The Whole Book
Some Christians find the Old Testament boring, difficult to read, and even irrelevant to their Christian walk today. They cannot relate to Jehovah God, the strong taskmaster and fearsome Ruler of the Israelites. Others of us love all the stories of the Bible, not just the stories of Jesus. After all, He is the Word, there from the beginning. The Old Testament foreshadows the New Testament in beautiful ways. What wonderful teaching you are missing if you don’t get into the stories of the heritage of Christians!
It’s fascinating how very human the struggles that God’s people faced in ancient times, and how familiar they seem to us still. These accounts in the Old Testament so often reveal circumstances and situations we continue to face today. That same God is our God. We can stand on His promises, trusting that He will fulfill them all. He will complete every one of His promises about us claiming our land of promise: the kingdom of love, peace, and joy within. We also learn from their mistakes, connect with their troubles, and identify with them—the obedient and the rebellious!
Perhaps I love the stories of God’s people in the Old Testament because I learned them at my father’s knees. We were privileged to have a father who read us Bible stories from the Old and New Testament every night after supper on the farm. He carried out what his parents had done in his growing-up years. These were short biblical accounts in language that we children could understand. Some of it was still quite puzzling and brought up questions.
While Dad did not know all the answers to why Jehovah God did what He did, what a gift my siblings and I were given, sustained to this day within us. What wonderful memories these are! Our Christian father created in us a knowledge of the history and the word of His people and we are forever grateful for it. This built up our most precious faith as we learned about God’s faithfulness to His people through all their tribulations:
“And the Lord gave them rest on every side, just as He had sworn to their fathers. None of their enemies could stand against them, for the Lord delivered all their enemies into their hand.
Not one of all the Lord’s good promises to the house of Israel had failed; everything was fulfilled.” Joshua 21:44-45 Berean
God was faithful and trustworthy then, just as He is now. What amazing truths we can learn as we seek the Lord to understand His word. We see how difficult it is for some to yield their superior role to the next generation God is calling. King Saul’s jealousy of David’s popularity with the people and the sense of his future as King led Saul to treat David very badly. He continually tried to kill this young man he had loved and brought into his household. Read about all David went through dealing with Saul’s murderous jealousy of him.
David spent fifteen years running for his life, waiting and being taught by God until witnessing the fulfillment of his calling to be King. He could have killed Saul more than once but he did not. Saul was still God’s anointed and David let God decide on when the nation’s leadership would change. He did not take matters into his own hands about this even though he believed God’s word for his future.
What a godly attitude King David had toward Saul, a friend who had become an enemy. Surely His judgment of Saul was redemptive:
“After Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, ‘David is in the Desert of En Gedi.’ So Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and set out to look for David and his men near the Crags of the Wild Goats. He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself.
David and his men were far back in the cave. The men said, ‘This is the day the Lord spoke of when he said to you, `I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.' Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul's robe. Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe.
He said to his men, ‘The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord's anointed, or lift my hand against him; for he is the anointed of the Lord.’ With these words David rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way.
Then David went out of the cave and called out to Saul, ‘My lord the king!’ When Saul looked behind him, David bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground. He said to Saul, ‘Why do you listen when men say, `David is bent on harming you'? This day you have seen with your own eyes how the Lord delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, `I will not lift my hand against my master, because he is the Lord's anointed.'
See, my father, look at this piece of your robe in my hand! I cut off the corner of your robe but did not kill you. Now understand and recognize that I am not guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion. I have not wronged you, but you are hunting me down to take my life. May the Lord judge between you and me. And may the Lord avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you.” 1 Samuel 24:1-12 NIV
It did not change Saul’s heart beyond that moment, but think of this godly leader who absolutely refused to avenge himself and rebuked his followers when they urged him to do so. When his men advocated that David to “take his revenge,” David refused. He still called Saul his father, remembering how he had been a member of Saul’s household and treated like a son. David shows Saul that he has no evil intent towards him, despite what men are telling him, but Saul’s heart is unable to believe or trust.
What a lesson for us! How hard it can be when God seems to give us an opportunity to hurt or destroy others who are trying to do that to us. There are always others around urging to seek victory and revenge at every opportunity. David could have railed against Saul for all the suffering he was causing David but he did not. He had his enemy’s life in his hands but left that to God. David found he could not even cut off a piece of the robe of the Lord’s anointed. This was taking action into his own hands rather than waiting on what was the Lord’s business.
