Should the Old Testament Be Studied?
By Greg Johnson
May 2, 2007
http://www.LovingGodFellowship.org
There are some today that do not put much emphasis on Old Testament Scripture. Although we are living under a new covenant, please do not throw out the old for sake of the new. Allow the old to increase your faith in the new.
Typology is the study of types in scripture. I love the typology of the Old Testament and how the old always points to the new. As I read the Old Testament and study its typology, my faith grows. There are a few verses in 1 Samuel 15 that I can use to show you the richness of typology in Old Testament Scripture.
GOD’S PEOPLE
The nation of Israel was God’s people throughout the Old Testament. God did not pick them because they were a privileged or special people. He picked them to show His loving, saving and redemptive nature. They were constantly turning their back on God and allowing outside influences to distract them from God’s plan. Nevertheless, God was constantly drawing them to Himself because they were His people. Samuel came giving God’s Word to Israel for their well being. (1 Samuel 15:1 NIV) "Samuel said to Saul, "I am the one the LORD sent to anoint you king over his people Israel; so listen now to the message from the LORD."
Israel in the Old Testament is a type of Christian in the New Testament. Those that have accepted Christ as Savior and have made Him their Lord are children of God. We are God’s people. Under the New Covenant, Peter said (1 Peter 2:9-10 NIV) "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. {10} Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy."
Praise the Lord Beloved! God has called you out of darkness and into His light. God has called you out of bondage and into freedom. God has called you out of Egypt and into the Promised Land. God has called you and has poured His mercies out on you!
SIN
In the Old Testament God was constantly trying to rid the Israelites from evil influences that led to sin. He did not want them to become like the heathen nations around them that served other gods. This led to a lot of blood shed in the Old Testament. Samuel told Saul (1 Samuel 15:2-3 NIV) "This is what the LORD Almighty says: ’I will punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from Egypt. {3} Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.’""
The heathen nations in the Old Testament are a type of sin and evil in the New Testament. As followers of Christ, we must constantly get rid of sin and evil influences in our life. Under the New Covenant, Peter said (1 Peter 2:11-12 NIV) "Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. {12} Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us."
This does not require the shedding of blood in our day as Christ died to sin and shed His blood once and once only so that the power of sin is broken over us. And the Apostle Paul said (Ephesians 6:10-12 NIV) "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. {11} Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. {12} For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."
Beloved, we are to separate ourselves from sin and evil influences. Guard your eyes, your mind and your heart. Use your body as an instrument of God’s power as you serve Jesus and not lustful desires. Christ shed His blood for you so that you can live in freedom and not in bondage. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
CHRIST
There are many types of Christ in the Old Testament. Samuel is one of them. Samuel delivered the Word of God to Saul as Christ does to His followers under the New Covenant. (John 1:14 NIV) "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."
Beloved, the Word is not far from us. Jesus is the Word and He dwells with us. Under the New Covenant, we have the ability to have a personal relationship with The Word Incarnate, Jesus Christ. He is Immanuel; God with us. He is our Bread of Life. As we obey Jesus, we are pleasing and loving God. Jesus said (John 14:15 NIV) ""If you love me, you will obey what I command."
Draw close to Jesus today. As you read and study the Old Testament, let it continually reaffirm to you that you are God’s people, that you need to rid yourself of sinful and evil influences and that you are to love God through obeying Jesus.
