Is the OT relevant to Christians?

[justbyfaith]

Regarding the OP question,

2 Peter 1:3-4 tells me that certain parts of the Old Testament (the promises) are relevant to believers in Christ.

 

[Laura798]

The OT appears to me to be the history of and prescriptions for Jewish people...also God does not appear as loving as in the NT (please don't ban me, just my opinion!)

Salome,

The whole of the Old Testament points to Christ and God's redemption of mankind. It also give precise accounts of people, kings and historical events and a simple explanation of the creation of the world--an interesting fact. NASA had an article a number of years ago stating that light existed before the sun, moon and stars came into existence--this is EXACTLY what Genesis states.

In the Old Testament the pre-incarnate Christ appeared to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses--he was also the priest Melchizedek--note that he is not flesh and blood, but like the angels takes on human form--even many Christians are unaware of this.

You can read more here: https://www.wordsoffaithhopelove.com/jesus-in-the-old-testament-christophanies/

Also their are many prophecies pointing to Christ--for example the Book of Daniel http://www.abideinchrist.com/messages/danielchristcomingmessiahprince.html

Here is an article that discusses the differences in the Old and New Testament
https://www.compellingtruth.org/God-different-OT-NT.html

The prophet Isaiah prophesied Christ paying the penalty for our sins 700 years before Christ was even born.

Isaiah 53: 4-12 (and this is just one example of several)

Surely he took up our pain
and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
stricken by him, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
8 By oppression[a] and judgment he was taken away.
Yet who of his generation protested?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
for the transgression of my people he was punished.[b]
9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence,
nor was any deceit in his mouth.
10 Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
and though the Lord makes[c] his life an offering for sin,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.
11 After he has suffered,
he will see the light of life[d] and be satisfied[e];
by his knowledge[f] my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,[g]
and he will divide the spoils with the strong,[h]
because he poured out his life unto death,
and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.

 

[SalomePortman]

Salome,

The whole of the Old Testament points to Christ and God's redemption of mankind. It also give precise accounts of people, kings and historical events and a simple explanation of the creation of the world--an interesting fact. NASA had an article a number of years ago stating that light existed before the sun, moon and stars came into existence--this is EXACTLY what Genesis states.

In the Old Testament the pre-incarnate Christ appeared to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses--he was also the priest Melchizedek--note that he is not flesh and blood, but like the angels takes on human form--even many Christians are unaware of this.

You can read more here: https://www.wordsoffaithhopelove.com/jesus-in-the-old-testament-christophanies/

Also their are many prophecies pointing to Christ--for example the Book of Daniel http://www.abideinchrist.com/messages/danielchristcomingmessiahprince.html

Here is an article that discusses the differences in the Old and New Testament
https://www.compellingtruth.org/God-different-OT-NT.html

The prophet Isaiah prophesied Christ paying the penalty for our sins 700 years before Christ was even born.

Isaiah 53: 4-12 (and this is just one example of several)

Surely he took up our pain
and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
stricken by him, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
8 By oppression[a] and judgment he was taken away.
Yet who of his generation protested?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
for the transgression of my people he was punished.[b]
9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence,
nor was any deceit in his mouth.
10 Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
and though the Lord makes[c] his life an offering for sin,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.
11 After he has suffered,
he will see the light of life[d] and be satisfied[e];
by his knowledge[f] my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,[g]
and he will divide the spoils with the strong,[h]
because he poured out his life unto death,
and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.

This is a fantastic answer, thank you!

 

[Adstar]

The OT appears to me to be the history of and prescriptions for Jewish people...also God does not appear as loving as in the NT (please don't ban me, just my opinion!)

Yes all the Bible is relavent to Christians.. But the Bible must be taken as a whole not in parts.. God revealed his standards and the penalty for transgressing His standards.. He also revelaed He was long suffering towards the Hebrews but that longsuffering did not cause God to withold justice and judgement upon transgressors..

So in the OT God makes it clear what the problem is.. Humans are the problem.. Time and time again the Hebrews rebelled against God and turned away from Him.. God then punished them and time and time again He then showed mercy upon them restoring them to prosperity.. But in the end the Hebrews persisted in their rebellion.. The final rebellion was their rejection of the Messiah Jesus..

God revealed through the NT the eternal solution to humanities faults their inability to live up to the standards of God.. Salvation through believing Jesus and trusting the Atonement provided by God Himself..

So the OT demonstrates the problem and the NT reveals the solution..

Now for those humans who reject the solution of God the wrath of God will be upon them.. Just take the time to read to the end of the Book of Revelation and read how terrible the wrath of the LORD is going to be upon those who reject His WORD and persecute His beloved Children on earth.. The wrath of God prophecised in the end of the NT is far worse then anything God did in the OT..

 

[Gideon300]

The OT appears to me to be the history of and prescriptions for Jewish people...also God does not appear as loving as in the NT (please don't ban me, just my opinion!)

I struggled with the OT. I had to quit studying it for a time. All I got was how Israel rebelled, complained, went into idolatry and sin. However, there are eternal principles in the OT and we see a side of God's character that is less obvious in the NT. It is also true that the OT is frequently quoted in the NT. If we look at the OT overall and not just the negatives, there is a great of help there. The psalms are often personal and speak of real people with real struggles. Psalm 139 seemed as if it was written just for me. Proverbs is amazing. The prophetic books are history, sometimes before it happened!

If we do not understand the creation of Adam and Eve and God's purpose for them, we will not know our true destiny. If we do not know about Adam's act of high treason, we may wonder why God is so mad at sin. There is a great deal to gain from the OT. Having said that, I would recommend becoming familiar with the NT first. It will help us to get a better understanding of the OT.

 

[Edify]

1Cor 10:6Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did. 7Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.” 8We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. 9We must not put Christc to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, 10nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer. 11Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.

The moral law of the OT is to be observed. This is why the NT isn't as big as the OT, because these moral laws were already written down.

 

[Laura798]

This is a fantastic answer, thank you!

You're welcome, Salome!

 

[Laura798]

This is perhaps what I don't understand. Why is OT law not a perscription for Christians?

Dear Salome,

Perhaps this was answered elsewhere, but here it goes. The Israelites were both a nation and a people of faith. The Mosaic law--that is the law written by Moses was only for the Israelites. Note that Jews came out of the tribe of Judah, the remainder of the 12 tribes were scattered and assimilated into the surrounding nations. In the New Testament the Gentile believers were told only two things from the law,

"Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood."--Acts 15:20

However, we are called, in love and allegiance to God to keep the 10 Commandments--these unlike the Mosaic Law were 'written in stone' by the very hand of God. The Law (Mosaic) and the Ten Commandments are two different things.

"When the Lord finished speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai, he gave him the two tablets of the covenant law, the tablets of stone inscribed by the finger of God."--Exodus 31:18

"Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”--John 14:21