Divine Violence and the Character of God

In my book, Divine Violence and the Character of God (Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2022), I discuss Israel’s mission in the world. Here is a summary of how Israel’s mission takes shape through the arguments in my book:

1. Witnesses to the Divine Pathos

Rather than portraying Israel’s mission as simply surviving or enacting judgment, my book emphasizes that Israel is called to understand and reflect the pathos of God. Because God is not detached but deeply affected by human suffering and sin, Israel’s mission involves entering into that same emotional and spiritual alignment. They are to see divine judgment not as detached cruelty, but as the reluctant, painful recourse of a suffering Creator who judges in order to heal.

2. A Mission of Ethical Distinctiveness (The Justice of God)

By contextualizing violent biblical narratives within ancient Near Eastern frameworks, I demonstrate that Israel was given a unique, counter-cultural identity. Israel’s mission in the world was to live out a standard of justice that resisted the oppressive, unchecked violence of neighboring empires. Any divine violence enacted in the narrative is framed as a defense of the oppressed and an undoing of systemic evil, meaning Israel’s true calling was to embody a society free from the socio-economic exploitation that plagued the ancient world.

3. Precursors to Ultimate Reconciliation

A central pillar of my argument is bridging the perceived gap between the “Warrior God” of the Old Testament and the “Christ of the Cross” in the New Testament. In this light, Israel’s historical journey—even through its dark chapters of conflict and exile—serves a grander, missional purpose: preparing the way for global reconciliation. Israel’s mission was to carry the story of a God who battles chaos and sin, ultimately culminating not in the destruction of humanity, but in the self-giving love of the cross.

In short, I frame Israel’s mission as being the historical vehicle through which the world learns that God’s justice is always in service of His grace, and His ultimate goal is always restoration.

CHECK OUT MY NEW BOOK. Click here: Praying the Psalms: Finding Your Voice in Israel’s Prayer Book.

Claude Mariottini
Emeritus Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

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