Instead, David revealed his continuing love and respect for King Saul, even though Saul did not believe him. David was obedient to the Lord despite years of misery caused by Saul. What do you think this taught David’s men about doing what God leads you to do, rather than taking matters into your own hands? God says not to repay evil for evil. Yet how common it is for us humans to feel justified in taking revenge?
In fact, any of us can find a circle of support in “getting back at” those who wrong us. In human eyes, the more deep, lengthy and costly the wrong done to us by others, the more we seem to believe such actions are due, rather than what God has said about these matters. The phrase “you get what you deserve” sounds wise, but it is not true. None of us have gotten what we deserve as sinners saved by grace. Thank God He sees it differently!
It was typically a rocky road for Old Testament saints on the way to fulfilling their promised calling and purpose. Consider the Old Testament example of Esther being born for “such a time as this?” God did not make her a queen to enjoy the palace and its riches. Oh no, He had her there to save her people! Are we not born for such a time as this?
Consider Jacob living in a household of ongoing conflict between his two wives. This was created by the jealousy and competition between sisters Leah and Rachel. Jacob was unfairly treated by their father, who promised him Rachel for seven years labor. Instead Jacob was tricked into marrying the apparently unattractive older sister, Leah. Jacob had to worked another seven years for their father before he was allowed to marry Rachel and establish his own land and flocks.
And the battle between these two wives sounds sadly familiar! It may not be two current wives battling for supremacy but jealousy and competition are surely present today as it was then. There’s a commonality in all our human battles for position, pride, and even love. We seem to have a built-in fear, an assumption that we won’t get our share, that someone else will get what we want or at least have an easier time in getting it.
Old Testament stories of the men and women of faith show us that, whatever our calling, God will have us in readiness to fulfill it. Our confidence builds in Him as we relate to the struggles and doubts of the saints. Read about Moses, who told God he wasn’t fit to lead His people because he did not speak well. Consider Sarah laughing when God said she’d have a baby when she was 90, long past childbearing age. Read about Jeremiah who was faithful, even compelled, to say what God told Him to say despite being repeatedly rejected, beaten, and jailed for it.
Read the powerful words of prophecy foretold by the faithful obedience of Old Testament prophets. They told of God’s future plans as well as were called to speak corrective words to others. They did not often witness repentance to salvation from their words, many suffering greatly for obedience to God. They learned there was no guarantee that others would honor or receive their anointed words and behavior, learning that this is neither promised nor routine.
In the Old Testament, we find many saints to identify with in their struggles. I can understand Jonah refusing to go to Nineveh because he knew God would have him predict disaster, the people would repent, and he’d look like a fool. Maybe it is not a good thing, but it makes me chuckle to read about Jonah pouting, sitting under a tree when it happened just as he’d feared. Jonah shows himself to be one stubborn dude, apparently preferring to be proven right more than obedient.
Jonah also did not hesitate to tell the Lord what was in his heart, which was no surprise to God. This reluctant but faithful prophet did not agree with God’s redemptive judgment, to the point he wanted to die:
“But to Jonah this [saving the city of Ninevah] seemed very wrong, and he became angry. He prayed to the Lord, ‘Isn’t this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish.
I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. Now, Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.’ Jonah 4: 1-1-3 Berean
Jonah learned that God gives and He takes away. Either way, it is God’s business, God’s justice and mercy that was provided or withdrawn. Thus He made His point as He did to Moses in Exodus:
“And he said, ‘I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lordbe fore thee, and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.” Exodus 33:19 KJV
And in Romans:
“For he saith to Moses, ‘I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.’
So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy.” Romans 9:15 15-18 KJV
God rains on the just and the unjust. He decides about mercy and judgment in each situation. We could sum up His message this way: He is God and we are not! We realize this as we deal with anything that is far beyond our understanding. Along with Jonah, we may occasionally become angry about God’s decisions regarding mercy and justice. Why does He heal, save, bless, and deliver this one and not the other? Why are our circumstances allowed to be so consistently unequal, at least in outward appearance?
