How do I learn to love reading old testament?

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Lammy

Junior Member
Mar 6, 2018
7
2
0
#1
Hey everyone, im in Numbers at the moment and I'm getting bored out of my mind. I want to read the entire old testament but struggle very much when its so repetitive and a headache. Any advice?
 
T

Tinuviel

Guest
#2
Nope. Slog through :p literally, I read the OT through 5 times, and struggled with some of the Books every time. On my 6th read-through now, and I am finally finding things in the last 3 books of the Pentateuch applicable to my spiritual walk. I firmly believe that some of that is God's blessing to a faithful spirit. Because...there were a lot of times when I didn't WANT to read that stuff. I mean...really? Numbers 7 and Leviticus 13 and 14? How does that help me to grow in the knowledge of Christ and Him crucified? And I read anyway. I really believe God blesses that obedience.

That being said, sure, there are some things to do. Find a good commentary and study your way through. This is especially helpful for laws and prophecies, where you're just left going "wa....?" A study Bible is often cool, because you don't have to carry around a bulky commentary and it's right there. It is especially cool when it tells you how something fits in to the NT.

Another thing that I really, REALLY liked was a chronological reading schedule. A reading schedule of any kind is helpful for me, as it keeps me on track. The chronological one was also lots of fun!

And another thing: Go ahead and read a NT book at the same time you're reading an OT book. It's OK. We all go through times of not getting the OT. So treat yourself at the end of your reading to something a bit easier--a dessert so to speak.

DON'T FORGET TO PRAY ABOUT IT!! :)

Read the Book of Hebrews. It was written to Jews, and is chock full of OT references that make you want to go back to the OT and find out what you missed. And if you look for it, it is there :)
 
T

Tinuviel

Guest
#3
Online sermons are another GREAT resource. Here's a site that I really like: https://www.fpcjackson.org/resource-library/sermons/by-scripture

For a time our church was without a pastor and we listened to some of these sermons. All of the OT books are represented, though not all of them were preached through, so they're not all complete. We were going through a fabulous Genesis sermon series from here. I highly recommend the sermons by J. Ligon Duncan. He's a very gifted preacher.
 
Feb 26, 2018
60
2
0
#4
Hey everyone, im in Numbers at the moment and I'm getting bored out of my mind. I want to read the entire old testament but struggle very much when its so repetitive and a headache. Any advice?
It gets less boring when you meet the star of numbers. The talking donkey. :D
 
T

Tinuviel

Guest
#5
It gets less boring when you meet the star of numbers. The talking donkey. :D
Just read that :). That story just kills me every time. A donkey talks to you, and you talk BACK??? how messed up is that? lol
 
Feb 26, 2018
60
2
0
#6
Just read that :). That story just kills me every time. A donkey talks to you, and you talk BACK??? how messed up is that? lol
I can't imagine. Maybe I will freak out and run if my dog talks to me. Lol!
 

razor17

Senior Member
Aug 16, 2017
192
23
18
#7
Who doesn't enjoy the genealogy of Adam to Moses? lol and Adam begat Seth who begat .... who begat...

at least you practice saying the word begat :p in numbers....
 
D

Depleted

Guest
#8
Hey everyone, im in Numbers at the moment and I'm getting bored out of my mind. I want to read the entire old testament but struggle very much when its so repetitive and a headache. Any advice?
LOL Too funny!

Are you at the part where one family gives a gold bowl, and fills it, and gives the exact same thing the next family and the next family and the next family gives, and yet it is specifically recorded family by family? I'm asking, because my husband was just complaining about that a few days ago.

Numbers! Truly can be one of the more boring books in the Bible.

But you just jumped from Numbers to "The Old Testament." Big jump. Genesis was cool, wasn't it? It moved at quite a quick quip. Exodus really was epic-movie levels in the amount of action going on in that book, so that was mind blowing, wasn't it?

Numbers. Don't you have to admit the name of the book really does tell what it's about? Numbers. Lots and lots of numbers.

