Bible Question:
Does Jesus disagree with God in the Old Testament since Exodus 32:33 disagrees with Revelation 3:5?
Bible Answer:
The answer to the question “Does Jesus disagree with the God of the Old Testament?” is no! This question is sometimes raised by different cults and false religions because they have not studied the Bible in depth or want to distort the teaching of the Bible for various reasons. Others read several verses that appear to be contradictory and conclude that Jesus is not the God of the Old Testament.
Does Exodus 32:33 Contradict Revelation 3:5?
One such example of two verses that appear to be contradictory are Exodus 32:33 and Revelation 3:5. Here are the two verses and some additional verses.
The LORD said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot him out of My book. But go now, lead the people where I told you. Behold, My angel shall go before you; nevertheless in the day when I punish, I will punish them for their sin.” Then the LORD smote the people, because of what they did with the calf which Aaron had made. Exodus 32:33-35 (NASB)
But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Revelation 3:4-6 (NASB)
By comparing these two verses it appears that God said in Exodus 32:33 that anyone who sins will be blotted out of the book but Revelation 3:5 says the opposite. But it is important to realize that God also refers to a book of the living in Psalm 69:28.
Let them be blotted out of the book of the living;
let them not be enrolled among the righteous. Psalm 69:28 (ESV)
Note that other Bibles translate the Hebrew as “book of life.” However, “book of the living” is more accurate since the Hebrew word is normally translated as “alive, lives or living” and not “life.” That is, there is a book of the living. That is the book referred to in Exodus 32:33. This is obvious since in verse 34 God smote or killed those who worshipped the golden calf while Moses was upon Mount Sinai (Exodus 32:1-35).
In Revelation 3:5 Jesus refers to the book of life. Since the author of the book of Revelation wrote all of the book of Revelation and referred to the book of life later in Revelation 20:12, we discover that those who are in the book of life (Greek phrase is ho zoa) will go to heaven and not the Lake of Fire.
And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. Revelation 20:12 (NASB)
This reveals that there are two books with similar names: book of the living and the book of life. It would appear from the context of Exodus 32:33 that “My book” refers to the book of the living. Therefore, when God says in Exodus 32:33 that the Israelites who sinned would be removed from the book of the living, His statement refers to the fact that they would physically die and cease to live upon the earth. But the book of life refers to those who have eternal life. The conclusion is that there is no contradiction between Exodus 32:33 and Revelation 3:5.
Is Jesus The God of the Old Testament?
Therefore, Jesus does not disagree with the God of the Old Testament. A complete study of the Bible reveals that Jesus is the God of the Old Testament. John 5:18; 8:58 and 10:30-33 reveal that Jesus taught He was the God of the Old Testament and the religious leaders understood that was what He claimed. The Bible study series “The Bible Teaches Jesus Is God” is a very helpful and encouraging study of Old and New Testament passages that reveal Jesus is God. The study reveals that since Jesus is the God of the Old Testament, He cannot disagree with Himself.
Conclusion:
Is Jesus the God of the Old Testament? The answer is yes. We encourage the reader to listen to the online sermon series “The Bible Teaches Jesus Is God.”
Suggested Links:
Would God blot someone’s name from the Book of Life?Looking Real Good
The Bible Teaches Jesus Is God
Are the names of the chosen already written in the Lamb’s Book of Life?