There are those who speak in awfully “hard” terms about God. They think Him to be altogether too harsh in His dealings with man. We hear those kinds of statements as folks at times react to some of the things they find in the Old Testament. We would certainly acknowledge that God is difficult (more likely impossible) to comprehend and understand. However, as we view Him in the entire picture of Him that is given in the Bible, we find this “hardness” also coupled with a large and encompassing mercy and grace.
I think that those who focus on this “hardness” of God do it so as to find an excuse to dismiss themselves from the obligations they hold toward God. In the stewardship parable that we find in Matthew 25, one of His servants uses this excuse to explain his lack of service.
Matthew 25:24-30 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
You will notice that his excuse did not work! The point is that we do have an absolute Master to answer to in eternity. This same Master that is so absolute in His requirements of man, did Himself die for man.
