You will find aspects of Him youve never known before. [39] You shall plant vineyards, and dress them, but shall neither drink of the wine, nor gather the grapes; for the worms shall eat them. American King James Version; Ezekiel 37). The Old Testament is Our Schoolmaster. Reading the OT, therefore, is one of Gods given ways for us to better grasp and delight in the gospel (see also Heb. I don't think it's accurate, however, to say that Christians . Mr. Ashley attended Ambassador College in Big Sandy, Texas, graduating in 1976 with a theology major and minors in journalism and speech. As Jesus himself said, You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me (John 5:39; cf. In a similar way, the New Testament is the final chapter of the Old Testament. Starting in Genesis 3:15, Scripture starts to talk about Jesus. Throughout the Old Testament, Jesus the Messiah is foreshadowed again and again. Why is it important to study the Old Testament? They make it clear what ordinary people . [8] The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatever passes through the paths of the seas. "All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. We Know All Scripture is God-Breathed It reveals that humanity is created in God's image, created to be like Him and to share rulership with God over the entire universe (Genesis 1:26-27 Genesis 1:26-27 [26] And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. American King James Version). In fact, our students are in classes for almost an entire year before they ever delve into the New Testament. Where should we go to know what Paul means by psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs (Eph. God forbid: yea, we establish the law." (Romans 3:31). [46] And they shall be on you for a sign and for a wonder, and on your seed for ever. Its easy for much of the Old Testament to feel like the black sheep of the Bible, the parts wed rather not give a place at the dinner table. American King James Version; 86:5; 100:1-5). Because the Old Testament is foundational to the New, it brings credibility to some of the things stated in the New Testament. Help Believers to Stay Faithful in a Changing Culture. Yeah, the Gameboy is cool, but you're in the Grand Canyon, man! It is filled with many wonderful stories and characters. Why supporting CTs work around the Christian imagination is vital to reaching the next generation. 1. [62] And you shall be left few in number, whereas you were as the stars of heaven for multitude; because you would not obey the voice of the LORD your God. 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. It is a work of making claims about God and humanity and their relationship. Had the apostle failed to make known the Lords redemptive plan of blessing overcoming curse in the person of Jesus, he would have stood accountable before God for any future doctrinal or moral error that the Ephesian church carried out (cf. We wanted to make a positive case for why we need to read the Old Testament. On the other hand, if an individual or a nation repents of sin and asks God for forgiveness, He is ready and willing to forgive (Deuteronomy 28:15-68 Deuteronomy 28:15-68 [15] But it shall come to pass, if you will not listen to the voice of the LORD your God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command you this day; that all these curses shall come on you, and overtake you: Best Answer. He declares, Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. [5] For you have made him a little lower than the angels, and have crowned him with glory and honor. 1:12). Reading the Old Testament is one of Gods given ways for us to better grasp and delight in the gospel. Study now. concerning the Son that he preached and in which we now rest (Rom. My CT Article on Dorothy Sayers Led to a Book Contract, How CT is Helping Christians Around the World Tell Their Stories, How CT Encourages an AI Technologist to Stand Firm in Tough Times. Its books are divinely inspired and retain a permanent value, for the Old Covenant has never been revoked. [9] He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever. Fast forward to a year and a half ago, and Andy Stanley, famous celebrity pastor, made a comment in a sermon that made some waves, talking about unhitching the Old Testament from Christianity. And that's a testament in and of itself to the relevance of the Old Testament.. If you found this helpful, please consider supporting our work. Christians/Churches claim the Old Testam ent is. [34] So that you shall be mad for the sight of your eyes which you shall see. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets (Matt. 2 Corinthians 1:20 says, For no matter how many promises God has made, they are Yes in Christ. Jesus says 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. It reveals Godthat there is a Creator, that the world didn't just happen, and that He is in control over everything at all times (Genesis 1; Isaiah 46:9-10 Isaiah 46:9-10 [9] Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, For example, Jonah was sent to Nineveh, which is the capital of Syria, a really nasty group of people who were the enemies of Israel. 10:2627). He is the contributing editor of What the Old Testament Authors Really Cared About: A Survey of Jesus Bible (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2013) and author of How to Understand and Apply the Old Testament: Twelve Steps from Exegesis to Theology (P&R, 2017). Have you ever read a whodunnit murder mystery novel? [55] So that he will not give to any of them of the flesh of his children whom he shall eat: because he has nothing left him in the siege, and in the narrow place, with which your enemies shall distress you in all your gates. (NLT) 2 Timothy 2:16 pretty much sums it up here. These are some of the wonderful truths that the Old Testament reveals. 