WHY GOD ALLOWED PEOPLE TO BE STONED IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, BUT NOT NOW…

One of the most difficult things to understand in the Bible is used by unbelievers as one of the first bullets they shoot to say there is no God.

Why would a loving God allow people to be stoned to death? They go on to say, ‘who would want to serve a God like that?’

I’m quick to say, ‘Me!’ And, this is why.

Relationships fail because of expectations not being met. The Bible is a narrative about two relationships, God and those who claim to be His, and those who don’t.

There are also two dispensations of these relationships… Old Testament and New Testament.

The powerful thing about the Old Testament is that it’s where God gave us His expectations through His relationship with Israel and Judah.

Through THE MOSAIC LAW, we learned what behavior God loves and what behavior God hates. When we look closely at how God reacted to Israel’s behavior. Yes, sin is sin, but to put it simply, some sins piss God of more.

For example, if a stranger were to hack your bank account and stole one dollar, you would be angry. You would be angry that they invaded your privacy and sacred space. You would be angry that they stole from you, but not as angry at the amount they stole. But, what if someone close to you hacked your retirement, stole your life savings and used YOUR money to hire someone to kill you to get insurance money as well? How much MORE angry would that make you?

In the Old Testament there were some sins that led to being exiled, while there were other sins that led to death.

During that time, Israel was our example to let us know God’s level of displeasure.

1 Corinthians 10:10-12 (NASB)

10 Nor grumble, as some of them [a]did, and were destroyed by the destroyer. 11 Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. 12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.

God allows different things happen in different times. Back then they had the benefit of great miracles and hearing directly from God. Today we have the benefit of their experiences and technology that would seem like magic to them.

It’s in the Old Testament that we learned God’s expectations…

Romans 7:7-25 (NKJV)

7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, (A)I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, (B)“You shall not covet.” 8 But (C)sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evildesire. For (D)apart from the law sin was dead. 9 I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. 10 And the commandment, (E)which was to bring life, I found to bring death. 11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me. 12 Therefore (F)the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.

However, when Yeshua came and fulfilled the law, His death satisfied not only the penalty of eternal death, but also extended grace that the law didn’t. For example, look at His response in these two situations..,

John 8:1-11 (NKJV)

8 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

2 Now [a]early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and (A)taught them. 3 Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, 4 they said to Him, “Teacher, [b]this woman was caught in (B)adultery, in the very act. 5 (C)Now [c]Moses, in the law, commanded us [d]that such should be stoned. But what do You [e]say?” 6 This they said, testing Him, that they (D)might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with Hisfinger, [f]as though He did not hear.

7 So when they continued asking Him, He [g]raised Himself up and said to them, (E)“He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.”8 And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 Then those who heard it, (F)being[h]convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 10 When Jesus had raised Himself up [i]and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers [j]of yours? Has no one condemned you?”

11 She said, “No one, Lord.”

And Jesus said to her, (G)“Neither do I condemn you; go [k]and (H)sin no more.”

Matthew 19:7-8 (KJV)

7 They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?

8 He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.

So was the level of consequences left for our example in the Old Testament fair to the people living then relative to us today? Maybe not, but God never claimed to be fair, only just. GOD ISN’T FAIR, BUT HE’S JUST…

Because of this today we know God gets just as angry now at forsaking His day of rest by working unnecessarily, adultery, fornication, homosexuality, idolatry, or witchcraft as He did then. Now we know that stealing or coveting makes Him angry, but not as angry as the fore mentioned sins…yet all are sin.

The law and its consequences is our teacher.

Galatians 3:24-25 (NKJV)

24 Therefore the law was our [a]tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.

I encourage you to read through the Old Testament from the perspective of intentionally noticing how He reacts to Israel’s behavior. It gives great insight into how He feels when we do the same things today.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

Published by Minister Aldtric Johnson M.A.

God bless you! I'm a husband, father and ordained Minister since 1996. I serve as an Associate Minister at Oak Spring Church Arlington TN, a suburb of Memphis. I'm a professional Copywriter for a Fortune 500 company, published Gospel songwriter and owner of an independent label, Al-Go-Rhythm Music. My main spiritual gift is Exhortation...I'm a natural encourager. I love the word of God and sharing it from a "Wow, I never thought of it like that before" perspective. There's so much fresh revelation in God's word that is just as relevant today as it was as it unfolded. I hope my daily devotionals enhance your walk with God, taking you beyond BLESSED to BLESSTIFIED.

