Have you ever heard someone ask how God could be so mean in the Old Testament and so loving and forgiving in the New Testament? Maybe you’ve even heard someone go so far as to say “I worship the loving God of the New Testament, not the cruel God of the Old Testament.” Not only is that statement an indicator that this person doesn’t actually follow God, it indicates that they really, REALLY don’t understand God’s character at all.            

Today’s reading is a prime example of this. As you read through Numbers 15, don’t you see a God just ready to crush anybody for the slightest infraction? NO! You don’t! First of all, God gave them blessings and asked for the sacrifice as a display of their thanks. He didn’t demand the sacrifice as a prerequisite to the blessings. But then after that, He addresses what happens when Israel does wrong.

Sometimes, we might do wrong on accident. Like driving down the road and not realizing the speed limit changed, so you continue at the same speed. Technically you are breaking the law, though not intentionally. If an officer pulled you over, he would be perfectly within his right to cite you for your violation, but he could also extend mercy based on ignorance. Similarly, God acknowledges that Israel could unintentionally violate His commands. So He makes provision for how they should handle their unintentional violation. They offer a bullock as a sacrifice, and He pardons them. Doesn’t sound to me like a God who’s just waiting for a chance to crush somebody!

Moreover, when David wrote the 54th Psalm, he certainly didn’t think of God as a cruel and unloving God. On the contrary! He extols God’s mercy, deliverance, and protection! “Behold, God is mine helper: the Lord is with them that uphold my soul…I will freely sacrifice unto thee: I will praise thy name, O Lord; for it is good. For he hath delivered me out of all trouble: and mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies.”

So how does this compare to the God of the New Testament? In Mark 15, God had as good an opportunity and reason as ever to utterly destroy man. Not only did they blaspheme and revile Christ, they physically, mentally, and emotionally abused Him in such an extreme way, that he was unrecognizable. But this is indicated in the Old Testament. (Psalm 22:16-18, Isaiah 52:14, Isaiah 50:6, Isaiah 53:5, etc). Hebrews 13:8 say that Jesus Christ is “the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” God didn’t change from the Old Testament to the New Testament. He was merciful then, He is merciful now.

Why don’t you take a couple of minutes in prayer today to thank God for His mercy in your life. Undoubtedly if you look at your life, even over the last couple of days, you’ll see reasons that God could judge you, but His mercy is extended to you. Consider this [Old Testament] passage from Lamentations 3: “It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.”