15:4; cf. For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope (Rom. It reveals that there would be a new covenant under which God would give people the gift of His Spirit, which would remove our heart of stone and replace it with a heart that would love and obey God (Jeremiah 31:31-34 Jeremiah 31:31-34 [31] Behold, the days come, said the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: In the whole Bible we meet a God who is faithful to his promises to both bless and curse. GN. American King James Version; Psalms 8:6 Psalms 8:6You made him to have dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet:American King James Version, Hebrews 2:6-8 Hebrews 2:6-8 [6] But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that you are mindful of him? Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell (Matt. The Old Testament Is Authoritative. It can, however, come up with four things the Old Testament does for those who read it. Do you want to know God? However, he now gives all members of the new covenant the ability to do what he commands. It is through the Exodus experience that the Jewish people come to know who they are and whose they are. 19:11-21). Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. If Christians are part of the new covenant, why should we seek to understand and apply the Old Testament (OT)? Accordingly, the apostle emphasized to Timothy, who was raised on the OT by his Jewish mother and grandmother (Acts 16:1; 2 Tim. The history, Law, prophecy, and wisdom of theJewish peoplethat is collected together to make up the Old Testament will enrich our lives in so many ways if we allow it to. "The Old Testament is first and foremost a collection of religious books, created by faith and addressed to persons who share that faith. Luke 16:16), the OT itself maintains lasting relevance for us in the way it displays the character of God (e.g., Rom. Here at New Tribes Bible Institute,we emphasize the crucial nature ofthe Old Testament. It contains some of the most ancient writingseverpreserved. The Old Testament may be old, but it is the beginning of the story of mankind, the gospel, and redemption. [63] And it shall come to pass, that as the LORD rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you; so the LORD will rejoice over you to destroy you, and to bring you to nothing; and you shall be plucked from off the land where you go to possess it. The Brazen Altar was only a temporary solution to the problem of sin. 9:3031). The First Testament, the Hebrew Scriptures, there's a lot of different ways that people talk about the first 39 books of the Bible. For example, in John 8:48-59, Jesus is talking to the Jews. In fact, it was his first special revelation, which set a foundation for the fulfillment we find in Jesus in the New Testament (NT). 3:8, emphasis added). The Old Testament, while not written to Christians, was still written for us. Enter this years First Testament seriesa six-part collection of articles that makes the point that the Old Testament is not only essential context for understanding the New, but worth reading for its own sake. [33] The fruit of your land, and all your labors, shall a nation which you know not eat up; and you shall be only oppressed and crushed always: Rom. [28] The LORD shall smite you with madness, and blindness, and astonishment of heart: [41] You shall beget sons and daughters, but you shall not enjoy them; for they shall go into captivity. 1:12). We need to be able to "rightly divide" God's word. Does it really pertain to our day? It presents a stunning, four-thousand-year-long illustration of the unfaithfulness of man and our desperate need for a Savior. Talking with CTs Theology editor on the recently completed First Testament series and how the adjective old is a misnomer. Even thousands of years ago, people were still people. 1. [26] And your carcass shall be meat to all fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the earth, and no man shall fray them away. The New Testament is not more important because it describes the birth, death, resurrection and ascension of Christ. The first thing to say is, when Jesus Christ came into the world as the long-expected Messiah of the Old Testament, a profound and dramatic change happened in the way we handle the Old Testament. I think what came out from some of the initial drafts of pieces was that we were basically looking at the Old Testament as not being old, meaning outdated and irrelevant. You made him to have dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet. The rest of the OT then builds on this portrait in detail. [34] And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, said the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. [57] And toward her young one that comes out from between her feet, and toward her children which she shall bear: for she shall eat them for want of all things secretly in the siege and narrow place, with which your enemy shall distress you in your gates. And that justice is compassionate, but it's still just. Scott Ashley is managing editor of Beyond Todaymagazine, United Church of God booklets and its printed Bible Study Course. Copy. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching but having itching ears they will accumulate for the themselves teachers to suit their own passion, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. I am a New Testament Christian enough, and a believer in Reformed theology enough, to think that Jesus is also serious when he's talking to the disciples on the road to Emmaus and it says that he opened their minds to understand the Scripturesthe Scriptures here referring to the Old Testament. Hopping into the story in Matthew fails to establish . In Acts 20:2627 he testifies to the Ephesian elders, I am innocent of the blood of all, for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. The whole counsel of God refers to the entirety of Gods purposes in salvation-history as revealed in Scripture. Together they form one complete storythe story of God's deep love for mankind and His plan for humanity. The Old Testament forms a backdrop against which we can understand the New Testament. Please make sure all fields are filled out. Let's briefly summarize some of the things it reveals to us. Is it really worth reading? [27] And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and you