Why the Old Testament

Here are some points from the second session of the Old Testament Survey titled "Why the Old Testament".

 

 

Why does the OT seem irrelevant?

 

1.    Its large size and breadth of the historical coverage

The New Testament has 27 books covering an estimate of 100 years, whereas the Old Testament consists of 39 books starting from the beginning of creation and covering thousands of years.

2.    Distant historical/cultural settings

E.g. Eastern Empires and family customs

3.    Moral perplexities

E.g. Holy war, multiple wives and slavery

4.    Unfamiliar/enigmatic style of expressions

E.g. Hebrew narrative: repetition to express emphasis, Solomon's expression of affection – ".. thy nose is as the tower of Lebanon.." - Songs of Solomon 7:4.

5.    Difference between OT and NT dispensation

E.g. Law, cleanness and uncleanness

6.    Inferiority of the Old Covenant

(Hebrew 8) The fault of Israel did not keep the covenant therefore God made a new covenant.

2 Corinthians 3: Contrasts ministry of Moses. The old covenant is a covenant of condemnation and is temporary, the new covenant is permanent is about the knowledge of God & forgiveness.

 

 

Why study the OT?

 

1.    OT comprises 77% of the Bible

If we claim that the Bible is the Word of God, should we not give more attention to that part which holds ¾ of it?

2.    OT deals with some doctrines more completely than the NT – i.e. more detailed.

Examples:     Covers attributes of God (Genesis, Exodus, Psalms, Isaiah etc)

                        Doctrine of sin – where it came from and its affects,

                        Satan and angels,

                        Eschatology: gives more literal interpretation

3.    Provides perspective on God's working throughout history

OT gives reasons for things & how it was developed – how things got to the way it is today

4.    OT is highly valued by Jesus and the Apostles

How many times the NT writers base/quote their arguments to the OT?

1/3 of the NT quotes the OT (that means 77% + roughly 7.67% = almost 85% of the bible is OT!)

 

 

Why Does the NT Value the OT?

 

1.     The OT continues to be God's means of spiritual enlightening

(2 Peter 1:1-21)

2.     The OT continues to be God's instruments of salvation and sanctification, leading to effective service

(2 Tim 3:14-17)

Right Motivations to Study the Bible

The author of Psalm 119 talks about his love for the Bible which is also known as the Law:

Psalms 119:18 Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.

Psalms 119:50 This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened [revived] me.

Psalms 119:16 I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.

Psalms 119:97 MEM. O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.

Psalms 119:20 My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times.

The Psalmist didn't even have most of the Bible completed when he spoke about God's word being so amazing. He probably only had the first five books of the Bible, the books of Joshua, Judges and Ruth. How much more are we blessed having the whole counsel of God available to us now!

The Bible is the only book in the world where the Author is present while the reader is reading it no matter where they are. This is interesting as many people doubt that the Bible can be read properly by mere lay people but that is the role of the Holy Spirit - to guide the reader.

Here are some right motivations to study the Bible.

1. Spending time with God at a personal level.
   From Psalm 119, it is revealed that God HELPS us by opening our eyes verse 18, giving understanding v27,34,73, teaching us v12,26,33.
   
   GOD MINISTERS to us through the Bible by using it to comfort us v52,82, revive us v50,93, strengthen us v92, give us peace v165, and a catch all, he - helps us v175.
   
   OUR RESPONSE is to love God v47,48,97, delight in God v16,24, believe God v42,43, long for God v20,40, rejoice in God v14,111, fear (respect or revere) God v120,161, cling to God v31, and give thanks to God v162,164.
   
   Basically, the Bible is not just a handbook but a self revelation of God. We are to look for God in the Bible, not to find things for ourselves per se. It is in the meeting with God that we are able to change. We cannot just learn God's requirement and meet them on our own. We all fail miserably at meeting His standard. It is getting to meet with God through the Bible that we can change. eg Moses met with God and was changed.
   
   
2. Study the Bible to be transformed by God
   2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
   
   The Bible teaches us what is right (doctrine), what is wrong (reproof), how to make things right (correction), and how to keep it right (instruction in righteousness).

Wrong Motivations to Study the Bible

This is from the Old Testament Survey EBI course that we are also studying whilst trying to read the Bible in a year. It is a video series from Bob Jones University. Here are Ken Cacillas's explanations on wrong motivations to study the Bible. Hope this does justice to his introductory message, Right and Wrong Motivations to Study the Bible.

1. To fulfil an obligation Quite often we read the Bible because we feel bad if we don't and we do it to appease our conscience. This is not a motivation to read the Bible that will go the distance as a long term motivation to read the Bible. This is also a natural legalistic tendency that as humans we tend towards - like wanting to earn our salvation we want to earn God's favour by reading the Bible. It is through God that we can have righteousness, sanctification and redemption (1 Corinthians 1:30, Ephesians 2:8,9) We should rest in the reality of redemption.
   
2. To accumulate information While the Bible is an instruction manual for life, to say that is all it is brings down the value of the Bible. God intends that we have fellowship and enjoy getting to know God through reading the Bible. For example, while the Corinthian church was rich in knowledge but they were still sinful.
   
3. To find a "verse for the day" Sometimes when we lift a verse for the day, we take the verse out of context. We have to realise that the Bible is contextual and must be read in consistency with its immediate context, the book context, the literary context, the historical context, the writer's context, and which testamental context it comes from.

What's a Heave Offering? (Numbers 15:19, 21)

I'm sure you are wondering about this one. THis is from the Easton Bible Dictionary.

Heb terumah, (Ex 29:27) means simply an offering, a present, including all the offerings made by the Israelites as a present. This Hebrew word is frequently employed. Some of the rabbis attach to the word the meaning of elevation, and refer it to the heave offering, which consisted in presenting the offering by a motion up and down, distinguished from the wave offering, which consisted in a repeated movement in a horizontal direction, a "wave offering to the Lord as ruler of earth, a heave offering to the Lord as ruler of heaven." The right shoulder, which fell to the priests in presenting thank offerings, was called the heave shoulder (Le 7:34; Nu 6:20). The first fruits offered in harvest-time (Nu 15:20-21