Without An OT Foundation
The Importance
Throughout our study of the OT, we have compared and contrasted particular subjects in the Old and New Testaments to see what type of insight they can provide us into God’s Word. We’ve looked into the Law, Salvation, the Holy Spirit, and even the relevancy of the OT itself. However, with this being our final post on this topic, I wanted to restate the overall importance of having an OT to begin with. Yes, as believers on this side of the cross, the more applicable and more studied sections of scripture should be the NT with all of us being under the New Covenant. But that doesn’t mean that the OT has nothing to teach us or shine a light on as we read the NT either. As John Piper says, “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. 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.” With that being said, let’s remind ourselves why all of God’s Word is important and not just some of it.
Prophecies
To start, we must remember that God’s Word is to be read like a book. The second half of it won’t mean nearly as much to us if we don’t know the first half. This is particularly true when it comes to the topic of prophecies. When we see the major and minor prophets of the OT come to pass in the NT, we can really begin to see just how amazing God’s work is when a prophecy hundreds of years old comes to pass. One of the biggest things we realize when we read the gospel is how much we need a savior. But one of the biggest things we realize when we read the gospel after we read the OT is how much we desperately need a savior. This is one of those issues where you never know how much help you need until you realize how lost you really are. The OT does a great job of showing us not just why we need a savior, but how impossible it is to get to God without one. Therefore, the prophecies about Christ are some of the most amazing and yet sought-after promises of our Lord back in the OT days. This is why Peter tells us in 2 Peter 1:19-21 “19 So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. 20 But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, 21 for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.”
Whenever God spoke His word to His servants, great anticipation was always in the minds of those who heard the prophecy until it finally came to pass. This of course isn’t as real to us as it was for them. We can easily turn from one page to the next and not realize how many years have passed from one sentence to the next. But for the prophets who needed to wait years, and even lifetimes for the words of God to come to pass, great joy and amazement filled their hearts as their faith in God grew. This is how we must read OT prophecy and fulfilled words from our Lord. When God acts on His promises to mankind, we must always be reminded that we serve a God of truth who cannot lie to us. This should grow our faith in the Lord every time we read about it in His word, and it is impossible to do so without the OT.
The Gospel
In addition to prophecy, the most important aspect of the OT that sheds a brighter light on the NT is the gospel itself. As stated earlier and in even in earlier posts, our need for a savior is seen in a much better light when we realize how lost we are according to the OT. This is why Paul tells us in Romans 3:23-25 “23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; 25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith.” When we are justified through the Son of God, who was prophesied of all the way back in Genesis 3, we realize just how amazing our God is for sending His Son and having such an amazing plan for salvation for us before we were ever born. God’s people can do nothing but offer Him more glory, more praise, and more worship when they read the gospel and realize that Christ isn’t just a way to achieve salvation, but He’s the only way to achieve salvation.
Furthermore, God’s character is verified through His word from the OT to the NT time and time again. We see that God is perfect in His attributes and character everywhere in the Bible and the Testaments combined just further that evidence. This is why David says in Psalm 18:30 “30 As for God, His way is blameless; The word of the Lord is tried; He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.” God is not just blameless and perfect throughout all of His word, but He is tried time and time again and is always proven to be blameless. When we read of God’s amazing love and joy and even His righteous wrath and justice, we can always know that God’s character is perfect and His ways and actions are just and true. This is something that we simply wouldn’t see in such a great light without the OT. When all is said and done, we simply wouldn’t understand the Bible the way we do today without the OT. As we continue to read God’s Word this year, I hope and pray that we do so in light of what all His Word has to teach us, and this definitely includes the OT.
Sources
[1] “Access Your Bible from Anywhere.” BibleGateway.Com: A Searchable Online Bible in over 150 Versions and 50 Languages., www.biblegateway.com/. Accessed 2023.
[2] Piper, J. (2024, January 24). What value is the Old Testament to the Christian life? Desiring God. https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/what-value-is-the-old-testament-to-the-christian-life
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