shall keep my judgments, and do them. The OT authors understood that they were writing for a future audienceChristians identified with the NT church. [31] And the second is like, namely this, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Because, keep in mind, if we didn't have the Old Testament, we also would not have those New Testament passages which quote it in order to explain or illustrate a teaching. [49] The LORD shall bring a nation against you from far, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flies; a nation whose tongue you shall not understand; But I think you could make that argument because peoples impression of what it is and what it's supposed to do is, in large part, informed by what its called. Why Is the Old Testament Important to Christians? Certainly there are numerous expressions of YHWHs righteous anger in the OT, just as there are massive manifestations of blood-bought mercy in the NT. How did you come up with the name First Testament? 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 Catechism of the Catholic Church explains: The Old Testament is an indispensable part of Sacred Scripture. And if an entire nation sins, it eventually will reap the results of those sins. He and his wife, Connie, live near Denver, Colorado. Its important to note here that, while the age of the old covenant has come to an end (Rom. (2 Kings 13:23), For if you return to the LORD, your brothers and your children will find compassion with their captors and return to this land. 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). 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. For one, the Old Testament lays the foundation for the teachings and events found in the New Testament. It is important to study the Old Testament, and here are eight foundational reasons why: 1. Abraham does not rebel against God. So may we be people who guard ourselves from blood guilt by making much of the OT in relation to Christ. 9:812; Eph. People messed up, tried to perform for God, questioned Him, learned from Him, and either rejected or walked with Him. 5:4647). New Testament authors understand the work of Christ through concepts in the Old Testament. 5:14; cf. . TheNew Testament states some bold things, and the Old Testament backs it up and proves it to be trustworthy. It reveals the plan of Godthat there would be a Savior who would pay the death penalty for your sins and my sins; that this Savior, the Messiah, would establish the Kingdom of God on earth; and that there would be a resurrection of the dead to eternal life (Isaiah 53; Daniel 2:44 Daniel 2:44And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.American King James Version; 7:27; 12:2-3; Job 14:14-15 Job 14:14-15 [14] If a man die, shall he live again? [6] You made him to have dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet: The ancient texts show Him to us in profound and unique ways. 6:5; 10:19); all the other commandments simply clarified how to do it. The Laver of Bronze pointed ahead to Jesus, more than . This is why Paul says in the next verse, All Scripture is . Corroborating with the words of Jesus, Paul says: "Do we then make void the law through faith? Therefore you gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands. It's adherents, known as Christians, are estimated to make up a majority of the population in 157 countries and territories, and believe that Jesus is the Son of God . People today can get saved from Gods wrath and from the enslavement of sin by reading the OT through the lens of Christ. Some of the wisest writing about life, relationships, and the human soul are found in the Old Testament, and we do well to take advantage of those who have gone before us! T he Old Testament is absolutely essential to having a true understanding of the Bible and God's unfolding of the greatest love story of all time. He is giving, jealous, forgiving, loving, and holy. Within the old covenant, love was what the Lord called Israel to do (Deut. But in reality, this series was finalized in 2019, and came out in installments during 2020. And that basically sums up what we understand Jesus's ministry to be about and what he accomplished for us on the cross: compassion and forgiveness coupled with justice and judgment for sin. The series explores topics like how the Old Testament empowered the Black church, how the Old Testament can expand our view of God as not just paternal but maternal, and what the Old Testament has to say to our anxiety, all topics that have a special resonance during a painful and draining year, politically and spiritually. Nevertheless, the point stands that the OT, while not written to Christians, was still written for us. Yet some so called New Testament. Why was the Old Testament so important to the writers of the New Testament, and why is it important to mankind today? Understand the New Testament. [56] The tender and delicate woman among you, which would not adventure to set the sole of her foot on the ground for delicateness and tenderness, her eye shall be evil toward the husband of her bosom, and toward her son, and toward her daughter, And not just because it's the foundation that we build Jesus stuff on. United Church of Godis a501(c)3organization. It appeals to its audiences to acknowledge and serve Jesus as the human expression of the Living God. Expand the message of Beautiful Orthodoxy to the church. 5:17; Luke 24:44; Acts 24:14; 2 Tim. The New Testament is how we best and most know about all these things. As Moses asserted, in the day of heart circumcision (Deut. 6. Now these things happened to [the Israelites] as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come (1 Cor. A: Yes, the Old Testament is God's Word just as much as the New Testament is; in fact, it was the only Bible that Jesus knew (since the New Testament hadn't yet been written). In short we would not understand Jesus as well as we do without the Old Testament. 