Today, in my Old Testament Class, I got totally called out on "latching onto a warm, fuzzy God." We were talking about Hosea, the prophet in the Bible known for marrying a permiscuous woman, violently and then tenderly reclaiming her affection, and comparing their relationship to God's relationship with Israel. In addition to the many domestic violence issues, there is another metaphor of God as a parent. I chose to cling to this image instead of the abusive spouse. And for this, my professor pointed out my choosiness.
At first I was chastized (my first instinct always being "I'm wrong, sorry!"), but then I got a little miffed, and then I started to think (possibly Steed's goal all along?) What do we do with parts of the Bible we don't like? I tend to gloss over them, claiming that the God of the New Testament is my God and not the Old Testament God of wrath. Yet, as we looked closer into the issue, it became apparent that God might have been using this passage to call attention to the violence, comparing the men of Israel (well, Judah really) to the woman within a marriage. Saying that "if your wife acted to you the way you are acting to me, God, you would consider yourselves justified in punishing her. You would consider violence the only way to hold onto your pride. Yet, how much greater is my love for you, that instead of violence and shame, I bestow love upon you in the end. That I call you time and time again back to me?" Everyone talks about the forgiveness that Jesus brought, but it occurs to me that perhaps Jesus merely came because we weren't understanding all of the messages before that God was handing out time and time again.
Regarding the Bible as being full of understanding I might just not know yet, instead of picking and choosing and just glossing over parts I don't like/understand. Wow, what a concept.
Humility gets ya sometimes :)
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