Compassion in the OT

Compassion in the OT

People always seem to see "the God of the OT" as a "God of Wrath". A boy today in a class I was substituting said, " 'I like God. He's compassionate!' then I remember the OT!".
Can I please get as many examples from the OT of God's compassion.

1) Try for examples of compassion to gentiles esp., not just Israel
2) Try for examples which show more compassion than the examples of God's wrath show his wrath.
3) Also need examples of His wrath in the NT.
4) Also, explinations for why he was wrathful in those places in the OT-
eg slay all but virgins, kill everything that breathes, stone father and entire family, every man kill His brother, "virgins will be ripped open, babies dashed against rocks", etc.

Thx a ton.
 
Gen 3:21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.


Mankind had disobeyed God and was worthy of death and yet God made provision for them. This was a type and shadow of God's ultimate provision which was Jesus Christ the lamb of God being sacrificed for our covering so we could enter God's presence again.
God had a plan before we even fell. He lives outside of time and knows and sees all. His Word is the very creative power of God and when He speaks it is regardless of whether it has manifest in this time line.
Rev 13:8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
God had a plan all along and it is woven through the Old Covenant. We are all worthy of punishment. Even today those who reject His grace shall still be judged under the law as He is Holy and sin cannot stand in His presence.- selah.
 
In Genesis chapter 18 God is preparing to destroy Sodom and He is asked by Abraham what if I find 50 righteous in that whole city? 45? 20? 10? Each time God said that He would spare that city for the sake of the few.God called Lot out of the city. He would do this for any man who would have Him. We ultimately chose out fate. God foreknows our hearts and life choices. In spite of this many reject His offer of love and mercy- the judgment they get is only what they have chosen for themselves.
Look at Abraham himself. He was an idolater and came from a family of idolaters yet God saw something in him. He saw a man that would hunger for God and seek Him all his days. So the Lord Himself called him out of his old life and into something with an eternal destiny.Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him as righteousness.
 
King David. God called him a man after his own heart. David sinned grievously but two things that made him stand out. His great love for God and his quickness to fall on God's mercy in repentance- because of this God forgave him when he deserved death.

The Israelites as their back was towards the sea facing sure death- God parted the waters and made a way- this resulted in the destruction of those who wished to harm them.

Rahab the harlot- she choose to help those who were doing God's work and though all around her were slain she and her family were preserved. She is found in the lineage leading to Messiah.

The three Hebrew boys as they choose the fire over bowing to an idol- God indeed not only delivered them but the fire consumed all that bound them and destroyed the strong men who kept them prisoners.


The great city of Nineveh was facing sure destruction and judgment and yet God sent an unwilling prophet to call them into repentance. These people fell on their faces before the Almighty God and were spared.


This could go on for a while- the point is when under the law one received harsh yet righteous judgment but any who would humble themselves before the Lord would be spared.
 
Joshua 6:17
Now the city shall be doomed by the LORD to destruction, it and all who are in it. Only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all who are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.

Not only was she saved...(a harlot was to be stoned to death under the israelite law) but she became an ancestor of King David, and Jesus...

Matthew 1:5
Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse,
 
Jonah 1:2 Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.

Jonah 3:10 And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did [it] not.
The Ninevites deserved God's wrath, but showed them mercy.

2 Chron 12:12 And when he humbled himself, the wrath of the LORD turned from him, that he would not destroy [him] altogether: and also in Judah things went well.

Cain was also shown mercy after killing Abel.


For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
 
Well, btw we don't know if Job was gentile or not...
Mabye Rahab and Ruth are two great examples... They are even mentioned in Jesus' family tree as not many women are.
 
Sorry if these have been already quoted, but here are five verses below that show God's mercy in the OT.

Deu 4:31 For the LORD thy God is a merciful God; he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them.

Neh 9:31 Nevertheless for thy great mercies' sake thou didst not utterly consume them, nor forsake them; for thou art a gracious and merciful God.

Exd 34:6 And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth

2Ch 30:9 For if ye turn again unto the LORD, your brethren and your children shall find compassion before them that lead them captive, so that they shall come again into this land: for the LORD your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye return unto him.

Neh 9:17 And refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them; but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage: but thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsookest them not.

Hope this helps you in your studies.
God Bless
 
Well, btw we don't know if Job was gentile or not...
Mabye Rahab and Ruth are two great examples... They are even mentioned in Jesus' family tree as not many women are.
That is sooo awsome LOL it makes me giddy when ever i hear that.
 
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