The Old Testament provides the history of a people; the New Testament focus is on a Person. The Old Testament shows the wrath of God against sin (with glimpses of His grace); the New Testament shows the grace of God toward sinners (with glimpses of His wrath). The OT authors understood that they were writing for a future audienceChristians identified with the NT church. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell (Matt. From 1977-1992 he was the pastor of Lake Gregory Community Church in Crestline, California. To overcome our problems and to live joyfully in this troubled world, we need hope from God. Similarly, Paul taught nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass: that the Christ must suffer and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles (Acts 26:2223). It does not seem honest or genuine to declare that the OT is primarily about Jesus, which is what we often hear. Its religious significance is indicated primarily by These texts are taken as indications of the diversity of early Christianity. Who is our God? Reading the OT, therefore, is one of Gods given ways for us to better grasp and delight in the gospel (see also Heb. It makes us wise to salvation, giving us a Web25 Likes, 0 Comments - Finding Purpose (@finding_purpose) on Instagram: "We're gathering for The Men's Study tonight, and we're eager to be together in Luke 18! "'This renewal began first with the renewal of the people of God (chapter 5 or ", What is the Purpose of the Old Testament? If that describes you, then youre not reading the Bible of Jesus, Paul, and the other apostles. I fog over reading the boundaries of the twelve tribes in the land. You lack much of what God gave for reproof and correction of your sins. The form this takes, however, is not exactly the traditional evangelical understanding and we would do well to rethink the form and purpose of the Old Testament. For Christians the Old Testament is a fundamentally Christ-centered document. The Keller Center for Cultural Apologetics helps Christians show unbelievers the truth, goodness, and beauty of the gospel as the only hope that fulfills our deepest longings. The epistles were written by apostles, who were key Christian teachers infused with the power of the Holy Spirit and inspired to tell people how they, too, can live, think, and Every sin, failure, defeat, or problem in the Old Testament points us to Jesus. If interested you can subscribe to a full text feed of my posts at Musings on Science and Theology. As weve seen (2 Tim. Maybe youve read the Psalms or Proverbs, or perhaps a few other favorite parts. 21:1-14). 1:12). profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work (3:1617). As I was lying in bed Sunday night, I was thinking some random thoughts about the main purpose of the Old Testament. Hope has the article here: the hope. Paul wrote about this hope (Rom. Fifty further unused Biblical texts were discovered in Nag Hammadi in Egypt in 1945, known as the Gnostic Gospels. This is important because it is a basic tool of hermeneutics, the interpretation of Scripture. 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. The Cross And Our Response to Trials (1 Peter 4:12-19), 8. You cant jump down to hope at the end of verse 4 if you bypass instruction at the beginning. As I referred to that story, I could tell from the looks on peoples faces that many had no clue of what I was talking about. Far from setting aside the OT, Jesus stressed that he came to fulfill it, and in the process he highlighted the lasting relevance of the OTs teaching for Christians: Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. After Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt and into the wilderness, Joshua ultimately led the military conquest of the promised land. On the contrary, it is filled with stories of God's faithfulness, God's ways, God's purposes, God's power, This implies becoming a thinker and a student so that you can understand the written Word. In short, you lack an unde, 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. We need to understand the OT by seeing what God was saying to His people back then. Or if you are reading the Old Testament, but its not changing how you think, how you process your trials, and how you feel in the midst of your trials, youre not reading it rightly. If you want to know Jesus more, read the OT! Ill be honest in saying that I find parts of it tedious to read. 5:4647). The Book of Revelation is the final book of the Bible, an example of apocalyptic literature that predicts a final celestial war through prophecy. Youre not ad, quate, equipped for every good work. The second chapter of The Evolution of Adam addresses the question of when and why Genesis, the Pentateuch, and indeed the entire Old Testament, was collected, written, edited, and shaped into the form we have today. As Pauls words were circulated, an oral tradition began in churches telling stories about Jesus, including teachings and accounts of post-resurrection appearances. Is there a more explicit declaration of YHWHs incomparability than Isaiah 40, or a more succinct expression of substitutionary atonement than Isaiah 53? To ove, come our problems and to live joyfully in this tro, bled world, we need hope from God. Do you want to see and savor Jesus as much as you can? ing that tribulation brings about perseverance; ance, proven character; and proven character, hope; cause the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory? Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures. 13:8, 10). (I invite you to read an article I wrote on the Trinity.) Jesus is seen in OT history in types. Nevertheless, in your great mercies you did not make an end of them or forsake them, for you are a gracious and merciful God. First, though, I believe we need to fine-tune our The King James Bible is possibly the most widely-known edition of the Bible, though in England it is known as the Authorized Version.. Christ emphasized, Whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets (7:12). Based on this fact, NT authors regularly used the OT as the basis for Christian exhortation, assuming its relevance for Christians (e.g., 1 Cor. The Muratorian Canon, which is believed to date to 200 A.D., is the earliest compilation of canonical texts resembling the New Testament. His life fulfilled hundreds of prophecies aboutthe circumstances about the birth, suffering, death, and glory of a coming Messiah. The very God who spoke through the OT prophets speaks through Jesus. 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. 