Why
Study the Old Testament?
Why study the Old
Testament? Romans 15:4 gives us the first
clue.
Romans 15:4
For whatsoever things were written aforetime
were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort
[encouragement] of the scriptures might have hope.
The word aforetime
refers to the time frame before the day of Pentecost.
Whatsoever things that were written before the day of Pentecost, like
the Old Testament and the Gospels, which should be included with the Old
Testament, were written for our learning.
What can we learn
from the Old Testament? We can learn many positive things from it. Also
we can read negative accounts of disobedience, that
warn us of evil things to be avoided.
The word “learning”
in Greek is didaskalia (1319). It is
translated “doctrine” in 19 of the 21 places it is used in the New
Testament.
Titus 1:9 Holding
fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by
sound doctrine [sound learning] both to exhort and to convince the
gainsayers.
There is a need for
sound doctrine, sound learning. This verse also implies that there could
be unsound doctrine or unsound learning which gainsayers, contradictors,
antilego, those against speaking,
profess. However they can be overcome with sound doctrine. So we need to
learn sound doctrine to counteract the contradictors of God’s Word.
II Timothy
All Scripture is
profitable for doctrine, for correct learning, on how to believe rightly
so you can manifest that more than abundant life that Jesus Christ has
made available. Doctrine is to be taught correctly so one can believe
correctly.
Ephesians 4:14 That
we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about
with every wind of doctrine [learning], by the sleight of men, and
cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
Romans 15:4 For
whatsoever things were written aforetime, before the day of Pentecost
were written for our learning, so we could believe rightly, positively,
correctly, that we through patience and comfort [encouragement] of the
scriptures might have hope.
The scriptures
written before Pentecost, before the new birth became available admonish
us and encourage
us. We are profited by both the warning and the encouragement to the end
that we can be completely perfected unto every good work.
Thus the end result
of learning correctly what was written before the day of Pentecost, is
that along with the patience and encouragement that these scriptures
bring, we can have hope. We can continue to build the Lord’s return into
our minds and hearts with what we can learn correctly from the Old
Testament.
I Corinthians 10:1
Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all
our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
2 And were all
baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
3 And did all eat
the same spiritual meat;
4 And did all drink
the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that
followed them (following it): and that Rock [
This particular
usage of “not be ignorant” concerns
John
He was looking
forward to the day of Christ. This is how our forefathers stayed
faithful, by looking unto Christ, his first coming. They walked looking
for that day. They saw the sufferings and they saw the glory that would
follow; but they couldn’t see the timeframe that we are living in today,
the administration of grace, the Great Mystery.
I Corinthians 10:5
But
with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in
the wilderness.
6 Now these things
were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things,
as they also lusted.
7 Neither be ye
idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written,
The people sat down to eat and drink, and
rose up to play.
8 Neither let us
commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three
and twenty thousand.
9 Neither let us
tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and
were destroyed of serpents.
10 Neither
murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the
destroyer.
11 Now all these
things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our
admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
The word admonition
in Greek is the word nouthesia
(3559), which literally translated is: “a putting in their minds;”
instruction.
These things
pertaining to the Old Testament were written for our instruction. They
are things we should be putting in our minds. Things we can learn from.
How
Ephesians 6:4 And,
ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the
nurture and admonition [instruction] of the Lord.
We are encouraged to
bring our children up in the nurture, or discipline, of right believing,
of right instruction regarding the lord.
I Corinthians
Hebrews
12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed
about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight,
and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with
patience the race that is set before us,
3 For consider him
that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be
wearied and faint in your minds.
We are encouraged to
consider him, Jesus Christ, and what he accomplished for us in order to
stand for God in this day and time. The “great cloud of witnesses”
referred to in Hebrews12:1 are the great believers of the Old Testament
that chapter 11 lists. Tremendous believers who we
can learn many things from.
In verse 4 of
chapter 11 it says, “by faith” Abel. In verse
5, Enoch, who was the seventh from Adam is mentioned, who was perhaps
the first prophet. Verse 7 mentions Noah, verse 8 reminds us
why Abraham is
called the father of all who believe. Then Sara, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph,
Moses, are all come up in this litany of great believer’s who obtained a
good report card. They all looked forward and lived faithfully looking
toward the first coming of Christ.
In Acts chapter 7,
the great martyr Stephen reminds the leaders of
The Old Testament is
the New Testament concealed.
The New Testament is
the Old Testament revealed.