Why Does God Seem so Mean in the O.T. verses the N.T.
1. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom -- Proverbs
Yet, once you have learned this (that fearing or better yet - deeply honoring / respecting God brings profound wisdom) , the process culminates in Love. We start with fear and respect and grow into security and love. If you try to be just loving and soft with a child they learn to take advantage of you.
2. When I taught school - as all teachers know - you set all the relational precedents on the first days of school. The kids literally test you. Who will run the class? You.... or them?
If you teach them respect the first days, they will give you peace and actually apply themselves to learning. Later you may even become their friend. However if you don't teach them respect they will try to take advantage of you anytime they want to. Anytime they don't want to do their work.
3. God intensely wants to convince us of His love, but if we believe it without having respect for Him or the deadly nature of sin, we kill ourselves through Cheap Grace.
4. The more violent and Barbaric a people, the greater the need for discipline first and love second?
