No doubt many of the events of the recent past have made us very sensitive to harsh treatment of people. Human viciousness is still alive and well. Draconian laws still apparently find approval amongst voters.
One of the differences is that God’s punishments are based on his justice. In God’s case the punishment does fit the crime. It is not inflicted on anyone as a means to deter others. Each person suffers for their own wrong-doing and in proportion to the sin.
One of the difficulties for modern secular people is that the major sin in the Old Testament is rejection of God, offering worship to other gods, and going against what he has said. Rejecting God is the great sin. And so it is no wonder that a serious punishment follows.
But it does not follow without mercy. Repentance is called for, forgiveness is offered, restoration is possible. There is no angry temperamental God in the Old Testament, but rather a just God full of mercy and compassion , as God himself declared to Moses
"The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for the thousandth generation, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, yet by no means clearing the guilty ... (Ex 34.6)
That God is the one we trust and love.
Dale