By W.R. Selvig

abbaunveiled@gmail.com

If Jesus reveals the Father, then the Father’s character should look like Jesus. The New Testament writers call Him “the Father,” and Jesus teaches us to pray to “Our Father.” This post lists sharp contrasts between Abba (as revealed by Jesus) and Yahweh (as portrayed in the Hebrew Bible), using the NKJV and a Divine Council reading.

Note on method: I’m comparing revealed character and covenant posture, not proof‑texting isolated verses. Read each pair together.

1) Abba forgives without counting; Yahweh counts covenant breach

“I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.”(Matthew 18:22) “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them.”(2 Corinthians 5:19)
Vs. “By no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation.”(Exodus 34:7)

2) Abba loves enemies; Yahweh commands ḥerem (ban)

“Love your enemies… for He is kind to the unthankful and evil.”(Luke 6:35)
Vs. “You shall save alive nothing that breathes.”(Deuteronomy 20:16–18; cf. 1 Samuel 15:3)

3) Abba heals and restores; Yahweh sends plagues/serpents in judgment

“Healing all who were oppressed by the devil.”(Acts 10:38) “He healed them all.”(Matthew 12:15)
Vs. “The LORD sent fiery serpents among the people.”(Numbers 21:6); “So the LORD sent a plague upon Israel.”(2 Samuel 24:15)

4) Abba desires mercy, not sacrifice; Yahweh institutes sacrifice

“I desire mercy and not sacrifice.”(Matthew 9:13; 12:7)
Vs. Leviticus 1–7 commands burnt/peace/sin offerings.

5) Abba gives good gifts to all; Yahweh withholds rain/food in judgment

“Your Father… gives good things to those who ask Him.”(Matthew 7:11) “He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good.”(Matthew 5:45)
Vs. “I also withheld rain from you…”(Amos 4:7–8); cf. 1 Kings 17:1.

6) Abba refuses to condemn; Yahweh mandates stoning for adultery

“Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”(John 8:11)
Vs. “The adulterer and the adulteress, shall surely be put to death.”(Leviticus 20:10; cf. Deuteronomy 22:22)

7) Abba saves lives, not destroys; Yahweh strikes offenders

“For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.”(Luke 9:56, NKJV)
Vs. Uzzah (2 Samuel 6:7); Nadab & Abihu (Leviticus 10:1–2); Beth‑shemesh (1 Samuel 6:19).

8) Abba relates by grace and sonship; Yahweh relates by law

“The law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”(John 1:17); “You received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’”(Romans 8:15; cf. Galatians 4:6)
Vs. Sinai covenant code (Exodus 19–24; Deuteronomy 5).

9) Abba decentralizes sacred space; Yahweh centralizes temple worship

“The hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father…”(John 4:21–24)
Vs. “The place which the LORD your God chooses…”(Deuteronomy 12; cf. 2 Chronicles 7:12–16).

10) Abba welcomes outcasts; Yahweh restricts assembly

Prodigal Son; lost sheep/coin (Luke 15); the forgiven woman (Luke 7:36–50)
Vs. “No Ammonite or Moabite shall enter the assembly of the LORD; even to the tenth generation.”(Deuteronomy 23:3)

11) Abba is revealed as love; Yahweh self‑describes as jealous/warrior

“God is love.”(1 John 4:8–10)
Vs. “The LORD, whose name is Jealous…”(Exodus 34:14); “The LORD is a man of war.”(Exodus 15:3)

12) Abba protects the little ones; Yahweh’s covenant includes generational visitation

“Let the little children come to Me…”(Mark 10:14)
Vs. “Visiting the iniquity… to the third and fourth generation,” even while “keeping mercy for thousands.”(Exodus 34:6–7)

13) Abba rebukes retaliatory fire; Yahweh answers by fire

Jesus rebukes the impulse to call down fire (Luke 9:54–55).
Vs. Fire from the LORD consumes sacrifice—and sometimes men (Leviticus 9:24; 10:2; 2 Kings 1:10–12).

14) Abba’s justice restores; Yahweh’s justice is often retributive

“Be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.”(Luke 6:36)
Vs. Covenant curses: sword, famine, pestilence (Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 28).

Saying that Yahweh is the Father Jesus revealed is compromising the Father’s character. They are not compatable.

Why this matters

If Jesus is the exact image of the Father, then our doctrine of God must be conformed to Jesus—or we’ll keep mixing incompatible pictures. The Gospel reveals a Father who restores by mercy and adoption, not by legal retribution.

Want to go deeper?

If you’d like to dive further into why Yahweh is not the Father Jesus revealed, grab The Yahweh Deception by WR Selvig at AbbaUnveiled.com. You’ll find expanded comparisons, textual studies (NKJV lens), and practical activations for meeting Abba in the secret place.