Is the God of the Old Testament One and the Same? Some believe not because they have a false perception. They call into question what they see as an Old Testament image of a vengeful Deity who demands blind obedience to His Law and requires the death of all who break it. This God appears to them to be in stark contrast to “the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory.” (Ephesians 1:17)
The God of the Hebrew people revealed Himself to them as their Father not all that many times. His relationship to them appears to have been less than personal. (Deuteronomy 32:5-6; Malachi 2:10; Exodus 4:22-23, etc.) In fact, the title “father” is used of the God of Israel only 15 times in the entire Old Testament.
God as Creator is the “father” of humanity, so the human term “the brotherhood of Man” is an accurate one to use when describing the Adam’s descendants. Yet although God is portrayed in the Old Testament as Judge, and by Moses as the Lawgiver, He does speak of Solomon as His “son” in a personal sense (I Chronicles 17:11-14; 22:9-10; 28:6 & Psalm 89:19).
In the New Testament God is referred to 100 times as “Father” (as “Abba” in Aramaic, the language that Jesus spoke). Jesus used the personal pronouns “my” and “your” when referring to his Father — never the inclusive “our”. He was born with the divine nature of his Father and so is unique, but we his followers are adopted.
The term “The Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of Man” refers to our natural descendancy from Adam, but having been “born again” spiritually, we are on a far greater level as God’s New Creation in Jesus Christ. Jesus reveals the Father to us in himself — “He that has seen me has seen the Father.” The Father and the Son are one in their unity of purpose (John 10:28-30).
Jesus models perfectly his Father’s nature and character, and his attributes are the same as those of his heavenly Father. The Father revealed Himself in His Son. In our time, the lack of a model father has become one of the main causes of family dysfunction. Jesus worked with his Father willingly, obediently, intuitively and cooperatively.
So, the God of the Old Testament has not changed (“I am the LORD, I change not.”). He reveals His heart of love for humanity in the Old Testament, but did so more fully as a personal, loving, caring Father in His Son Jesus. If we would know the Father, we must first know His Son.
“I am the Way, the Truth and the Life: no one comes to the Father except through me.” If you do not wish to face God as your Judge, then you must accept Jesus Christ as your Saviour and Lord (Master).
There’s no better time to do that than right now, because the moment you do, you will know God not only as the Father of all but as your Father, personally. Have you any idea of how great a privilege this will be, and how a new understanding of this relationship will change your life? Not just for the better but for the very best!