On Monday night, my monthly church book club met to discuss the book, “Is God a Moral Monster?” by Paul Copan. Many of the ladies did not quite finish the book, but we had good discussion anyway. The book proved a little more difficult to get through, and that’s why I finished by listening to it on Audible! Nonetheless, it was a joy to meet together and talk about the book, God’s goodness, and how people perceive Him.

YHWH in the Old Testament seems harsh and some people cannot reconcile that to Jesus who was ‘meek and mild.’ But, YHWH and Jesus are both God. Jesus was gentle and lowly at heart, but He also showed His wrath at times. Sometimes we forget that he flipped the money changer tables in the Temple! Even more, Jesus constantly referred to the Old Testament, which was their only Bible, and He is called the Word itself. He referred to or quoted parts of Genesis, Leviticus, Deuteronomy and Psalms, among others.

The book covers many hard topics in the Old Testament, that to our modern, Western mindset do not make much sense. The story of Abraham and Isaac seems abhorrent at first glance, but we miss that Abraham told his servants that both he and Isaac would be back. He trusted God, even when he didn’t understand.

Also, there is a common thought that Joshua killed all the Canaanites including innocent women and children. Yet, we see many of the Canaanites later still living in the land. We don’t know all the details of what happened, but there was likely some hyperbole involved, which was common to the era. Another reminder in the book is that God waited 400+ years to serve justice to the people of Canaan, and He did not reject anyone who wanted to come to Him (ex. Rahab in Jericho).

Reading about slavery in the Old Testament, we think of the horrors of American slavery, not a type of indentured servitude where every debt was canceled in the seventh year. Also, there’s a tendency to read about women and assume they are being mistreated because we do not understand how bad the other nations were to their slaves and women. Israel’s system was a significant upgrade for the time! Israelite men had to abide by rules of war, marriage, sanctity of life, etc. They were not allowed to rape and pillage like warriors in other nations. The system was not perfect, but it was sufficient for a certain time, place, and people.

Similarly, the kosher diet also was a specific way to set God’s people apart from the other nations. Of course, Israel was not “Chosen” because they were amazing, but because God keeps His promises (Deuteronomy 7). They were to show the nations what it means to follow YHWH and live for Him. They were to be an example for others to follow, and when they were not, God punished them. They were blessed to be a blessing and bring salvation (Jesus!) to the world.

The book reminds us that God’s original plan was laid out in the beginning of Genesis. And almost immediately, we ruined it. So, when He gives the law through Moses, it is a bridge, a stepping stone. The Israelites were so like the Egyptians that He had to retrain them to be His people. And still, they often failed miserably. (Israel is “all of us.”)

The Old Testament is descriptive, not always prescriptive or instructive. Not everything we read in the Old Testament is a recommendation or applies to us today (the Ten Commandments do!). Remember, the Law was a bridge to the New Covenant. That said, there is great value in reading about the ancient people and God’s faithfulness.

So, bottom line, God is not a moral monster. He is a Father who is slow to anger and rich in love (Psalm 103). His heart is righteous and pure, full of love and grace. The book content was very thorough and will continue to be a good resource. While it might be somewhat technical, I recommend it!

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God, You are the same yesterday, today, and forever. Thanks that Your heart for Your people is good! Help us reflect Your goodness to a world in need. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Questions: Have you ever looked into the customs, culture, politics, worldview, or social structure of the Ancient Near East? How might that increase your understanding of the Old Testament?

Task: Next time you are reading a difficult passage of the Bible, take some time to figure out the culture. There are major differences between the Ancient Near East and our modern Western culture!