19952022 All correspondence and questions should be sent to info@ucg.org. And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. Do you want to see and savor Jesus as much as you can? We find him in the OT. [60] Moreover he will bring on you all the diseases of Egypt, which you were afraid of; and they shall stick to you. [48] Therefore shall you serve your enemies which the LORD shall send against you, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron on your neck, until he have destroyed you. The OT creates the problem and includes promises that the NT answers and fulfills. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. So, the fact that the Old Testament exists means that God put it there intentionally. We're so used to thinking about Jesus as our friend, and he is, but that flattens him quite a bit. [8] You have put all things in subjection under his feet. And that even goes to some of the nastier stuff. Here are seven reasons (among many others) why the Old Testament is not only relevant for today's Christian and modern man, it is imperative if we are to fully appreciate the New Testament and rightly understand the gospel. If you skip the first half of any good book and try to finish it, you will have a hard time understanding the characters, the plot, and the ending. 30:8). It also is a book of ethics, teaching people how to . And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. Jesus talks about judgment, sin and wrath, and hell nearly as often as he talks about forgiveness and love. Further, some doctrines of Scripture are best understood only from the OT. The Christian bible has two parts: The old testament and the new testament. [10] He has not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For the LORD your God is gracious and merciful and will not turn away his face from you, if you return to him. Nevertheless, in your great mercies you did not make an end of them or forsake them, for you are a gracious and merciful God. Bob Oliver. If space says anything, the OT matters to God, who gave us his Word in a book. He's loving, but he's also the Lord of history. But now we see not yet all things put under him. The New Testament is the fulfillment of God's plans, purposes and promises which he gave in the Old Testament. President Bidenalong with millions of churchgoersthinks marijuana isnt a dangerous drug. And it's harder to look at God in the Old Testament and say that he's our buddy. That was something that Robert Foster in particular was really keen on, the need to make sure that people care about the Old Testament for its own sake. Ezek. 13:8, 10). 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. The Tabernacle was an earthly place for the ancient Israelites to interact with God. It is the fulfillment of the Old Testament. In the NT we find literally hundreds of OT quotations, allusions, and echoes, none of which well fully grasp apart from saturating ourselves in Jesuss Bible. What is important is to recognize that we meet the same God in the OT as we do in the New. [31] Your ox shall be slain before your eyes, and you shall not eat thereof: your ass shall be violently taken away from before your face, and shall not be restored to you: your sheep shall be given to your enemies, and you shall have none to rescue them. By the end of the Law (GenesisDeuteronomy), the Bible has already described or alluded to all five of the major covenants that guide Scriptures plot structure (Adamic-Noahic, Abrahamic, Mosaic, Davidic, and new). So then it became a matter of finding a new adjective to describe it. Its not writtendirectlyto the church. This faith, however, is only understood rightly within the framework of the whole counsel of God.. Study the Old Testament,because it points to Him. With the NT the Scripture is complete, and we now have in whole the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 3). 6:1415; 1 Cor. The Old Testament answers many questions that are innate in our hearts. Do you want to see and savor Jesus as much as you can? For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. 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). It reveals that sin brings sufferingthat when we sin, there is a penalty. [65] And among these nations shall you find no ease, neither shall the sole of your foot have rest: but the LORD shall give you there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind: 22:3740). 10:28). Perhaps the first passage we should consider is 2 Timothy 2:15, where we are instructed to "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.". The Old Testament also contains examples of: other people that Christians can learn from, eg Job. The Old Testament is a critical foundation for the New Testament. Christians believe that when Jesus came and died for our sins, he said that the old testament did not matter any longer. How much we would be missing if we didn't have the first 39 books of the Bible! He takes sin and repentance seriously, and so should we. This is because Jesus was the fulfillment that's the key New Testament word, the fulfillment and the goal of so much Old Testament religion. Thus God is just as wrathful in the NT as he is in the OT. If you want to know Jesus more, read the OT! Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases on Amazon.com. [47] Because you served not the LORD your God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things; The OT was Jesus's only Scripture and makes up three-fourths (75.55 percent) of our Bible. And so nobody made the argument that we ought to just rename the whole thing. Some may feel that the God of the Old Testament is different from the God of the New. [24] The LORD shall make the rain of your land powder and dust: from heaven shall it come down on you, until you be destroyed. For Paul, Christian preachers like Timothy needed to preach the OT in order to guard the church from apostasy. [33] But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, said the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. In order to understand more about Jesus, its important to know all the thingsthat were said about him and how he was described before He even came to earth. The Old Testament is very important for Christians.
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