The Morality of the Old Testament

A brief survey of the development of Old Testament Morality

The morality of the Old Testament is based on the character of the God of Israel (YWH).¹ Unlike the gods of pagan society, the God of Israel revealed Himself to be the source of moral principles and obligations when He exhorted His people to be holy because He is holy (Leviticus 20:26). As such, the morality given in the Law to Moses (Exodus chs. 19-31)² is universally applicable and unchanging, because God, from Whom it proceeds, is Lord of all (Deuteronomy 10:17; Jeremiah 32:7) and does not change (Malachi 3:6; James 1:17).³

Thus, the God of Israel set the universal standard for morality – a standard that, previously unestablished, communicated moral principles and obligations in a manner the primitive society⁴ would understand. An example of this is the Law’s prescription of “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” (Exodus 21:24; Deuteronomy 19:21) which imposed an as yet unprecedented limitation on human retribution.⁵ This prescription of recompense and retribution (Case Law) comprised a good portion of the Law.

The giving of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1–17), however, as Apodictic (Universal) Law marked a revolutionary turn in the history of morality.⁶ These Divine commands proclaimed a universal (opposed to local) standard of conduct; this standard was based on the character of God. In giving the commandments, the Lord began with the identification of Himself as the God who brought the Israelites out of Egypt (Exodus 20:2). The First and Second Commandments reflect the establishment of Israel’s monotheism over and against the prevailing pagan pantheism and idolatry (Exodus 20:3-5). The cry of Israel, “​Hear, O Israel: The ​Lord​ our God, the ​Lord​ ​is​ one!” (​Deuteronomy 6:4), also reflects this end.

Success in keeping the Law was reckoned by personal, and communal, faithfulness to God. In the most basic sense, moral agents exercised their free will by either remaining faithful to God (to the Tradition and/or the Law) or in not remaining faithful. Faithfulness promised blessing⁷ and unfaithfulness judgment.⁸ Unfaithfulness was understood in terms of the creeping in or allowance of syncretism: Israel’s perennial problem.⁹ Thus, the Lord entreats Israel to “take heed…lest you make a covenant with the inhabitant of the land where you are going, lest it be a snare in your midst” and commands them to “d​estroy [the pagan’s] altars, break their ​sacred pillars, and cut down their wooden images” (Exodus 34:12, 13). Throughout the Old Testament the Lord describes Himself as a “jealous God,”¹⁰ emphasizing the moral necessity of Israel’s abandonment of paganism and idolatry.

Regardless of Israel’s waywardness,¹¹ God remained faithful to His chosen people¹² – a type of this steadfast love (​In Hebrew: hesed​) is seen in Hosea’s marriage to the harlot (Hosea 1). God showed Himself to be the True source of the Law in that He abided by it even when His creatures did not. His mercy (​emeth​) is shown, also, in that He does not desire the death of the sinner but that he turn from sin and live (Ezekiel 18:23). With this in mind, God makes this promise: “if My people, who are called by My name will ​humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).

1. Many point to the morality of the God of the Old Testament, whom they view as unjust, vindictive, and malevolent, as a way to question the validity of faith in the Christian way. And I get it. As a 30-something millennial, I’ve had my fair share of questions, many of which stemmed from the same premises. But, as I’ve studied over the years, I’ve come to believe that there is a simpler answer to these challenges.

The story of human history is the story of God’s self-revelation to man. And society at the beginning of the story (as reflected in the Old Testament) was far different than our current culture. Back then, there were no monotheistic religions, paganism dictated human (often infant) sacrifice, and pagan gods demanded vengeance. The predominant paradigm was “good things happen to good people and bad things happen to bad people.” Entering into this frame, the God of the Old Testament communicated to his people in a way they could understand. And over time rescued them from the mire of barbarism.

Maybe I should make this footnote an article of its own…

2. The Law was divinely revealed.

3. Here, it is important to distinguish the moral law from the ceremonial law… another article in itself.

4. Primitive Society, that is, which refers to a society rife with immoral, pagan gods who were not the standard of morality. The concept of morality at that time was, in the most basic sense, the “pressure of the community.”

5. Prior to this restriction, recompense or retribution could take any form – it was not restricted to “an eye for an eye” but could have been “a life for an eye.” Today, killing someone who slapped you seems like an obvious overreaction. But for the people at the time, the question of retribution was a legitimate problem.

6. The Ten Commandments are unique among world religions.

7. ​Deuteronomy 5:32-33; 29:9; 1 Kings 2:3-4; Proverbs 28:20

8. Deuteronomy 1:26-46; Joshua 7:1

9. Exodus 32; 1 Kings 11:1-14; 18:21; Jeremiah 2:5; Ezekiel 20:7-8

10. Exodus 20:5; Exodus 34:14; Deuteronomy 4:24; 32:16; Joshua 24:19; Psalm 78:58.

11. God showed Himself to be True to the Law, True to Truth, and True to G

12. God showed Himself to be True to the Law, True to Truth, and True to Goodness (True to Himself).