He does not have to explain His ways to us, but He often chooses to do so, particularly for those who are seeking truth and understanding from Him. We need to “eat the whole book” by the spirit as the angel told Ezekiel in the Old Testament and John in Revelation:
“And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, ‘Give me the little book.’ And he said unto me, ‘Take it, and eat it up and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.’” Revelation 10:9 KJV
We need to eat the whole of His word, though it may at times be a bitter pill to swallow. Peter spoke of our path of growth as the way to become “participants of the divine nature,” to make our calling and election sure:
“…employing all diligence, in our faith supply virtue, yet in virtue, knowledge, yet in knowledge, self-control, yet in self-control, endurance, yet in endurance, devoutness, yet in devoutness brotherly fondness, yet in brotherly fondness, love. . .
Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble.” 2 Peter 1:5-10 Concordant
Layer upon layer, all works together to be like our Lord, like building blocks of His character within us: diligence (persistence), virtue (being morally right), knowledge (wisdom), self-control (restraint over impulses), endurance (ability to withstand hardship), devoutness (devotion to God), brotherly fondness (loyal affection), and love (unconditional agape caring).
His ways are beyond understanding, but He promises to explain Himself by the spirit. He does reveal His secrets to those who love Him. We surely do not need to explain or defend our God in what He does or does not do, only if the Holy Spirit directs us to speak. We can and should read and learn from the whole book, Old and New Testaments, because as Paul tells the Corinthians:
“Now these things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. So the one who thinks he is standing firm should be careful not to fall…” 1 Corinthians 10:11 Berean
Read the whole book and let the holy spirit allow you to see the Old Testament saints as humans struggling to deal with their God, just as we do. There are vast differences in culture and lifestyle, but they were all people learning to follow Him and do His will…or not. None had the depth of the Holy Spirit within that we have since Jesus Christ came, however, so no wonder they struggled to obey and serve God!
When you eat the whole book, you will consider the Old Testament feasts, their patterns of tabernacle worship, the rise and fall of ruling dynasties, and the great leaders and prophets of the ages as patterns from which we can learn and grow. While we cherish the words and behavior of our Lord Jesus Christ in the New Testament, we can be sure He is present all the way through God’s book.
The writings of the Old Testament also teach us much about heaven and the foundation of our faith:
“The place where they serve is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the Tabernacle: ‘See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.’" 1 Corinthians 2:17 Berean
“Therefore you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone.
In Him the whole building is fitted together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord.…” Ephesians 2:19-21 Berean
Is it not miraculous how this one Book continues to teach God’s truth through the Holy Spirit? God refines and clarifies, showing us more and more of Who He is so we may be more like Him. We learn that we are in great company with the saints who have gone before us. He is fitting us together as lively stones growing into His holy temple, a dwelling place for God.
“Come to Him [the risen Lord] as to a living Stone which men rejected and threw away, but which is choice and precious in the sight of God. You [believers], like living stones, are being built up into a spiritual house for a holy and dedicated priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices [that are] acceptable and pleasing to God through Jesus Christ.
For this is contained in Scripture: Behold, I am laying in Zion a chosen Stone, a precious (honored) cornerstone and he who believes in Him [whoever adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Him] will never be disappointed [in his expectations.” 1 Peter 2:4-6 Amplified
Peter quoted directly from the Old Testament:
“So this is what the Lord God says:‘ See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; the one who believes will never be shaken.’” Isaiah 28:16 Berean
We are a part of all of the saints that have gone before us. God is building His house with us. It is a spiritual house created from the Living Stone that is Christ Jesus, our Lord. We offer spiritual sacrifices from our hearts rather than the animal sacrifices of that era. The great prophet, Isaiah, foretells the coming of Jesus as the precious Cornerstone, our sure foundation. All of the disciples saw Jesus Christ fulfilling what they had learned from God’s people of old.
Jesus often quoted the Old Testament in His teachings, as did other New Testament writers. It was still truth to them and had stood through time, though it did not bring the righteousness God so desired in His people. This was fulfilled only through our Lord Jesus Christ. God knew it would not and could not, so He prepared His only Son to be revealed and known as the righteous Cornerstone of the house of God, not built by hands.
The whole Book is good to eat and absorb. It will continually nourish us on our walk, reconciling us back to God. He will write His truth upon our hearts so we may believe and never be shaken. Aren’t you glad?