Devotional, Inspiration

64 thoughts on “WHY GOD ALLOWED PEOPLE TO BE STONED IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, BUT NOT NOW…”

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      1. Isaiah 55:8-9
        New King James Version
        8 “For(A) My thoughts are not your thoughts,
        Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.
        9 “For(B) as the heavens are higher than the earth,
        So are My ways higher than your ways,
        And My thoughts than your thoughts.

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      2. I thought you might try that one. There is a problem with it. If good and evil are objective, and Christians claim that their morals are objective and come directly from this god, how is it that a human killing a child for no fault of their own is evil and a god doing it is good?

        It seems you have a morality based on what something is and not the action. I’ve seen that in a lot of Christians, that they claim that this god can do anything it wants with its creations. That is no more than might equals right.

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      4. that’s an excuse, Aldtric. How does free will for David’s son work when your god’s “purpose” eliminates it? Your claim of free will doesn’t work if your god can always deny it.

        Add that to the fact that your god doesn’t support free will and it seems you’ve invented your own version of Christianity.

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      5. His purpose doesn’t eliminate it. We still have to chose to pursue it. OUR God doesn’t force us to do anything. God knows what we will chose, but the choice is always ours. God used Judas for His purpose because of his choice to betray Yeshua.

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      6. It does eliminate it. how does a dead child pursue its free will?

        Your god has removed any choice at all from this dead child. Your god repeatedly forces people to do things. Joshua 11 is a great example. Shall I quote it again? “20 For it was the Lord’s doing to harden their hearts so that they would come against Israel in battle, in order that they might be utterly destroyed, and might receive no mercy, but be exterminated, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.” No choice or free will there.

        Your god worked with Satan to get its plan to work per Luke. How does working with evil reflect on a supposedly good being? No blood sacrifice, no salvation.

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      7. Their hardened hearts were due to their unbelief. They chose not to believe in Him and He used that for His purpose. It’s no different than someone who decides they aren’t going to follow the rules on their job. That is a choice. Because of their choice their boss intervenes and fires them. Even though it wasn’t their ‘will’ to lose their job, their choice resulted in losing it. Or, if you have a child that refuses to take out the trash on their own, but after a while you force them to do it even though they don’t want to. They still had a choice to do it on their own.

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      9. Not a lie. He intervened and ‘hardened their hearts’ because of their ‘choice’ of unbelief. God is sovereign. He is free to intervene for His purpose at anytime. He also hardened Pharaoh’s heart, but it was because of his unbelief. He allowed Satan to enter into the heart of Judas because of his attitude, but it was still Judas’s choice.

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      10. and more lies. Nothing is said about this. You’ve made it up to excuse your god. Nice to see your claim for free will disintergrate, Aldtrick. If this god can intervene anytime, then there is no free will.

        Also nice to see you admit your god had to work with satan.

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      12. Yes, so you’ve said. And repeating verses from a failed set of books is not impressive. Paul failed, Aldtric. He lied and claimed that JC would be back soon, e.g. during Paul’s life. It’s always good to see a Christian following a false prophet.

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      13. One last comment…1 Corinthians 2:13-14
        New King James Version
        13 These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the [a]Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

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      14. and still more failure. Every Christian claims that the holy spirit tells them the “truth” and insists that any other Christian who claims the same thing is lying because they have no evidence.

        You are again trying to claim that no one can “really” understand except you. That’s false. We see that all Christians do this since your claims don’t match.

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      15. Thanks for adding to the discussion. I expected your responses as much as you expected mine. I will be praying that God INTERVENES and softens your heart and give increase to any good seed that’s been planted in you and kill the bad. Seeds of faith in Him through Yeshua the Messiah, Seeds of repentance. Seeds of salvation and seeds of a lifetime of real relationship with Him and much good fruit. Be BLESSTIFIED!😀

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      16. It’s always amusing to see Christians trying to pretend that their version is better with the attempts to use “Yeshua” rather than Joshua or Jesus.  If you really want cred, then use the Hebrew.  

        It’s great to see you trying again to try to pretend that your god’s interference with free will isn’t exactly that.  Intervene also means ” to interfere (come into collision or be in opposition) with the outcome or course especially of a condition or process”  You want your god to mind control me and surprise, that won’t happen.  Your prayers fail.  So, Aldtric, why would this be?  Thatyour god loves an honest atheist?  That you aren’t a Christian? Or that your god doesn’t exist.  Your silly attempt to try to make a brand out of your religion is hiliarious. Really, “blesstified”? Ii guess you don’t think that being blessed is enough

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      20. and still more “last comments”? Oh you shouldn’t have. Why do your prayers fail, Aldtric? You can’t heal like the bible promises, you can’t defend claims of free will or why it is okay for your god to kill a child for no fault of its own.

