My favourite book of scripture is The Old Testament. It is a book that highlights God's infinite patience, mercy and love like no other. This might sound strange as on the surface, the God of the Old Testament appears severe, harsh and vengeful. This book of scripture mainly deals with the history of the House of Israel who repeatedly sinned, failed to carry out instructions and became misguided regarding their devotion to the one true and living God. Despite it all we see Jehovah forever standing in the shadows of their mortal stumblings waiting for them to accept Him as their God. His constant pleas for them to return to Him and the extended never ending second chances pervade this book of scripture.
As we study the Old Testament it is imperative that we remember that Jehovah of the Old Testament is Jesus of the New Testament, who comes across as nothing but loving, merciful and kind. The name Jehovah means "Unchangeable One". He is unchangeable in His character, purpose and in His dealings with us, His spiritually begotten children. If we see Him different in the Old Testament to the New Testament, it is because we are not looking at the whole picture of the events presented and are not looking at finer details. For example, many people consider Miriam's punishment of leprosy for challenging her brother Moses' leadership in Numbers 12 as extremely dramatic and severe. What tends to be overlooked however, is the fact that Miriam repented quickly and God forgave quickly. Her leprosy lasted only one week. This story should give us an insight into God's willingness to forgive as quickly as we repent. It tells us He does not hold grudges and takes no delight in punishing us.
A story of greater proportion proves this point even more so. That story belongs to Noah and the flood which destroyed everyone on the face of the earth but 8 people ( Peter 3:20). The destruction was of enormous proportions but the mercy and long-suffering even greater. God gave the wicked in Noah's time 120 years to repent. During that time all the righteous were taken up 'by the powers of heaven into Zion' (Moses 7:27). When God showed Enoch the days of Noah He wept and Enoch marveled that a God of such power could weep. And so because of the love that caused the weeping, the story did not end with the flood. When the Saviour died upon the cross, He visited the spirit world and there organised forces to preach repentance to those in the spirit prison, starting with the people who died in the days of Noah (1 Peter 3:18-20, D&C 138:9,28). A second chance? Considering that Noah preached for 120 years, it is more like an infinite number of chances. This alone tells us how long-suffering the Saviour is towards us sinners.
As we consider these two stories, what kind of a God do we see, merciless or merciful? In The Lectures on Faith, Joseph Smith maintains that a person cannot exercise 'faith in God unto life and salvation' if he does not have a correct idea of his character, perfections and attributes (Lecture 3). The scriptures provide this knowledge, and none better than The Old Testament: the beginning of time, the root of our history, the manifestation of our God.
Credit: "Keys to Making the Old Testament a Powerful Force in Your Life" by Kerry Muhlestein
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