Truthfully I'm a numbers kind of person, so I liked it. (And, yes, still got bored with the repeats.) I got into figuring out how many Israelites left Egypt, and did the research, (because, American, so women and children count in my mind anyway.) I got into what the tabernacle looked like. (Wait. That might be the boring stuff in Leviticus. It's been a while since I was in that section of the Bible.) I read to form questions. And then researched to find answers. It kept me interested. Can't say "love reading," but at least it kept me interested. But warning, it also took me a year to get through too.

Hubby solved the problem with reading all the way through by finding a Bible plan that got him through the Bible once a year, and it included three readings per day, OT, The Poetry Books, and the NT. (He does a different one each year now.) At the very best it's like eating the lima beans and liver to get to the dessert. Not so much a "love reading," as much as a "it's good for you."

But don't ever expect the whole Bible to be a "love reading." 40 years from now you probably won't like Numbers much more than you like it today. BUT, in between all that "and there were 212,000 in this tribe" and "They stood at the northeast corner from the tabernacle" stuff, is a larger picture of God's army. The tabernacle/where God stayed to protect his peeps is a reflection of how God sees us. It looks like we're protecting God. It's not that. It's God collecting his kids like a hen protecting her chicks. So see it for what God will show you of it.

Boring, but he really does give us little concepts in how he sees things along the way.

As for boring? Ha! Wait until you hit the prophets. Boring beats depressing. lol
 
D

Depleted

Guest
#10
I can't imagine. Maybe I will freak out and run if my dog talks to me. Lol!
Ask your dog how your heels look. It might be honest and answer, "Rough, rough!"

Ask your dog what's above your head. If it says "Roof," correct it and tell it, "No, it's a ceiling."


 

stillness

Senior Member
Jan 28, 2013
1,257
211
63
69
Walk trough the valley
#11
I read the bible many times and skipped the parts I was not interested in, Later found out I mist out on the prayer of Jabez, because it's hidden in the genealogies. Nnow that you know what you will miss, just type Jabez on Google and you will get the reference, Yes the bible is full of mysteries, I would look for parables with hidden meaning, Like the 2 first kings: Saul and David, the name Saul means desire (to remain in charge) representing the fallen sin nature. David, a man after the heart of God is a picture Of Jesus not taking the kingdom by force from Saul: Jesus will not take us by force.

Here is part of a study about it.
There is a motion of sin in us, while I start working Jesus stops:
"What is gain for me is lost for Christ."
"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
If we do not walk in the light we have, we deceive ourselves and become dull of hearing, so that knowledge of God becomes something far away. In disorder of inner life, spiritual reading does not bring relief. The little value set on Him being what we received: discouragement and loss of vision with disappointed expectations where we stopped short on the journey. "A double minded man is unstable in all His ways."

Enter in as a little child and put away your divided spirit:
"Prepare for war... Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the Lord, is near in the valley of decision."
The old nature still desires control after we receive the Holy Spirit. To arrive at wholeness passes through the valley od decision. “Yes though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me.” David who wrote this Psalm, taken from tending the Father's sheep in the wilderness; confronted the bear and the lion without fear. Alone with God in the wilderness, living for His praise, is the rightful place for fear: in admiration worship of God. This is the confidence to face our public enemy in the world (Goliath) without fear. "Out of the mouth of babes You have ordained strength: to still the enemy and avenger." "The joy of the Lord is our strength."

Saul desires to remain in charge, knowing the kingdom is thorn from Him, and gives his daughter to David in marriage. "Saul said: I will give him her that she be a snare to Him." God responds to Saul is according to his obsession for control. "The evil spirit from God came upon Saul and he prophesied in the midst of the house, and David played with hand as at other times. And there was a javelin in Saul's hand and Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall with it. And David avoided out of his presence twice. And Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with him, and was departed from Saul...and David fled and escaped that night." Leaving the comfort of Saul's daughter, to escape a battle he is not to fight.

