Old Testament than He is in the New Testament. God by His very nature is immutable (unchanging). While we might see one aspect of His nature revealed in certain passages of Scripture more than other aspects, He Himself does not change.

When one really begins to read and study the Bible, it becomes clear that God is not any different from the Old Testament to the New Testament. Even though the Bible is really sixty-six individual books, written on two (or possibly three) continents, in three different languages, over a period of approximately 1500 years, by more that 40 authors (who came from many walks of life), it remains one unified book from beginning to end without contradiction. In it we see how a loving, merciful, and just God deals with sinful men in all kinds of situations. Truly, the Bible is God’s love letter to mankind. God’s love for His creation, especially for mankind, is evident all through Scripture. Throughout the Bible we see God lovingly and mercifully calling people into a special relationship with Himself, not because they deserve it but because He is a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in loving-kindness and truth. Yet we also see a holy and righteous God Who is the judge of all those who disobey His word and refuse to worship Him, instead turning to worship gods of their own creation, worshiping idols and other gods instead of worshiping the one and only true God (Romans 1).

Because of God’s righteous and holy character, all sin past, present, and future must be judged. Yet God in His infinite love has provided a payment for sin and a way of reconciliation so that sinful man can escape His wrath. We see this wonderful truth in verses like 1 John 4:10 “In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” In the Old Testament, God provided a sacrificial system whereby atonement could be made for sin, but this sacrificial system was only temporary and merely looked forward to the coming of Jesus Christ who would die on the cross to make a real substitutionary atonement for sin. The Savior that was promised in the Old Testament is more fully revealed in the New Testament, and the ultimate expression of God’s love, the sending of His son Jesus Christ, is revealed in all its glory. Both the Old and the New Testaments were given "to make us wise unto salvation" (2 Timothy 3:15). When we study them more closely, it really is evident that God is no different in the New Testament than He was in the Old Testament.

Answer 2

I don't think so at all. If you read the whole thing from start to finish you may find, as I did, that you start to find God pretty patient in the Old Testiment. If it was me I would have given up on those un greatful Hebrews a lot quicker. The biggest Theological differences are intentional. We go from Law to Grace. From being like children who are told what to do and disciplined if we don't obey to having to take responsiblity for our own actions under Grace.

And no where in the Old Testiment is Satan still an Angel. They take about his fall a bit he is bad right off as the serpent in the Garden of Eden. He is very bad in the book of Job too.

Answer 3

This is what happens when people take an older set of beliefs, and tack on new meanings that work for them. When much of the old testament was set down in writing, the Jews were living high and mighty after conquering the "holy land". They could afford to be warlike and mean, because they could beat most of their enemies.
When the New Testament was written, the people writing it were under threat of death by the Romans, who had all the authority in the world. Pacifism is usually pretty popular amongst those with no military options!

Answer 4

Yes, they all consist of the shift that was created by the death and resurrection of God's only son Jesus. If you realize it herald in the era of great mercy, there was mercy in the OT if you read the stories there you will see. But the death of God's son now allows us have a high priest that is Heaven interceding on our behalf. It allows us to have a lawyer in a sense in heaven to plead our case. This not overshadow the God of the OT's character - He is the same yesterday and today. It is evident what will happen in the end and judgement.

All humanity is now involved in a great controversy between Christ and Satan regarding the character of God, His law, and His sovereignty over the universe. This conflict originated in heaven when a created being, endowed with freedom of choice, in self-exaltation became Satan, God's adversary, and led into rebellion a portion of the angels. He introduced the spirit of rebellion into this world when he led Adam and Eve into sin. This human sin resulted in the distortion of the image of God in humanity, the disordering of the created world, and its eventual devastation at the time of the worldwide flood. Observed by the whole creation, this world became the arena of the universal conflict, out of which the God of love will ultimately be vindicated. To assist His people in this controversy, Christ sends the Holy Spirit and the loyal angels to guide, protect, and sustain them in the way of salvation. (Rev. 12:4-9; Isa. 14:12-14; Eze. 28:12-18; Gen. 3; Rom. 1:19-32; 5:12-21; 8:19-22; Gen. 6-8; 2 Peter 3:6; 1 Cor. 4:9; Heb. 1:14.)