        Exactly how does this work, Aldtric?

        Exodus 20:5-6 (also Dt 5:9)

        I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

        Deuteronomy 24:16

        Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor children put to death for their fathers; each is to die for his own sin.

        Ezekiel 18:20

        The soul who sins is the one who will die. The son will not share the guilt of the father, nor will the father share the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous man will be credited to him, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against him.

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      24. yep, and funny how you again are ignoring your bible, Aldtric.

        Anything else? Quoting the bible at me is about as effective as a Muslim quoting the qu’ran at you, yes?

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      25. ◄ 1 Peter 2:12 ►
        Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

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      26. I’m giving you scriptures on purpose. I’m intentionally not insulting you or belittling you. I’ve been in very few conversations with atheists who don’t do that. I know you want understand this, but I love you. I don’t know your name, but I don’t have to. El Roi sees this conversation, and I will be praying for Him to soften your heart, to manipulate conditions around you so you can believe with your free will.

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      27. Such a failure. How about this from 1 Peter 2

        “13 For the Lord’s sake accept the authority of every human institution, whether of the emperor as supreme, 14 or of governors, as sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right.”

        Just like Romans 13,we have your god claiming we should follow every human institution. Slavery, Nazism, white supremacy etc. No exceptions mentioned at all.

        How does that work for you, Pastor?

        Again, more false claims from you. Show these conversations, Aldtric. And again your prayers fail? Why is that?

        Manipulating conditions also abrogates free will. it’s quite funny to see you trying so hard to try to have your god interfere and still have free will.

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      28. Luke 22:31-34
        God allowed His own people to be mistreated and exiled as consequence of their disobedience. There’s no need for me to elaborate on that because you are ready to receive it. But I believe you will one day. I just went outside, lifted my hands to the sky and prayed for you.
        I removed Peter’s name here, and inserting yours….
        Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial(A)
        31 [a]And the Lord said, “! Indeed, (B)Satan has asked for you, that he may (C)sift you as wheat. 32 But (D)I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, (E)strengthen your brethren.”

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      29. and more pointless bible verses. I’ve read the bible, Aldtric, I know what it says and what you try to lie about.

        So, poor god, can’t deal with a demanding Satan. Now, we have a problem, is your god so pathetic that it has to do what Satan demands? Well, this god repeatedly works with Satan, allowing Satan to kill a family so this god could show off, then forcing humans to work with Satan so this god’s will could come about (Revelation 17) and again we have this god working with satan since poor god has to release him from hell and allow him to corrupt the Christians left after this god kills all non-christians (Revelation 19-21). That’s quite a impotent god you have.

        And still no action on your prayers. Again, does your god love me as I am? Does your god hate you and your ignoring of his laws that JC said to follow? Or does your god just not exist?

        If your god needs you to go outside and try to get its attention, it’s not much of a god.

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      30. I’m posting because you aren’t the only one who thinks this way. I want my blog to be a forum for discussion. However, I’m not going to keep going back and forth. I will leave you to your reasoning. However, I won’t continue to entertain you blasphemous comments. I have had God answer more prayers than I can count. I won’t begin to tell you about them because you will have another explanation. I do appreciate the fact that you have given me another person to lift up in prayer. I love you and want you to come to know the one and only LIVING GOD, Yah, Adonai, The Lord God of Israel from Eternity Past to Eternity Future, through our Lord and Savior Yeshua, the Messiah, the Lamb of God, the Son of God, the Living Word. I will be praying for you. I only ask that when you are converted, that you strengthen someone else. BE BLESSTIFIED!

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      31. I know yhou won’t keep going back and forth, Aldtric, since you have realized you have nothing.

        You try to hide behind claims of “blasphemous comments”, when you can’t show your god exists to be upset. And your god seems to have no problem with what I say, having not smited me yet.

        If it is true and you’ve had your version of your god “answer more prayers than you can count”, you are quite a selfish man since you’ve never prayed for anyone to be helped. We have kids with cancer, vets who suffered terrible amputations and brain injuries and surprise, Aldtric couldn’t be bothered to prayer for them or this god to heal them.

        Yep, you claim you are praying for me. Nothing happens and you failed, Aldtric. How about you pray for people who need it? But of course you won’t since you know that nothing will happen.

        Not converted, and you are a false prophet when you claim something will happen. I assume you do know what your god thinks about people who lie and claim that they speak for him, right?

