At the first of the year, I started a Bible reading plan that would take me through the Bible in one year. There are several different reading plans people use to read through the Bible. Some sort the books by chronological order. Others arrange the schedule so that one reads a portion of both the Old and New Testaments each day. The plan I followed this year went through the books of the Bible in the order they appear. I have been able to keep up with the schedule (though there were times I was playing catch-up) and am currently up to date with the readings.
On October 1, I finished the book of Malachi. That means it took just over nine months to finish the Old Testament.
This served as a simple reminder that we cannot ignore the Old Testament Scriptures. Yes, we are under a new law (Hebrews 8:8-10) and the old law was nailed to the cross (Colossians 2:14). But that does not mean the Old Testament is worthless to us today.
When Paul wrote to the saints in Rome, he followed up his condemnation of the Gentiles with a condemnation of the Jews. The Jews were God’s chosen people under the Law of Moses. But what about under Christ? If both Jews and Gentiles are guilty of and accountable for sin, the Jews might wonder: What advantage is there to being a Jew? Paul addressed this question:
“Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the benefit of circumcision? Great in every respect. First of all, that they were entrusted with the oracles of God” (Romans 3:1-2).
While both groups were one in Christ (Galatians 3:28), the Jews had a great advantage – they were entrusted with the oracles of God. They had the Old Testament that they had grown up reading and studying. They knew the instructions and the prophecies. The Gentiles, generally, were unfamiliar with this revelation.
Why did the Old Testament give the Jews an advantage? And how is the Old Testament of value to us?
It Tells Us About God – In the Old Testament, we are first introduced to God. It tells of His power in Creation (Genesis 1:1; Psalm 19:1). We learn that He is faithful (Lamentations 3:22-23), jealous (Exodus 20:5), unchanging (Malachi 3:6), along with many other divine characteristics.
It Tells Us About Christ – Paul wrote, “The Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith” (Galatians 3:24). Timothy was reminded of “the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15). These “writings” were taught to Timothy “from childhood,” indicating that this is not referring to the gospel, but the Old Law. The Old Testament is filled with prophecies that speak of Christ, His role, and His work.
It Shows Us God’s Plan – God’s “eternal purpose” was “carried out in Christ” (Ephesians 3:11). When we read through the Old Testament, we see this eternal plan of God unfolding – from the prophecy in the Garden, to the promises to Abraham, the deliverance of Israel from Egypt, the conquering of Canaan, and, despite the unfaithfulness of the people, the preservation of a remnant so that Christ could descend from Abraham and David as prophesied.
It Shows Us God’s Care for Man – The psalmist marveled, “When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained; what is man that You take thought of him, and the son of man that You care for him?” (Psalm 8:3-4). As is alluded to in these verses, God’s creation of a world that can sustain life shows His care for man. But more than that, He richly blessed the Israelites as they followed Him (Deuteronomy 28:1-14). Looking forward to His plan of redemption through Christ, salvation would be open to all people, both Jews and Gentiles (Isaiah 2:2-4; 11:10).
It Shows Us God’s Willingness to Punish – The Hebrew writer warned of the punishment for disobedience: “For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty, how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?” (Hebrews 2:2-3). In the Old Testament we see a pattern of God’s willingness to punish those who disobeyed Him – Adam and Eve in the Garden (Genesis 3:22-24), the wicked people in the flood (Genesis 6:5-7), the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah for their immorality (Genesis 19:12-13; Jude 7), and many more.
It Gives Us Reason to Have Hope – The saints in Rome were told of the value of the Old Testament as well. Paul told them, “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” (Romans 15:4). When we put everything together, we see the character of God and His care for man in providing for him – not just physically, but spiritually. He has made salvation possible through His eternal plan that He began to carry out from the beginning. We are warned about His willingness to punish those who rebel against Him; but we also learn that He is patient, longsuffering, and willing to save, if we will faithfully obey Him.
Conclusion
The gospel is “the power of God for salvation” (Romans 1:16). We serve God today under a new covenant (Hebrews 8:8-10). But this does not mean we should ignore the Old Testament. There are many valuable lessons to learn from this part of the Bible. We have noticed a few of them here. In your study of the Bible, be sure to learn from the Old Testament so that you may have a better understanding and appreciation of what is in the New Testament.
This article is one of the fifty articles included in the book Plain Bible Teaching: The First Ten Years. Click on the link to read more about the book.
I must really thank God,bringing me across this blog.its changed my understanding and given me a right perspective towards Gods word especially the law of moses.God bless you Andy
Samson, thanks for your comment. I’m glad to know this material has been helpful. To God be the glory!