Answer 5

I think it has to do with time. In the old testament, notice that it didn't take very long for the wandering jews to forget that whole "graven image" thing during the time Moses was on the mountain, and to make themselves a golden calf. They apparently didn't have very long attention spans and simply weren't ready for more complex thinking, such as compassion, forgiveness, etc.. They needed exact laws, exact rules with exact punishments, because they didn't understand "grey" areas, they just weren't evolved enough. Another thing, they needed the ark of the covenant, a physical "idol" if you will, of the God they were worshiping, they took it with them everywhere. They "needed" that physical presense of something, they couldn't comprehend a God they couldn't actually see. As time went on, we humans got smarter, so eventually it was time for Jesus to make His entrance. By that time God knew we had enough common sense to comprehend His message. So my thinking may be wrong, but it seems logical to me. Every generation gets smarter, so those very old generations couldn't have been all that understanding.

Answer 6

What could be more gruesome than a God who would send His only begotten son to be tortured and to die on the cross? Perhaps sending non-Christians to sizzle in hell??? It's incredible to watch a Christian's eyes light up as he anticipates the Rapture and watching all of us heathens sizzle in hell! And this is a religion of peace???

I'll take the OT God of Justice any day of the week! Together with the Talmud all of God's children receive equal protection under the law!

Answer 7

The Old Testament is the beginning of struggle between good and evil, God and Satan.
God created man in His spirtitual image. Satan was Lucifer, an angelic being, created by God. Satan thought himself better than God and wanted to take God's place. He conned 1/3 of the angels of heaven to follow him, and God threw them out of heaven. Satan came to Adam and Eve, the first created humans. He conned them into disobeying God, telling them they could be as God. So, they did. For sinning against God, Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden created for them. Thus, by the sin of one man, sin entered into all men (you and me). Sin separates us from God. God instituted the blood sacrifice of certain animals to atone fore the sins of men. God chose Abram, of UR, of the Chaldeans, as the father of the nation of Israel through his son Isaac.
The children of God, those who keep His commandments and walk with Him, were promised a land, flowing with milk and honey; currently the area where Israel is today. When God brought Israel from Egypt (after several warnings to Pharoah) to the promised land, there were giants in the land, children of Satan. In order to possess the land, the pagan children of Satan had to be destroyed. Thus, the children of God, Israel, His chosen people, were His instrument to destroy
the children of Satan. If you will notice, fire and brimstone were rained down on those who were practicing sinful lifestyles and refused to repent. If you will also notice, God gives warning before He sends punishment. If you will read the book of Jonah, you will see he sent word to the city of Ninaveh, if they did not turn from thier wicked practices, they would be destroyed. The king issued a decree commanding all people and even the animals to repent. God forgave them and the city was saved.

The Lord God is a jealous God, He is a just God.

Satan is after people, because they are created in the image of God. Satan knows he has lost, and wants to take you down with him....literally!

Answer 8

The theology doesn't change, the covenant does. (A covenant is a promise.) In the OT God promised to send a savior to the Israelites, and give the rules that people should follow until the savior comes. The NT describes that Jesus is that savior, and God's promise of eternal life for those that trust in Jesus for their salvation and live their lives for Him.

Answer 9

Yes but if you do know your Bible and don't pick and choose what you believe Jesus said, I've come to teach you a new way, Love on another as I have loved you. Also said Judge not lest ye be judged. I think that;s explanation enough don't you?

Answer 10

Jen is just plain nuts to assert that there no contradictions in bibles (which one Jen?). See how she parrots that nonsense about a harmonious whole. Just shows how gullible some airheads are.

Answer 11

Good questions, keep asking these type of questions and you will eventually find a reasonable answer. May not be the one you expect, but you will get an answer.