For the Love of the Old Testament
The lover of the Bible meditates on the Word of God, day and night (Ps 1:2), because he treasures it in his heart (Ps 119:11). The lips of him with Scripture knowledge to impart has something far more precious than gold and jewels to share (Prv 20:15).
The Bible is God’s unique record of revelation made manifest for humanity to know how great is our God, the Creator and Sustainer of all things and our Savior (Gen 1:1; Col 1:16; Heb 1:3; Titus 3:5). In Him we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28).
The Bible has much to say about God. It also has much to say about humanity. The relationship between God and man is central to what we learn from God through His Word. The Bible is the Word of truth (Ps 119:142), which is why many despise and reject it in unbelief (1 Sam 15:26; Is 5:24; 30:12; Jer 6:19; 8:9; Jn 12:48).
The children of the father of lies are the children of the devil (Jn 8:44; 1 Jn 3:10). The devil is Satan, our adversary, who enslaves humanity in sin (Rom 6:6). Sin is lawlessness (1 Jn 3:4), which is exposed, even exacerbated by the Law of God (Rom 5:20; Gal 3:19). No man is justified before the righteous judgment of God by the works of the Law (Rom 3:20, 28; Gal 2:16). The day of judgment is coming for all people, in which we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ (Rom 14:10; 2 Cor 5:10), that is, the great white throne of God (Rev 20:11), in order to give an account of our lives.
All these things are known to us because God tells us what He would have us to know in this special revelation preached to all people (Mt 24:14; Mk 16:15). There is a division in the Bible we wish to explore. It is the comparison of the Old Testament and the New Testament.
Testament is a legal term pertaining to one’s will at the time of death. It ensures that the one dying has their intentions executed posthumously. In the Bible, the death of Christ, the Son of God enfleshed is key to understanding the Old and the New.
Christians tend to gravitate toward the New Testament because it explains the Old Testament. In this, the Old Testament tends to illustrate for the New, which is why the writers of the New Testament readily quote the Old. In addition, the Old finds its fulfillment in the New. Thus, the Bible reader should delight in both the Old and the New. For this reason, there should be no neglect in studying both testaments.
Christians, those who were baptized into and who belong to Christ (Gal 3:29), are akin to the people of faith in the Old Testament. Because we have been adopted into the family of God (Eph 1:5), having received the Spirit of adoption (Rom 8:15, 23), we relate to the faithful in both testaments as our ancestors. These are our people, not necessarily by blood, but because we share the same faith handed down to them and to us.
A Jewish person may object to this but the Apostle Paul wrote that not all (ethnic) Israel is true Israel (Rom 9:6). The reason is that not all Jews have the faith of Abraham. This is the faith in the covenant promises of God made to the chosen patriarch some 2,000 years before fulfillment began at the coming of Messiah. Simply put, the whole Bible is about Jesus Christ. To reject Him is to reject Abraham and Moses because they both point to Jesus as the promised seed and a prophet to be listened to by the faithful (Dt 18:15–18; Gal 3:16).
The Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) anticipate the coming Deliverer, who will save God’s people (Joel 2:32; Rom 11:26). Some 350 Old Testament texts serve to identify this unique person in human history. Only one person fulfilled the role as Messiah and no one else even came close. Thus, knowing Jesus of Nazareth, the reader of the Old Testament feasts on the knowledge that God’s sovereign will and plan is in effect and working to precision.
Five major sections comprise the Old Testament canon. The Pentateuch makes up the first five books as revelation granted to Moses. Next, there are the history books, telling the story of Yahweh’s dealing with Israel. These are followed by the wisdom literature designed for God’s people to live virtuously under the scrutiny of God. The major prophets (larger writings) are followed by the minor prophets (shorter books). Christ Jesus is revealed in all five sections. Literary genres tell us something of the Bible’s human authorship but the divine Author is behind it all (2 Tim 3:16; 2 Pet 1:20–21). This is His story…God’s story…our story.
God intends for Christians to read and study the Old Testament for their blessing and benefit. If Jesus Christ is the wisdom of God and the power of God, then behold the wisdom and power of God at work in the Old Testament (1 Cor 1:24).
God is good to Israel; and the Israel of God is Jesus Christ (Ps 49:1–6; 73:1). He is the head of His church (Col 1:15), the body of Christ (Rom 12:4-5; 1 Cor 12:12), the Israel of God (Gal 6:16). Every character type in the Old Testament faithful leadership is typologically pointing to Jesus Messiah. Where faithful men of old were flawed, we see Jesus fulfilling every type to perfection. Where we see the obstinate and unbelieving Israelites, we see ourselves in desperate need of the indwelling and sanctifying Holy Spirit (1 Cor 6:11; 1 Thess 5:23; 2 Thess 2:13; 1 Pet 1:2).
The confidence we enjoy as Christians is only strengthened and emboldened by further study of the Old Testament text. There we learn the beauty and glory of Christ Jesus, our Lord. This is for our edification as New Testament believers. A disobedient Adam, a lying Abraham, an angry Moses, a sulking Elijah, a weeping Jeremiah, etc. all serve as foils to highlight the perfections of Jesus Christ.
Blessed is the lover of the Old Testament for he or she will see God and His Christ. Take up and read of Him who has revealed Himself to us for His own glory. In this, God is glorified and certainly honored when we come and learn from Him, from His Holy Word delivered to the saints of old and handed down to us (Jude 3).
David Norczyk
Spokane Valley, Washington
August 21, 2023