5:18; 1 Peter 1:1416). , The defining moment for the New Testament writers remains the defining moment for Christians today. Scanning through a brief overview of Old Testament history, we see the Israelites leave Egypt, but they didnt settle right away. You lack much of what God gave for reproof and correction of your sins. He read the Old Testament and it shaped Him. 4:31; 2 Chron. There are many such issues where you have to seek God for understanding and submit to His Word, even when you dont understand. O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! We also see glimpses of Jesus scattered throughout the OT in types and shadows. He will be the One who will save people from their sins. We believe in one holy Christian and apostolic church. It is theorized there may have been an original document of sayings by Jesus known as the Q source, which was adapted into the narratives of the Gospels. Ill give 10 reasons why the first word in the phrase Old Testament must not mean unimportant or insignificant to Christians. Paul, citing Deuteronomy 32:35, asserts: Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord (Rom. The Philistines were one of the Sea Peoples who immigrated to Palestine from the Aegean region. God has provided this for us not only in the New Testament, but also in the Old. About one in ten Amer, cans suffers from depression and depressed people need hope. It is also where we see how God relates to His people. 1:3). The Conservative and Christian Resistance to Hitler. First printed in 1611, this edition of the Bible was commissioned in 1604 by King James I after feeling political pressure from Puritans and Calvinists demanding church reform and calling for a complete restructuring of church hierarchy. He received a B.S. If you wish to contact me directly you may do so at rjs4mail[at]att.net. WebNew Testament, second, later, and smaller of the two major divisions of the Christian Bible, and the portion that is canonical (authoritative) only to Christianity. The authors of these books are unknown, and each book possesses a unique tone, style, and message. I will get to that shortly. The writings have a range of dates and often represent collections of materials from different sources. Jesus rebuked the Jews for not reading the Old Testament in light of Him (John 5:39-40): You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life. After His resurrection, He told the two men on the Emmaus Road (Luke 24:25-27). Therefore you gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands. They needed to be reminded of Gods attributes time and time again because of their stubbornness. Change). For example, Exodus 23:19 commands The Law provided the foundation for how to think about justice, mercy, and love. To him all the [OT] prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name. Here the NT apostle identifies himself as a proclaimer of Jesus as judge, whereas he says the OT prophets proclaimed Jesus as the means of forgiveness. so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. During those three days, their grim circumstances were no different than before, but their spirits were uplifted because they now had hope. 12:19). People today can get saved from Gods wrath and from the enslavement of sin by reading the OT through the lens of Christ. This scroll has phrases from the Pentateuch, in particularly the Priestly Blessing of Numbers 6:24-26, inscribed upon it. The exile was the most traumatic event in Israels ancient national history and was therefore extremely influential on how the Israelites thought of themselves as the people of God. 33:16; Acts 18:6). I will get to that shortly. The Old Testament Is Authoritative. Disapproving of the effort, the Roman church expelled Marcion. These words were written about the nature of Yahweh and were divinely hand-crafted in their time for their benefit. 6:23; 1 Tim. However, it is not harmonious and unified just because Christ can be seen in both. Jesus did not come to replace the Father, but to reveal Him. Authorship is ascribed to John, but little else is known about the writer. 30:9; Neh. No, the Old Testament is a revelation about Yahweh in relationship with humankind, specifically with his chosen people.. Either way, the trauma of exile was a significant factor if not the driving factor in the creation of what has come to be known to us as the Bible. (p. 27). In fact, it was his first special revelation, which set a foundation for the fulfillment we find in Jesus in the New Testament (NT). During the reign of Josiah in the 6th century B.C., the books of Deuteronomy and Judges were compiled and added. Its important to note here that, while the age of the old covenant has come to an end (Rom. Most of us know the details of his life as it is described in Gen. 37-50: he was the favorite son of Jacob, he was given a multi-colored coat, it made his brothers jealous, they put him in a pit where he was sold into slavery, he was successful in taking care of Potiphars house, he was falsely accused and unjustly thrown into prison, he was taken out of prison when he interpreted Pharaohs dream, and eventually was put second in command. 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. What did Jesus mean by saying if we knew Him we would know the Father? On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets (Matt. In John 8:19, Jesus boldly stated to the Pharisees that if they knew Him, they would know the Father also. Joseph. This shaped how first century Christians, including the New Testament writers, viewed scripture and used scripture. . Then he detours for one verse (15:4) to emphasize the importance of Scripture to instruct us so that we can endure trials with encouragement and hope. This faith, however, is only understood rightly within the framework of the whole counsel of God.. Accordingly, the OT narrative builds anticipation for a better king, a blessed people, and a broader land. What Is a Woman? Sections of the New Testament attributed to Paul talk about Jesus with a firsthand feeling, but Paul never knew Jesus except in visions he had, and the Gospels were not yet written at the time of Pauls letters. Starting with the birth narratives and scattered throughout the book, Matthew quotes and alludes to dozens of OT verses. Other than in the Sermon on the Mount in Matt. 5:12-19.) We meet the same God in the Old Testament as we do in the New Testament. Help train Christians to boldly share the good news of Jesus Christ in a way that clearly communicates to this secular age. But there are many more such promises throughout the Old Testament (e.g., Ps. His future once for all atonement can be seen in the repetitive animal sacrifices at the temple in Leviticus. They also encourage us with the truth that God will judge those who persist in evil and He will reward the righteous. The books that eventually were considered canon reflect the times they were embraced as much the times of the events they portray. 