Whenever someone tries to convince you that “the God of the Old Testament” (which are words they use but the Bible does not!) was an angry, vengeful, merciless God, and that He was so different from “the God of the New Testament,” do NOT believe them!
When Nehemiah rehearsed the history of Israel to God, he admitted that God’s people “were disobedient and rebelled against You,” and even when they would get right and come back to the Lord, “they again did evil before You” (Neh. 9:26-28). Finish verse 28, “Yet when they returned and cried out to You, You heard from heaven; and MANY TIMES You delivered them according to Your mercies” (emp. added). The psalmist said the same thing: “Yes, MANY A TIME He turned His anger away, and did not stir up all His wrath” (Psa. 78:38, emp. added).
That same God is YOUR God! MANY TIMES God has delivered you and turned His anger away from you! Thank God for His mercy! May we always return to Him and cry out to Him and put our full trust in Him!