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In the Old Testament, the Hebrew tribes were
surrounded by different nations who worshiped many deities and there
was no central god in their religious system. The Israelites on the
other hand had one God that was expressed in the fullness of God the
Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Elohim wanted to settle
the matter with the Israelites that there were no other gods in
existence. He loved the children of Israel immensely but also
promised to would discipline them if they went astray. Elohim
promised they would be strong as long as they served Him
wholeheartedly but they would be punished if they were unfaithful
and went whoring after other gods. The end result was that the
people of Israel feared God and did not fully understand Him. The
prophet Isaiah told the people that God wanted to forgive them, pour
out blessings and heal them. But the rabbis in Israel were never
able to convey this message and the people never had an image of a
loving heavenly Father. King David experienced God's judgment but he
was also familiar with God's mercy and forgiveness and that is why
he wrote: "The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and
plenteous in mercy." You can read the words for yourself in Psalm
103. |
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