Getting past the wall of our comfort zone:
"Michal let David down through a window."
The wall, enclosed with desire to please the old king: when controlled by desires, we can't run from the insanity of a divided spirit. "It shall come to past in the day that the lord shall give you rest from your sorrow and your fear and the hard bondage wherein you were made to serve." Godly sorrow turns us to Him, to continually repent and seek first the Kingdom of God. "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the enemy and he will flee from you." Losing sight of the Lord in these uncertain times is our greatest affliction. "The heir, as long as he is a child, differs nothing from a servant, though he be Lord of all; but is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the Father."

To get past you have to surrender everything:
"They that wait on the Lord shall renew strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint."
To seek the Lord and not take things in our hands again: we learn to soar effortlessly with God, but loose this privilege when controlled by desire in relationships. "Flee youthful lusts that war against the soul," "Flee anger," "Flee from idolatry." "The eyes of the Lord run to and fro through the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is going on to perfection."

God breaks our heart to enlarge our territory:
“Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone, but if it dies it brings forth much fruit."
After the death of Saul, David is king over all Israel, no longer fleeing outward enemies and encounters the enemy within: corrupted by power to take things in his hands with Bathsheba. The sentence of the Lord, "From now on you shall have wars." David was faithful to turn to God in adversity, to yield to Him in affliction. "You did chastise me Lord, and I was instructed."
As contraries otherwise that cannot coexist as one. He has finished the work but requires our agreement with Him as the Passion of Christ takes us captive.

Wounded with His wounds, we journey into union with God:
"These are the wounds I received in the house of my friends."
Carried into His death to all that is not of God, in the truth that sets us free. Obedience to God is dependence on the Holy Spirit. "Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit sais the Lord." To be filled with the Spirit is to go on to know the Lord, in the relationship of Jesus in constant fellowship with the Father: We will not be satisfied until we find our rest in God. Life in this world is a dream that wakes us up when we suffer disappointment; alone in deep darkness, unprepared to suffer the journey alone in the death of Christ. Without the power and leading of the Holy Spirit we are like the disciples at Gethsemane, tempted to go back asleep in the old dream. If we don't know how to interpret we won't enjoy the wonder. What we learn in waiting on the Lord, is more important than what we are waiting for: to persevere through uncertain times, for Grace to renew strength and continue to appear before God. Grace enables us to do "One thing needful," to forget what lies behind and go on to know the Lord, to prepare our heart for spiritual awakening: that we may enter in His rest. "The weapons of our warfare are not of our fleshly mind, but mighty through God to pull down strong holds; turning down imaginations and every proud thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, to bring every thoughts in obedience of Christ."
 
M

Miri

Guest
#12
Hey everyone, im in Numbers at the moment and I'm getting bored out of my mind. I want to read the entire old testament but struggle very much when its so repetitive and a headache. Any advice?

Hi im not sure which version you are reading, but I find it useful
to have several versions. I have them downloaded on my phone and tablet so I
can switch between them. If you are finding it hard going try switching to an easy
to read version for a while.

The New Living Translation is pretty good. I found it a big help that lists of names
and tables are actually recorded as lists and tables. Like this for example.

Suddenly all those lists and numbers make more sense, you can get the overall
picture of the scale of things better in your mind.

It also makes who was the leader of who, more memorable. :)


9A0A1B09-2D74-4A07-AEB9-66B8CFD30687.jpg


2EE8CDE6-A190-4A9C-9389-12BD3C5701C7.jpg

2592A4FD-1DC5-4C3C-8755-DD2A35AB4F44.jpg
 
M

Miri

Guest
#13
LOL Too funny!

Are you at the part where one family gives a gold bowl, and fills it, and gives the exact same thing the next family and the next family and the next family gives, and yet it is specifically recorded family by family? I'm asking, because my husband was just complaining about that a few days ago.

Numbers! Truly can be one of the more boring books in the Bible.

But you just jumped from Numbers to "The Old Testament." Big jump. Genesis was cool, wasn't it? It moved at quite a quick quip. Exodus really was epic-movie levels in the amount of action going on in that book, so that was mind blowing, wasn't it?

