Is God Evil?
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A common way to attack God and the Bible is to claim the God of the Old Testament was wicked and and evil, and the God of the New Testament was a God of love. Two different gods who are inconsistent. Hosea 13:16 is often used to show God commands the killing of babies.
But it's the same God in both the Old and New Testaments and God does not change. What was happening is that Hosea 13:16 shows what happens when people reject God, and He withdraws, giving them what they wanted. Here is what Hosea 13:16 says:
"Samaria will be held guilty,
For she has rebelled against her God.
They will fall by the sword,
Their little ones will be dashed in pieces,
And their pregnant women will be ripped open." - Hosea 13:16
There is no command. In Hosea God is describing what will happen when Assyria invades. To know what God is doing you need to understand God's wrath. His wrath is not like Zeus sitting in the sky and throwing thunderbolts at people who do not please him. What is called God's wrath is God withdrawing from those who are under His wrath. As He withdraws what will happen, naturally starts to happen... and it's not good. Why? Here is what Colossian 1:16-17 says about Jesus (God):
For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.
When God stops holding things together, what happens? Things come apart. Morals. Culture. As well as physical things. In the case of Hosea 13:16, without God's protection the Assyrias will invade and very bad things will happen, such as babies being killed by the Assyrians (they were vicious). What is important to understand is that we live in a totally corrupt world. It does not appear to us to be corrupt because God is restraining evil and holding everything together. Everything that is good comes from God. EVERYTHING. When God stops restraining evil, things start getting bad (and irrational), just as we are seeing happening in our world today. That is God's wrath. God's wrath is His leaving us on our own, and that means we have nothing good.
Fortunately God does not immediately and fully separate from us. We have turned away from God and are under His wrath today. But, it's not His full wrath. He is still providing many good things. But the day will come when He His patience with us ends. It is called judgment day. He will separate those who want to be with Him (Christians who believe, repent and trust Jesus alone), from those who reject Him. (Is that you>).
By the way, Jesus is the God of the Old Testament and the New Testament... when in the New Testament Jesus gives the greatest commandment:
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets (meaning the whole Old Testament)
...Jesus is quoting the Old Testament! It says: -- You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. - Deuteronomy 6:5. And Leviticus 19:18 says - "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Nothing has changed from the Old Testament to the New Testament.
Cruelty In The Bible? Hosea 13:16 (Science Pastor)
Dashing Babies Against The Rocks (Psalm 137:9) (GotQuestions.org Article)
Most people choose the wide road. It's the way everyone else is going. It's wide and it's an easy road, so it must be the right road. But it's the wrong way!
Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it. - Matthew 7:13
The wide road, and wide gate is our choice based what feels good. But our feelings (our heart) are deceptive.
The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; - Jeremiah 17:9
Christianity... meaning belief in Jesus Christ... is not a blind faith driven by emotions. It is an informed faith, based on historical facts and truth.
The truth is that we are law breakers (sinners) in need of a Savior from the just wrath of God. That Savior is Jesus Christ.
Trusting Jesus is not the easy way. It is the narrow road, through a narrow gate, and it can be difficult at times. But it is the right way to go. And it is the only way to have eternal life in Christ Jesus.
Trust Jesus. Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved. - Acts 16:31