You can easily find Jesus revealed in the OT. 99-112) calculated the odds for just, filled by one man who has lived since the time of Christ. Get a through the Bible in a year guide (there are dozens online) and set aside the time each morning to do it, asking God to reveal more of Christ to your soul as you read. 26:2223). During the reign of Josiah in the 6th century B.C., the books of Deuteronomy and Judges were compiled and added. And we all need hope! Why We Cant Unhitch from the Old Testament. Redeemed Like David: How to Overcome Sexual Tempation But the Old Testament as we have it is more than a collection of texts. If Christians are part of the new covenant, why should we seek to understand and apply the Old Testament (OT)? Wealth, e" Finding Purpose on Instagram: "We're gathering for The Men's Study tonight, and we're eager to be together in Luke 18! , The impact of this series of events cannot be overstated. More than anything else, however, we learn the most about who God is by reading books that fall into the narrative genre. 6:1415; 1 Cor. After his first encounter with Jesus, Where should we go to know what Paul means by psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs (Eph. Matthew and Luke were next in the chronology. Thanks again! Matthew, much more than the other Gospel writers, highlights for his primarily Jewish audience how Jesus fulfills Scripture. 2:29), all of his teachings in Deuteronomy would still matter: And you shall again obey the voice of the LORD and keep all his commandments that I command you today (Deut. This is a question that does not get enough serious thought in the church. Also, note that wherever the gospel has gone throughout the world, schools and colleges have sprung up. The first was the sin offering. It occurs in three different places (2 Kings 18-19; 2 Chron. Every sin, failure, defeat, or problem in the Old Testament points us to Jesus. 30:6), which we are enjoying today (Rom. 13:8, 10). God revealed Himself through the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings. After Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt and into the wilderness, Joshua ultimately led the military conquest of the promised land. Youre not ad, quate, equipped for every good work. You lack much of what God gave for reproof and correction of your sins. And the author of Hebrews writes, For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries (Heb. Note how the book of Hebrews begins: Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son (Heb. 1:3). Isaiah is a subject of some controversy, but Enns notes that there is virtually unanimous scholarly consensus that Isaiah was written over a long stretch of time. Also, the Old Testament is not merely a bunch of rules. But He fulfilled more than 300! From 1977-1992 he was the pastor of Lake Gregory Community Church in Crestline, California. His life fulfilled hundreds of prophecies aboutthe circumstances about the birth, suffering, death, and glory of a coming Messiah. In the Old Testament history books (Joshua, Judges, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles, Ezra, and Nehemiah), prophets such as Deborah, Samuel, Nathan, Elijah, Elisha, Huldah, and others came forward to speak Gods word to a rebellious people. In the Hebrew Bible, Ecclesiastes stands between the Song of Solomon and Lamentations and with them belongs to the Megillot, five scrolls that are read at various In response, James called for a conference at Hampton Court Palace, during which it was suggested to him that there should be a new translation of the Bible since versions commissioned by earlier monarchs were felt to be corrupt. While we now have the NT, we can, and indeed must, appropriate the OT like Jesus and his apostles did for the good of Gods church. The final form of this text is no earlier than the mid 500s. Both books also stress the proof of Jesus divinity more than Mark did. As with Israel, the Lord calls Christians to lives characterized by love. As you read about how Abraham persevered in faith for over 25 years before God granted the promise of a son, and how he died in faith without owning any part of the Promised Land, except for a burial plot, it strengthens your faith to endure through times when God does not immediately answer your prayers. 4:17-19). spired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for corre. And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself (Luke 24:27). During the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century, books not originally written in Hebrew but Greek, such as Judith and Maccabees, were excluded from the Old Testament. 4:2324). The Cross And Christian Distinctiveness (1 Peter 2:1-10). Maybe youve read the Psalms or Proverbs, or perhaps a few other favorite parts. You cant jump down to hope at the end of verse 4 if you bypass instruction at the beginning. Romans 15:4: For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction . Unbelievers are ignorant about God and His ways, so they live in futility, sensuality, and greediness (Eph. I can anticipate your objections: I tried reading the Old Testament, but I died in Leviticus. It may not directly relate to Christ, but it is part of a larger context that must be u, derstood in light of who He is and what He came to do. 3:8, emphasis added). The purpose of the sin offering was to atone for sin and cleanse from defilement. The main purpose of the OT was for God the Father to reveal to His people exactly who He is. Frontline. Why should we read the Old Testament? We should read the Old Testament because the Bible is the story of God's interaction with the worldand the Old Testament records the beginning of that story. God reveals His nature and His purpose through His Word. To ignore the Old Testament is like making a new friend and never asking about his past. Who is our God? The Book of Revelation is the final book of the Bible, an example of apocalyptic literature that predicts a final celestial war through prophecy. Since we are not under the Old Testament law, how should we apply its moral commands to our lives? Romans 15:4: For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. The result of learning what is written in the Old Testament is that we might have hope. Others only came into existence then. 4:17-19). At the same time, it is written that he was angered and saddened by the betrayal of the people. 