Understanding the Old Testament

Understanding the Old Testament
by Ryan Duncan, Crosswalk.com Entertainment Editor

The Almighty--we cannot find him; he is great in power; justice and abundant righteousness he will not violate. – Job 37:23 

Like many Christians, when the New Year started I resolved to spend more time reading my Bible. I had already spent most of the previous year combing through the New Testament, so I decided to start at the very beginning and make my way through the Old Testament. Maybe it’s a sign of how little I’ve read my Bible lately, but I had forgotten how brutal the Old Testament could be. In particular, I spent a lot of time going over the Old Testament laws and the punishments for breaking them. It baffled me that the smallest infraction on the most obscure law could often lead to exile, or even death.

If you’re like me, you probably found yourself questioning these pages of the Old Testament. After all, how could a loving God condemn someone so harshly for eating pork or working on the Sabbath? This is a question I still struggle with, but a verse in Deuteronomy helped me toward understanding it more.             

"Do not say in your heart, after the LORD your God has thrust them out before you, 'It is because of my righteousness that the LORD has brought me in to possess this land,' whereas it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD is driving them out before you. Not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart are you going in to possess their land, but because of the wickedness of these nations the LORD your God is driving them out from before you, and that he may confirm the word that the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. "Know, therefore, that the LORD your God is not giving you this good land to possess because of your righteousness, for you are a stubborn people.” –Deuteronomy 9:4-6 

I think our problem is that humanity likes to look at the Bible (and history) through rose-colored lenses. We forget that back then there was no electricity, no internet, no police, no hospitals, and the ruling governments weren’t all that interested in things like free speech or trial by jury. The Old Testament law was a harsh and rigid guideline because the Israelites lived in a harsh and brutal world. God knew that telling the early Israelites to “turn the other cheek” would eventually lead to their destruction, so he took measures to protect them until the world was ready to receive the Gospel of Grace through his Son. The Old Testament will always be difficult to understand, but that does not make God’s love for us any less true.

Intersecting Faith and Life: If there is something in scripture you do not understand, ask a pastor or bring it to your small group.

Further Reading Job 38 

Check out fantastic resources on Faith, Family, and Fun at Crosswalk.com!

HOW DAVID BECAME A MAN AFTER GOD'S HEART

Have you ever wondered why or how a man like David, despite all his sins became a man after the heart of God? In fact, it was God himself that said about David, “I have found a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfill all my will.”1 Samuel 13:13-14, Acts 13:22. Sincerely, among many other things, I have found 3 things that made David, which could also help us as believers in the Lord Jesus to be a man or woman after the heart of God:

1. As soon as the word of God comes to David and points out his sin to him, he always repent with a broken heart, and ask God for forgiveness, as seen in Psalm 51. Through out the whole Bible, the word of God is pointing out evil things that people are doing. And today, it is very imminent that many people who once knew God, have turned their back on God, even pastors are going back to drunkenness, smoking, and anything you can think of. When it points out yours, will you be willing to do like David did?

2. David always hate what God hates and love what God loves. In Psalm 139:21-22, David said, “Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? And am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies. Yes, you do not go about hating people, but you hate the sins they are committing, then, you will show them the love of Christ, because, It was for people like these that Jesus came.

3. David knew how to worship God. In Psalm 34:1, David said, “I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. Honestly, if you cultivate the habit of praise and worship, you’ll see how you’ll be closely drawn to God, for this is the major purpose that man was created. God would have been satisfied with all other things that he created first, but He needed someone who will actually carry out this act of worship. Revelation 4:11 says, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” Yes, help us spread this Gospel message.

May God help us to be men or women after His very own heart in Jesus name. 

Remain blessed. Jesus loves you and I do too.

GOD IS GOOD TO US

Sola, Thank you for this thought-provoking mail. We all need a lot of reflections about our lives to appreciate others in pain. God bless. Bayo  A friend sent this to me. Please take time to read. Thanks! A Story to live by=20 =20 GOD IS GOOD TO US There was a blind girl who hated herself because she was blind. She hated= everyone, except her loving boyfriend. He was always there for her. She= told her boyfriend, 'If I could only see the world, I will marry you.'=20 One day, someone donated a pair of eyes to her. When the bandages came off, she was able to see everything, including her boyfriend...=20  He asked her, 'Now that you can see the world, will you marry me?' The girl looked at her boyfriend and saw that he was blind. The sight of his closed eyelids shocked her. She hadn't expected that. The thought of looking at them the rest of her life led her to refuse to marry him.=20  Her boyfriend left in tears and days later wrote a note to her saying: 'Take good care of your eyes, my dear, for before they were yours, they were mine.'=20  This is how the human brain often works when our status changes. Only a very few remember what life was like before, and who was always by their side in the most painful situations. Life Is a Gift  Today before you say an unkind word - Think of someone who can't speak. Before you complain about the taste of your food - Think of someone who has nothing to eat. Before you complain about your husband or wife - Think of someone who's crying out to GOD for a companion. Today before you complain about life - Think of someone who died too early on this earth.  Before you complain about your children - Think of someone who desires children but they're barren...  Before you argue about your dirty house someone didn't clean or sweep - Think of the people who are living in the streets.  Before whining about the distance you drive Think of someone who walks the same distance with their feet..  And when you are tired and complain about your job - Think of the unemployed, the disabled, and those who wish they had your job.. But before you think of pointing the finger or condemning another - Remember that not one of us is without sin. And when depressing thoughts seem to get you down - Put a smile on your face and think: you're alive and still around. I PRAY THIS MOVES AROUND THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE.....GOD BLESS YOU. It is good to be important, but it is more important to be good. We must know, in order to believe; yet, we must believe, in order to know.  Now, Know ye therefore that Jesus Christ is Lord. Whether you choose to believe him or not, I and my family will continue to believe him. Whether you choose to trust him or not, I and my family will continue to trust him. And, Whether you choose to obey him or not, I and my family will continue to obey him. Jesus loves you and I do too. Erebari Dan Naagbi