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      33. “But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.’ And if you say in your heart, ‘How may we know the word that the Lord has not spoken?’— when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him.” – Deut. 18

        still no conversion from your prayer yet.

        And nice excuse. This about a god that kills a child for nothing and who kills a man who tried to keep his magic box from falling, and who couldn’t find this forgiveness Christians prate about in Eden.

        God smiles on me? or God doesn’t exist?

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      34. I’m glad you are digging in to the word of God. I’ve seen Him answer more prayers for others than I can count. When you are eventually converted, let someone else know Yah, the Father of Yeshua the Messiah is real😀

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      35. And more false claims. Again, nice to see someone who is a false prophet as you are.

        Still no conversion. And always good to see you trying so hard with your “eventually”. So, Aldtric, how how long do I have to wait? A year? 10 years? a hundred? Your god said that prayer will be answered quickly, “knock and the door will be opened” not “knock and a couple years later someone might answer the door.”

        your god commanded false prophets to be killed. I wonder if your followers know how much you’ve failed them. You can’t or won’t heal people, Aldtric. what a Christian you are.

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      37. Yep, since it is your name.

        Still no success with your prayers, Aldtric. Why is that? Why do you have to promise in some vague unknown time they will actually happen. Do you tell people who are sick that “someday” your prayers will work.

        I’ve read the entire bible. It doesn’t seem that you have.

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      42. I feel sorry for you. I will continue to pray that you can feel the peace and joy that comes with a real relationship with God…not religion. Everything I say and do is filtered through my relationship with Christ. Everything you do is filtered through your own perspective. The anger and absence of God’s love speaks so loudly through your posts and comments. I will continue to pray for you. I’ve witnessed conversions in others and you’re no different. I wasn’t trying to insult you, but was giving you a scriptural reason for moving on. Peace in the name of Yeshua the Messiah.

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      44. Pray for those who have been terribly injured by IEDs in the service to the US. You won’t since you know that you can’t heal people at all. It’s no fun when you can’t lie to yourself and claim that some vague time in the future it’ll happen.

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      46. nice to see you admit you can’t do what I asked and we have the answer as that either you aren’t a christian or your bible is wrong.

        I do like Earth, Wind & Fire. My era. Its a shame that the lyrics are all about false claims. Sunday Morning is much better.

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      48. gospels songs aren’t any more effective than bible verses. Baseless claims and excuses why this god and its followers fail.

        I know you fail, Aldtric. Still not a Christian, still not agreeing with you. And you, a Christian, either unable or too selfish to heal people.

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      52. so, we have this as a lyric “Telling them to observe all things whatsoever He did command.”

        So, Aldtric, how many people have you murdered for working on the “sabbath”? Are you wearing a mixed fabric shirt? Do you eat shrimp? How many have you killed for them not wanting JC as their king (Luke 19)?

        All commands by your god, all said by JC to still be in force since earth and heaven haven’t passed away. What are your excuses for not following them?

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      53. Sigh I honor God’s day of rest, and I avoid scavengers, however we aren’t under the law once Yeshua rose from the dead. He fulfilled the law. It was in force during His earthly ministry. Fulfillment of the law isn’t abolishing it. But, no matter what I say you aren’t willing to accept now. That’s why I gave you the scripture you took as an insult. I’m glad you’re familiar with the Bible. Keep reading. I’ve studied it several times and learn something amazing every time. I will continue to add you to my prayers. I love you with the love of Christ.

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      54. So, you don’t follow all of this god’s commands. How not surprising.

        There is nothing in the bible that says after JC rose from the grave, the laws don’t have to be followed. As usual, you like most Christians try to claim that this “17 “Do not think that I have come to to end the observance or effect of the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to put into effect these laws. 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. 19 Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

        Isn’t true.

        Fulfill: to put into effect

        abolish: to end the observance or effect of (something, such as a law) : to completely do away with (something) (both from merriam webster)

        JC never says that the laws end after he resurrects; he says that the heaven and earth must pass away before the laws should not be followed.

        both are still here. You try to lie about the bible. Good for you.

        Funny how your Christ murders all non-christians. That’s not love, and you are rather disturbed if you think it is.

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      56. I’m going to make it short and simple. Our vertical relationship with God is the same as our horizontal relationships with one another. God has given us free will to chose or reject Him. As we go about our lives, He intervenes from time-to-time based on that decision for His divine purpose. As parents our children have free will. Children make choices on their on, but sometimes parents intervene based on their choice to obey them.

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