Punishing God?
Reading about the severe punishments described in the Old Testament, many people have a problem believing that God is really so loving. One of the reasons may be that we don’t understand the inherent rules of human behaviour at the national level. It is similar to economics. Most of us understand the principles of microeconomics – i.e. the economics at the level of an individual or a basic unit, e.g. a family. We are able to work out our monthly income and the necessary expenditures and think about what to do with the rest of money, if there is any. Not so many people understand the economics of larger entities, such as enterprises. And only a handful of people understand to some extent the principles of macroeconomics – e.g. the economics of a state. The principles and modes of operation are different at each level. And it is the same with upbringing. Different means are used in the upbringing of an individual than in the collective upbringing, perhaps in a school class. People response differently to the individual upbringing than to the collective one, perhaps in a class. And even more different is the behaviour of masses of people or of whole nations. Not that I am familiar with these principles, I only feel they are the cause of different attitude of God to individuals, small groups and whole nations.
We wonder about the harsh punishments in the Old Testament without even trying to think about their reasons. And we don’t need to guess or grope, because in many cases, God himself comments on the issue. He himself says that these severe punishments are to be deterrent so that the evil would be eradicated from among His people. Similar principles apply in judicial systems all over the world. Harsh punishments are to deter us from committing evil - thefts, embezzlements, murders, bodily harms, blackmails, deceptions etc. Considering our judicial system too soft, most of those who don’t commit such crimes call for tightening it up. Even now there are many countries that have the capital punishment a part of their judicial system. Many people consider it inhumane and lacking any educational or corrective effect. However, the actual threat of the capital punishment may well deter most of the offenders from their crimes. Nevertheless, I don’t want to discuss this issue here - let’s return to the Bible!
Deuteronomy 17, 12-13 (ASV): And the man that doeth presumptuously, in not hearkening unto the priest that standeth to minister there before Jehovah thy God, or unto the judge, even that man shall die: and thou shalt put away the evil from Israel. And all the people shall hear, and fear, and do no more presumptuously.
Deuteronomy 19, 16-21 (ASV): If an unrighteous witness rise up against any man to testify against him of wrong-doing, then both the men, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before Jehovah, before the priests and the judges that shall be in those days; and the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and, behold, if the witness be a false witness, and have testified falsely against his brother; then shall ye do unto him, as he had thought to do unto his brother: so shalt thou put away the evil from the midst of thee. And those that remain shall hear, and fear, and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil in the midst of thee. And thine eyes shall not pity; life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
Deuteronomy 21, 18-21 (ASV): If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, that will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and, though they chasten him, will not hearken unto them; then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place; and they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard. And all the men of his city shall stone him to death with stones: so shalt thou put away the evil from the midst of thee; and all Israel shall hear, and fear.
Deuteronomy 24, 7 (ASV): If a man be found stealing any of his brethren of the children of Israel, and he deal with him as a slave, or sell him; then that thief shall die: so shalt thou put away the evil from the midst of thee.
A very interesting verse can be found in the book of Isaiah:
Isaiah 26, 9-10 (ASV): for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness. Let favor be showed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness; in the land of uprightness will he deal wrongfully, and will not behold the majesty of Jehovah.
It seems as if an amicable approach does not count for much with us...
