YES - the OT scriptures do testify of God. Who are the blood thirsty ones in the OT? God? NO - the people were. We see in the scriptures a God that is trying to hard to to teach people His ways and the people constantly rejecting God, as most are doing today.

Of course God is not "blood thirsty." Are doctors "bloodthirsty" if they draw blood on a patient? Your characterizations and misrepresentations of God do little to deflect the issue of capital punishment (death sentence for sin) versus murder.

God, in the Bible, makes a clear distinction. Can APL see it?

Blessings,

Green Cochoa.

It is not me that is mis-characterizing God green. Doctors are to heal their patients, not kill them. God is the Great Physician. Does He kill those that will not let Him heal them? He does not have to, sin pays its wage, death. But can you see that?

Sin is what God must destroy. When we cherish it, our soul becomes vile, calling for God's justice and judgment to issue the penalty for sin. If we did not have sin, God would not destroy us. We could stand in His glorious presence without harm. But God must punish those who cling to sin.

Capital punishment was commanded by God, as I understand it, for two specific reasons:

1) To help maintain the purity of God's people by separating out the wicked from among them;
2) To typify/represent the end that shall come upon all who choose sin and transgression.

By doing both of these things, many would learn to "fear God and give glory to Him." They would be better preserved from worldly influences.

Murderers were to be punished with death. That death which was accomplished in strict justice and obedience to the law of God was not murder. It was duty. Obedience to duty is righteousness.

Blessings,

Green Cochoa.

What I say about the NT is that it is the clearest statement about God. As it says in Hebrews:
Hebrews 1:1-3
1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets,
2 Has in these last days spoken to us by his Son, whom he has appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:

What I read in the OT is the background story, knowing what God is really like. Example: Numbers 13:1-3 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2 Send you men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give to the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall you send a man, every one a ruler among them. 3 And Moses by the commandment of the LORD sent them from the wilderness of Paran: all those men were heads of the children of Israel.

There you have it, the Bible says it, who can question it? God told Moses to send spies. But is the the whole story? Nope.

Deuteronomy 1:21-22 Behold, the LORD your God has set the land before you: go up and possess it, as the LORD God of your fathers has said to you; fear not, neither be discouraged. 22 And you came near to me every one of you, and said, We will send men before us, and they shall search us out the land, and bring us word again by what way we must go up, and into what cities we shall come.

Here we have an instance of the people wanting something and the LORD God agreeing to their request and specifying who should go – rulers and nobles! He who had promised them the land, and told them that they would have no problem acquiring it, found that His people were questioning His word. He did not rebuke them but instead allowed them their own way, which was for some leaders in Israel to become "spies", an underhand method of working, not the action of a righteous person.

This is the principle at the heart of the question.

The Son of God allows men and women to have their own way when they are determined to do so, and then tells them the best way for all concerned to accomplish their desire. But, "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God!" for you may get what you want. Hebrews 10:31

Green, when you say, "fear God and give glory to Him", you really mean, "be afraid of God", and "give him glory". If God is going to torture you and kill you, then yes, be afraid of him, but are you going to love and honor and adore Him? No, you are going to be afraid of messing up, because then He is going to wipe you out. That is not the God I know.

Thus says the servant of the Lord:



Blessings,

Green Cochoa.

Yes Green - - put all that she writes on the subject together, leave out nothing, such as when she says, "suffering is inflicted by Satan, and is overruled by God for purposes of mercy". What happened at Baalpeor?

You believe that you are putting it all together? If I put it together as you do, I suppose I could make the case that God doesn't love you because your parents do.

Just because Satan inflicts suffering, and causes people to be subject to such, does not mean that God does not.

God causes people to suffer, but not eternally. See below.



Instead of causing them to suffer eternally, He will destroy them. Those who are God's will say "Amen!"

Blessings,

Green Cochoa.

Green - did you miss the question? What happened at Baalpeor?