Natalie West: Who is the God of the Old Testament?

Whit's End: Real People, Hard Questions

If you've had the opportunity to learn from Natalie West, then you know she is a skilled Bible teacher who is passionate about the scripture. She is both seriously entertaining and profoundly insightful. She joined us in Season 1 of Whit's End to discuss God's heart for foster care and share a little of her personal journey. In this episode, Natalie brings a challenging word as we look at how we often mishandle scripture. At times we misunderstand who God is when we extract specific stories from THE BIG story of the Bible, neglecting the original context. Is the God of the Old Testament the same as the God of the New Testament? Why is studying history important? Why did God choose Israel and set them apart? Does God withhold rain in the Old Testament because He's vindictive?

Show Notes:

Take a closer look at Deuteronomy and 1 Kings

Elijah Bible study by Priscila Shirer

"His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness." -2 Peter 1:3

Quotes to remember:

"It's like walking away from a banquet and saying 'I'm hungry'" - Natalie on how we often neglect to receive the good things that God has provided for us to live a life of godliness, such as His Word.

"Yahweh has to be faithful to Himself. It's part of His character. He cannot go against what He has said or who He has been."

"Our private lives for God are the only things that can support our public lives for God."

"We need to be far more compassionate and Christlike to our neighbors in real life than we are on Facebook."