Oftentimes, when people look back at the Old Testament, they see a wrath-filled God, intent on destroying all non-believers. Conversely, when they look at the New Testament, they see a peaceful God, spreading teachings of love and gentleness. These seemingly contrasting natures don’t seem like they could both belong to the same God, especially a God who claims to be unchanging. Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” So, if Jesus Christ really is the same yesterday and today and forever, why was He smiting cities in the Old Testament and preaching nothing but peace in the New Testament?
One of the most well-known stories in the Old Testament is that of Sodom and Gomorrah. When people think of it, they usually think of the burning sulfur that God rained on the cities and the total destruction that He caused. They look at it and see only God’s wrath. However, what seems to commonly be disregarded is the act of mercy that God was willing to show to the cities. If only ten righteous people could be found within the two cities, He would refrain from destroying Sodom and Gomorrah. God knew that no one in Sodom and Gomorrah was righteous. He was willing to show them mercy, but they were so corrupted that there was no hope of them ever repenting.
The God of the Old Testament was not filled with only wrath- He was the same peace-preaching God as in the New Testament. Would a God determined to destroy all sinners forgive the people of Israel time and time again, even after they worshipped a false idol? God is immutable- He never has changed, and He never will. An unchanging God is a source of great comfort to us Christians. His promise of salvation that He made so long ago still holds true, and it always will. The mercy that He shows to sinners has stayed constant throughout thousands of years, and we can take comfort in the fact that it will be everlasting. God’s love for us will always stay the same, and, in this constantly moving and chaotic world, we can find stability in His immutable promise.
Marie Birkmann – 9th Grade