Returning to MM's request that I lead the study as I see fit, based on the revelation of Jesus Christ, who said, "When you've seen Me, you've see the Father," what can we conclude that God is like?

By these angel messengers a faithful record is kept of the words and deeds of the children of men. Every act of cruelty or injustice toward God's people, all they are caused to suffer through the power of evil workers, is registered in heaven. {COL 177.1}
"Shall not God avenge His own elect, which cry day and night unto Him, though He bear long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily." {COL 177.2}
"Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry." Hebrews 10:35-37. "Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts; for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh." James 5:7, 8. {COL 177.3}
The long-suffering of God is wonderful. Long does justice wait while mercy pleads with the sinner. But "righteousness and judgment are the establishment of His throne." Psalm 97:2, margin. "The Lord is slow to anger;" but He is "great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the Lord hath His way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of His feet." Nahum 1:3. {COL 177.4}
The world has become bold in transgression of God's law. Because of His long forbearance, men have trampled upon His authority. They have strengthened one another in oppression and cruelty toward His heritage, saying, "How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the Most High?" Psalm 73:11. But there is a line beyond which they cannot pass. The time is near when they will have reached the prescribed limit. Even now they have almost exceeded the bounds of the long-suffering of God, the limits of His grace, the limits of His mercy. The Lord will interpose to vindicate His own honor, to deliver His people, and to repress the swellings of unrighteousness. {COL 177.5}
In Noah's day, men had disregarded the law of God until almost all remembrance of the Creator had passed away from the earth. Their iniquity reached so great a height that the Lord brought a flood of waters upon the earth, and swept away its wicked inhabitants. {COL 178.1}
From age to age the Lord has made known the manner of His working. When a crisis has come, He has revealed Himself, and has interposed to hinder the working out of Satan's plans. With nations, with families, and with individuals, He has often permitted matters to come to a crisis, that His interference might become marked. Then He has made manifest that there is a God in Israel who will maintain His law and vindicate His people. {COL 178.2}

T:Returning to MM's request that I lead the study as I see fit, based on the revelation of Jesus Christ, who said, "When you've seen Me, you've see the Father," what can we conclude that God is like?

M:The Father's character includes at least the following:

Exouds
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,
34:7 Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear [the guilty]; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth [generation].

Galatians
5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Tom, how does knowing and believing the Father and the Son are merciful and gracious help us understand why God commanded godly people to kill ungodly people? If you're not ready to explain why, that's okay. If so, please continue to build your case. Thank you.

1. Every evil act is registered in heaven, just as good acts are registered.
2. Jesus announced that these evil acts will be avenged by God.
3. God's long-suffering is wonderful, and long, but has a limit.
4. God is "slow to anger." The text does not say that God will never be angry. There is a limit to His forbearance.
5. God "will not at all acquit the wicked."
6. God hinders the work of Satan. Amen!
7. God will vindicate His people. Amen!

19Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

20Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.

21Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.(Romans 12)

Really hard to follow the logic here. How does a quote from Exodus explain what God is like, based on Christ's revelation of Him while here in the flesh?

I agree that God is like these things, of course, and the same for the Galatians quote, but don't see the connection. I was expecting some sort of summary of what Christ was like, and then the conclusion that, based on Christ's statement, the Father is like that too.



I think we need to be careful not to get the cart before the horse. What is God like? That should be our first question. Otherwise we're bound to interpret what's happening in the OT incorrectly.

And I think this is the big problem. I think you're understanding what happened in the OT incorrectly and then ask questions based on that understanding, using that as the foundation of everything else. I think that's the wrong foundation. The foundation should be Jesus Christ. What did He reveal about God? Then ask what happened, and why.

Amen! Do you have more, or does this summarize your study?