DIVINE VIOLENCE AND IMAGE OF GOD AS KING AND JUDGE

Abstract

This study answers the following question: the application of the concepts of alliance, king and judge Yahweh, has not contributed to the presentation of a violent face of God? The language of the alliance involves the imagery of a violent God, because of the covenant theology derived the two great metaphors of Yahweh as king and judge. The representation of Yahweh as king is behind the consideration of Yahweh as a war-rior, being this the epitome of divine violence. For the Lord is King, is also a judge. The metaphorical representation of Yahweh as judge suggests that he himself is deeply outraged by injustice. Which explains their violent actions. God uses violence to disrupt human violence and lead to the creation order in which no violence whatsoever. But biblical faith confesses the divine mercy, that breaks the correlation between guilt and shame, replacing it with asymmetric correspondence between guilt and forgive-ness.