Exodus 4 Understanding The God Of The OT

 

9 Principles to Help Us Know, Understand, and Love the God of the OT

 

5. God has a sovereign right to choose who will receive mercy and who will receive justice.

God is the Judge.

Every man stands before Him guilty.

Justice requires that every man’s sentence is death.

It is the Judge’s decision if He will offer mercy, and to whom He will offer mercy.

In the OT, God chose to show mercy to Abraham and His descendants; but not to others.

 

6. God’s glory is the single most important end for all of creation.

– God is glorified in His compassion and mercy AND ALSO in His justice and wrath.

– God is working for His own glory in everything that happens in the OT.

– God’s glory in showing mercy is connected to His glory in showing wrath.

– God’s glory in showing mercy to us is connected to His glory in showing wrath to His own Son.

– If God can be glorified by showing wrath to His own Son, then He can also be glorified by showing wrath to evil men.

– In the OT, God “seems” harsh because, in it He displays His wrath on mankind.

– In the NT, God “seems” merciful because, in it He displays His wrath on His Son.

– To align our lives with God’s purposes, we will need to forsake all others in order to be about God’s glory.