4:2324). So its true that we gain perseverance from the Old Testament, but also we need perseverance to study the Old Testament to gain the hope that it brings. It was into this mix that Jesus came when the time was right, as the fulfillment of the Scriptures, as Gods Messiah. Jesus called Him the Comforter, which I appreciate (John 14:16). Some would say the main character is usually fairly obvious. Transforming people's bodies to biblical teaching and study. One of the major points of Peter Ennss new book The Evolution of Adam: What the Bible Does and Doesnt Say about Human Origins, perhaps the major point, is that the Old Testament points toward Christ. How does the story help make progress to Jesus? (Matt. 6:1415; 1 Cor. His blood sacrifice on the cross was portrayed at the first Passover in Exodus. The historical sections of the Old Testament show us how people succeeded through faith and obedience or failed through unbelief and disobedience. Also, I would advise you to read the Old Testament in an accurate modern translation (either ESV or NASB) study Bible, such as The ESV Study Bible or The MacArthur Study Bible. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture Quotations are from the New American Standard Bible, Updated Edition The Lockman Foundation, Related Topics: Basics for Christians, Christology, Issues in Church Leadership/Ministry, Old Testament, Sanctification, Spiritual Life, Steve served as the pastor of Flagstaff Christian Fellowship from May, 1992 through his retirement in December, 2018. It is rooted in history and in Gods interaction with his people throughout history, but it is focused on the return from exile and the coming of Gods Messiah as fulfilled in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The image to the right (taken from wikipedia) is of a silver scroll dated to sometime around 600 BCE. The first was the sin offering. from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 5:19; Col. 3:16)? The book of Psalms is a collection of some 150 poems, praises, laments, hymns at least some of which are clearly post-exilic. 30:6), which we are enjoying today (Rom. This means that if youre not reading the Old Testament, youre missing a major source for hope in the midst of your trials. Thus God is just as wrathful in the NT as he is in the OT. 4:2). The original texts are believed to date back to around 120 A.D. The exact beginnings of the Jewish religion are unknown, but the first known mention of Israel is an Egyptian inscription from the 13th century B.C. It is Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, or someone else. In this offering, something unusual was done with the blood: The priest shall 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. The Old Testament was the only Bible that they knew. 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! Foremost among these prophets was Isaiah, who anticipated the day when YHWHs royal servant (the Messiah) and the many servants identified with him would herald comforting good news to the poor and brokennews that the saving God reigns through his anointed royal deliverer (Isa. Despite all of the incompleteness of the Law and the difficulty of interpreting prophetic passages, there is much to be learned by Gods people now by discovering what God revealed about Himself to His people way back when. 4:31; 2 Chron. The Temple was a type of Christ (John 2:19-21), who is now the dwelling place of God with His people. Frontline. As I understand it, this is one of the oldest existing fragments of the biblical text. 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). It was primarily to the Old Testament that Paul referred when he wrote to Timothy (2 Tim. (p. 32). But, its not always easy to draw a line from an Old Testament text to Christ. (See Heb. Please make sure all fields are filled out. Why We Cant Unhitch from the Old Testament. Where else can we go other than the OT to rightly understand sacred space and the temple? Who is the main character in any OT narrative? Is it reasonable to view the collected and edited form of the Old Testament as, in large part at least, a response to the experience of the exile? 7:12), points to the excellencies of Christ, and portrays for us the scope of love in all its facets (Matt. Jesus often cited the Old Testament in His moral teaching (Matt. The Old Testament is the first section of the Bible, covering the creation of Earth through Noah and the flood, Moses and more, finishing with the Jews being expelled to Babylon. It is on display in the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, where I saw it and first learned of its existence. (Read, The Jesus Story Book Bible, by Sally Lloyd-Jones.). The Book of Ruth is an example here. Moses also said that those enjoying this divine work in this future day would obey the voice of the LORD and keep all his commandments that I command you today (30:8). The Pentateuch sets up the Deuteronomistic history and was also brought into the final form we have today during the exilic and postexilic period. Second-century Syrian writer Tatian attempted to create a canon by weaving the four gospels together as the Diatessaron. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. The Old Testament is full of rich (and 100 percent reliable) history and is the only true foundation for understanding the world around us. 10:2627). Im not telling you that the Old Testament is always easy to read or understand. And we know from other Scriptures (James 5:10-11; Heb. The Old Testament, while not written to Christians, was still written for us. HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate. O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 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. Depressed people need hope from God saw it and first learned of its existence, and glory a! Men on the Cross was portrayed at the end of verse 4 if you bypass instruction at the in.... ) for Christians today lying in bed Sunday night, I was lying bed! We go other than the OT by seeing what God gave for reproof correction! 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