Old Testiment

Man, I am having such a hard time reading the OT. I have just got thru little over half. Going to be finishing up with Davids kingship.

Here is my take so far. I understand its the word of God and try to respect that. I pray about this and pray for understanding. But God in the Old Testiment and Davids time and before just seems vastly different than God of the New Testiment. I pray for understanding and am careful to make sure I keep it clear in my mind that this is our one and only God, and same God as in the NT.

But itsjust so hard. For instance, there is times in David's life where I can see and read that he believed in God. I know its written he was a man after God's own heart. But you would expect God not to be with him, on raiding parties. I know about the adultery and murder and how David lived with that. But what about the rest of it. When he went against several tribes, it is written, he killed all the women and children and only kept the flocks of animals. And women, are pretty well treated like livestock in the OT until it comes to Ruth. Slaves all thru olk and new again like lifestock.

The story of Saul and David, is so bizarre. They would be friends and make oaths and then here comes Saul. David would spare his life, then here comes Saul again. He loves David and keeps him around, then throws a speer at him. Maybe its the translation and different culture that I could never understand.

Also never really explains how the people of Edom came about. Was they Godly people? When the Isarelites came into the promise land they went around these people. Did they just fade away? Become part of the IsareL?

Samson, Lot, Jacob, would have all be saw as wicked men in the New Testiment. But in the old, they were Godly men.

I know its sinful of me, and I pray for God to give me understanding, but sometime I get this idea in my head like this is just myths and stories and not the Word of God. I am sad over my thoughts and pray he will forgive me for these bad thoughts.

Has anyone else felt these feelings.

[Chuck7]

I know its sinful of me, and I pray for God to give me understanding, but sometime I get this idea in my head like this is just myths and stories and not the Word of God. I am sad over my thoughts and pray he will forgive me for these bad thoughts.

Has anyone else felt these feelings. Big Country,

I appreciate your open heart. Yes, it took me about one year to get rid of all the thoughts. And now that satan has gone with his doubt darts we now get them from other ' Christians' who don't see eye to eye as you. Actually it is a good sign that you ae on the right path. For every enemy of my soul God gives me a positive brother or a Strut who is worth 10 brothers. God bless you Mark and in prayer let God know all of your concerns .He will answer your questions in His time but they will be answered.
Chuck7

[Rebel Hog]

Encyclopedia
Lot
Lot, in the Book of Genesis, the son of Abraham's brother Haran. Lot settled in Sodom and received a warning of its destruction. As he fled with his family, his wife, disobeying God's orders, looked back at the city and was turned into a pillar of salt. In biblical ethnography, Lot is considered the eponymous ancestor of the Moabites and Ammonites.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2006, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

Encyclopedia
Jacob
Jacob (jÄ�'kub) [key], in the Bible, ancestor of the Hebrews, the younger of Isaac and Rebecca's twin sons; the older was Esau. In exchange for a bowl of lentil soup, Jacob obtained Esau's birthright and, with his mother's help, received the blessing that the dying Isaac had intended for his older son. Esau became so enraged that Jacob fled to his uncle, Laban, in Paddan-aram. On his way, at Bethel, he had a vision of angels ascending and descending the ladder to heaven. After 20 years serving Laban, Jacob started back to his native land with his two wives, Leah and Rachel, and his many sons"”the eponymous ancestors of the 12 tribes of Israel. On the banks of the Jabbok, Jacob wrestled with an angel, received the name of Israel, and reconciled with Esau the next day. Later, Jacob migrated to Egypt, where he was reunited with his son Joseph. Jacob died there, but his sons buried him in the family plot at Machpelah. Modern biblical scholars question the historicity of Jacob. In the New Testament the name James is equivalent to the Hebrew Jacob.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2006, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

Encyclopedia
Samson
Samson, in the Bible, judge of Israel. His long hair was a symbol of his vows to God, and because of this covenant Samson was strong. The enemies of his people, the Philistines, accomplished his destruction through the woman Delilah. By cutting his hair she forced him to break his vow and thus destroyed his might. Captured and blinded and chained in the temple of the Philistines, he regained his strength as his hair grew long again, and with his bare hands he pulled down the temple, destroying himself along with his enemies. The Samson cycle was probably drawn from popular oral folk tales and may be a myth connected with the cult of sun worship. Milton's Samson Agonistes is a celebrated English poem on the blinded Samson.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2006, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

I realize the stories reb, I am just struggling to understand how my God thought these were Holy people.

