The Old Testament

The Old Testament

The Old Testament books show us pictures, examples, and shadows of Jesus. Over and over these pictures show how God rescues humanity from death and slavery. They tell stories and show by example after example, how God pursues us and promises salvation, reconciliation, and restoration.

The Old Testament Law was given to Israel because they wanted rules to follow rather than trusting that God was in the cloud and fire and that He spoke through Moses and Aaron. The Old Testament Law is perfect and cannot be kept by anyone, since no one is perfect except God.

The Law is for the ungodly. It's designed to help them see their need of a savior. Right relationship with God has, always and only, been based on faith in Him. This idea is communicated over and over in the Old Testament writings. Abraham's faith was credited to him as righteousness, for example.

The Old Testament Law was not given to Gentiles. (Everyone who is not an ethnic Jew is a Gentile.) So, the Law never applied to Gentiles.

Since the death and resurrection of Jesus, there is a different covenant. Under this New Covenant, everyone, whether Jew or Gentile, can be made righteous and be reconciled to God by placing their faith in Jesus Christ.

So, we relate to the Old Testament now by looking for all these things. Shadows, examples, and pictures of the Gospel, of Jesus, or God's great love for us. Doing that helps strengthen our faith as we see that He has always been at work rescuing, redeeming, and reconciling humanity.