Problems in the Old Testament

The Old Testament is often neglected by pastors and local ministers due to its confusing and sometimes complicated message about God. Consider a pastor preaching the genocide portrayed in Joshua's conquest of Canaan. It would simply not happen. The thought of God as a murderer only complicates the Christian's understanding of God.

However, it is incredibly important that local ministers continue to confront and engage these confusing passages. If local churches fail to speak on the difficult passages, then most reasonable people will (at some point in their life) not be able to find an answer for the difficult material of the OT. Pastors have the unique upper hand over their listeners in that they are familiar with commentaries, publishers, and authors (or at least they ought to be). Pastors ought to invest greater time in considering what biblical studies experts have to contribute concerning the difficult passages of the OT.

In ignoring these difficult passages, churches are only setting themselves up for failure.