Reading the Old Testament For All It’s Worth

There are Christians and even entire churches that avoid reading the Old Testament, thinking that it is less relevant to Christians since the arrival of Christ on the scene.  Certainly, He ushered in the New Covenant which allows us to be transformed into ‘new creatures’ but the Old Testament has laid the foundation for that New Covenant. Do you recall Jesus, speaking to the men on the road to Emmaus after his resurrection?  He rebuked them for not knowing that the Messiah would have to suffer and, therefore, ‘beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, [He] interpreted to them in all the Scriptures (Old Testament) the things concerning Himself.’ (Luke 24:27)

When we are reading the Old Testament, what should be our objective?  To gain historical information? That is important. To gain moral direction to apply to our lives?  Of course, that, too, is important. But the most important objective is to see God and His Redemptive Plan.  For example, the book of Jonah is not primarily about Jonah, although we can learn much about human character through his story.  But, I believe that the main objective is about the heart of God.  We learn about God’s hatred of sin, but also His desire to show grace and mercy to repentant sinners and that we should express the same to the people we encounter as we live our lives.

I encourage you, the next time you read an Old Testament passage, to find the redemptive story.  What does it tell us about mankind?  What does it tell us about God?  What does it tell us about God’s plan to fix mankind?  Then you will be reading the Old Testament for all it’s worth!