[Chuck7]

OH...Sorry BC I didn't even understand the question. One thing for sure. These men loved God .God saw something in thier heart my friend. Remember Solomons prayer for God's guidance over riches, David's boldness against the giant and many hours singing to God on his harp. We only see a small picture in the Word. We missed alot of thier private lives. the humility of Saul when he was called of God and how he hid.
C7

[biscuit eater]

bigcountry, read the book of Obadiah in the Old Testament. It talks about Edom, from their beginning from the decendants of Esau. To their total destruction.

Thanks biscuit. Thats what I am counting on as I work my way thru that there is some meaning in it for me.

[Alex The Hawk]

David might have being a man of God, but yet his sinful life prevented him from building The Temple ,God told him he couldn't because he was a man of God. That is a terrible punishment to a jew In this life, to be rejected by God from Particuipating in Building an Honorable place for the Lord.

Also Because he had the captain of his armies murdered God was going to punish Him by destroying all of Israel, David confessed and repented and God did not killed all of Israel, but David's son did die and further more david was forbidden from entering paradise as Acts 2:34 says

For David didn't ascend into the heavens, but he says himself,'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit by my right hand,

It makes me think sometimes when I hear the doctrine of eternal salvation, what people are saying, do as you please am a son of God (As david was) and God will forgive me and I'll go to heaven because God will always forgive me.
I believe this is a good example, that yes God will always forgive you, but what will be your recompense or retribution for your sin ? David Lost 3 rewards for his sins, His soul might be preserved for resurrection, but when ? Will he missed the entire millenial kingdom ?

[Chuck7]

Alex,
I believe Dave hit on that this morning. No one on here is saying " Do as you please." I'm as guilty as you are for presuming that. I used to say the same thing. I visited a large Southern Baptist church this morning . I already knew he was probalby one of the best in the state but because of the eternal security doctrine I v'e been missing out. His message was on holiness this morning and this fellow is known for his love and awesome job at preaching. Pentecostals get the same flack.Many prejudge them not really understanding that they are simply normal Christians. Like Mac has said in his signature...there are no perfect churches. You can find phony baptist and sincere ones..the same as CoC or any other fellowship. Our prejudging can cut us off from some great fellowships. By the way..I tried the church out simply because of the fruit I saw in a couple of fellow teachers I work with.They certainly strive for a godly life.
Chuck7

[motor]

Also Because he had the captain of his armies murdered God was going to punish Him by destroying all of Israel, David confessed and repented and God did not killed all of Israel, but David's son did die and further more david was forbidden from entering paradise as Acts 2:34 says
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Alex, surely you don't believe that David is not in Heaven today..In my most humble opinion Peter knew that David had not risen from the dead and ascended into Heaven.but this does not mean that David was not saved, and that his spirit did not go into Paradise when he died.what i think it means is, that he was not raised from the dead as Jesus was and that he was not exalted in the Heavens as Jesus was. but just as sure as Moses and Samson are in Heaven so is David..

What David said is recorded in Psalms 110:1
"The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool."
If you will notice the First LORD is in capital letters, which in the original was Jehovah, almighty God..David is quoting what God said to His Son Jesus Christ..

---------------------------------------------------------------------
It makes me think sometimes when I hear the doctrine of eternal salvation, what people are saying, do as you please am a son of God (As david was) and God will forgive me and I'll go to heaven because God will always forgive me
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No, that is not what a truly born again Christian is saying..yes we sin, we all sin after we are saved bit God said He fogave us of our sins past, present and future never to be remembered..yes when we sin we lose favor with God, we are out of his will and the blessings cease to come to us but we never, never lose our salvation..we will all stand before Jesus at the Judgement Seat and answer not for our sins but what we did or didn't do for the cause of Christ..I was saved when i was thirteen and i am 77 today and i have sinned many times in those 64 years but i am just as saved today as i was then..oh i feel so sorry for those of you who go through life afraid of losing your salvation.. but that's another thread so i will not say anymore about it..have a great evening and God Bless..