5:4647). This is what I think that we are somehow missing. 30:9), Many years you bore with them and warned them by your Spirit through your prophets. (See Rom. The Temple was a type of Christ (John 2:19-21), who is now the dwelling place of God with His people. Some scholars believe it is less a prophecy and more a response to the Roman destruction of the Great Temple and Jerusalem. We strive for accuracy and fairness. If space says anything, the OT matters to God, who gave us his Word in a book. However, if you had been around to ask the apostles John, Peter or Paul about the Old Testament they would have had no idea what you meant. Both used Mark as a reference, but Matthew is considered to have another separate source, known as the M source, as it contains some different material from Mark. What is important is to recognize that we meet the same God in the OT as we do in the New. Years ago, math professor Peter Stoner (Science Speaks [Moody Pres, 1963], pp. so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. All Rights Reserved. Or as you read the story of Joseph in prison, falsely accused of a crime he did not commit, but how God eventually worked it out for His good and sovereign purpose, it encourages you to trust God when youve been maligned. The Gospel Coalition supports the church by providing resources that are trusted and timely, winsome and wise, and centered on the gospel of Jesus Christ. How does the story help make progress to Jesus? (Matt. 3:1516). The Cross And Unjust Suffering (1 Peter 2:19-25), 5. I will get to that shortly. Copyright, Steven J. Cole, 2012, All Rights Reserved. Reading the Old Testament is one of Gods given ways for us to better grasp and delight in the gospel. Ecclesiastes, Hebrew Qohelet, (Preacher), an Old Testament book of wisdom literature that belongs to the third section of the biblical canon, known as the Ketuvim (Writings). It is speculated that Yahweh was possibly adapted from the mountain god Yhw in ancient Seir or Edom. It declares his resurrection. 5:19; Col. 3:16)? 15:32-36). These have never become part of the official Biblical canon, but stem from the same traditions and can be read as alternative views of the same stories and lessons. 3:15). 9:2021; Gal. Hope has the article here: the hope. Paul wrote about this hope (Rom. The Book of Ruth is an example here. They are there, purposely put there by design of the Author. For Paul, Christian preachers like Timothy needed to preach the OT in order to guard the church from apostasy. The OT was the only Bible of Jesus and the earliest church (e.g., Matt. (Neh. 30:9; Neh. I was stunned. That meager show of hands told me that my people were not reading the Old Testament. 40:911; 52:710; Luke 4:1621). After mentioning how, derness disobeyed God, Paul concludes (1 Cor. His resource website is jasonderouchie.com. Similarly, Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea (18:6). I wont ask for a show of hands today, but I suspect that many of you have not read through the Old Testament. It is in these stories we teach to our children that we see the attributes of God: His mercy, grace, sovereignty, and faithful love. According to the text, it was written around 95 A.D. on an island off the coast of Turkey. The Old Covenant Is Over. Following conquest by Alexander the Great, the Hebrew Bible was translated into Greek in the 3rd century B.C. These are known the Apocrypha and are still included in the Catholic Bible. With the exile, all of this came to a sudden and devastating end. New covenant believers can correct and reprove straying brothers and sisters from the OT, when read in relation to Christ, for in it we find many profitable things (Acts 20:20)a gospel of the grace of God (20:24)that call for repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Messiah (20:21). In fact Enns notes that the Dead Sea scrolls show that books 4 and 5 of the Psalter were still in considerable flux near the time of Jesus. (p. 31). It was not until the 5th century that all the different Christian churches came to a basic agreement on Biblical canon. Some of the minor prophets clearly date to the exile or after the exile. The historical sections of the Old Testament show us how people succeeded through faith and obedience or failed through unbelief and disobedience. 20:16). Honoring God in all we do sending forth god's people, WebThe Old Testament is the part of the Bible that was written prior to the time of Jesus Christ. Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord., 9. Picking the right silver dollar would be the odds that Jesus fulfilled just 16 Old Testament prophecies. 5:1-5): Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. WebThe importance of the Old Testament as reflected in the influence it has had through the centuries can scarcely be overestimated. This is an adapted excerpt from How to Understand and Apply the Old Testament: Twelve Steps from Exegesis to Theology (P&R Publishing, 2017), 611. Read through one of the gospels, noting what Jesus said about the Scriptures and how often He quoted Scripture. As Moses asserted, in the day of heart circumcision (Deut. It was during the reign of Hezekiah of Judah in the 8th century B.C. Marcions work focused on the Gospel of Luke and the letters of Paul. So Exodus 14:31 says, "And Israel saw the great work which the Lord did against the Egyptians, and the people feared the Lord; and they believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses." There were certainly sources and even holy texts that predate the exile, and the scroll pictured to the right makes this clear. Years ago at the church I pastored in California, I referred in a sermon to the story of when Sennacherib had surrounded Jerusalem with his army. Without the Old Testament you lack a major part of Gods revelation that He gave for teac, ing about Himself, about man, sin, and salvation. Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases on Amazon.com. I believe that somehow it seems to have been overlooked in the church. He takes sin and repentance seriously, and so should we. 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