Numbers. Don't you have to admit the name of the book really does tell what it's about? Numbers. Lots and lots of numbers.

Truthfully I'm a numbers kind of person, so I liked it. (And, yes, still got bored with the repeats.) I got into figuring out how many Israelites left Egypt, and did the research, (because, American, so women and children count in my mind anyway.) I got into what the tabernacle looked like. (Wait. That might be the boring stuff in Leviticus. It's been a while since I was in that section of the Bible.) I read to form questions. And then researched to find answers. It kept me interested. Can't say "love reading," but at least it kept me interested. But warning, it also took me a year to get through too.

Hubby solved the problem with reading all the way through by finding a Bible plan that got him through the Bible once a year, and it included three readings per day, OT, The Poetry Books, and the NT. (He does a different one each year now.) At the very best it's like eating the lima beans and liver to get to the dessert. Not so much a "love reading," as much as a "it's good for you."

But don't ever expect the whole Bible to be a "love reading." 40 years from now you probably won't like Numbers much more than you like it today. BUT, in between all that "and there were 212,000 in this tribe" and "They stood at the northeast corner from the tabernacle" stuff, is a larger picture of God's army. The tabernacle/where God stayed to protect his peeps is a reflection of how God sees us. It looks like we're protecting God. It's not that. It's God collecting his kids like a hen protecting her chicks. So see it for what God will show you of it.

Boring, but he really does give us little concepts in how he sees things along the way.

As for boring? Ha! Wait until you hit the prophets. Boring beats depressing. lol
Lol

I rather like the prophets, they are so human and depressing! There’s hope for me yet!
 
M

Miri

Guest
#14
Just read that :). That story just kills me every time. A donkey talks to you, and you talk BACK??? how messed up is that? lol

It could talk the hind legs off a man, and was less of an ass than the rider.
God has a funny sense of humour!
 
M

Miri

Guest
#15
Oh and it helps if you ask a lot of WHY questions along the way.

Try a mini bibke study on the different kinds of trumpets used in the bible.
Rams horn (shofar) silver trumpet, seven trumpets in revelation etc.

Have you ever tried to play the trumpet, you pucker up and sort of
spit into the instrument! Some people can do it some can’t.
Just imagine all the priests having to have trumpet lessons whether they
wanted to or not! I bet some were better than others and maybe some were
just plain awful at it and sqeaked rather a lot.



Numbers 10:1-8 NLT
[1] Now the LORD said to Moses, [2] "Make two trumpets of hammered silver
for calling the community to assemble and for signaling the breaking of camp.
[3] When both trumpets are blown, everyone must gather before you at the
entrance of the Tabernacle. [4] But if only one trumpet is blown, then only
the leaders-the heads of the clans of Israel-must present themselves to you.
[5] "When you sound the signal to move on, the tribes camped on the east
side of the Tabernacle must break camp and move forward. [6] When you
sound the signal a second time, the tribes camped on the south will follow.
You must sound short blasts as the signal for moving on. [7] But when you
call the people to an assembly, blow the trumpets with a different signal.
[8] Only the priests, Aaron's descendants, are allowed to blow the trumpets.
This is a permanent law for you, to be observed from generation to generation.
 

Enoch987

Senior Member
Jul 13, 2017
317
15
18
#16
In NUmbers 1, Ephraim is the 7th tribe. In Numbers 26, Ephraim is the 8th tribe. this shows Jacob's cross hand blessing to give the younger Ephraim the right hand blessing. The 2.5 tribes of Numbers 34 are 23% of the 12 tribes. They lead Israel across the Jordan River into the Promised Land in Joshua 1. Find the math rounding error in Numbers 3 for the 3 family clans of Levites. This is a prophecy that the Levites will cheat the firstborn Son of God.
Find the 22200 of Simeon in Numbers 26. In Numbers 25, a grandson of Simeon of killed with a spear which stopped the plague where 24000 were killed. In Numbers 31, God's vengeance took 840,000 spoils of war. the Messiah was cutoff after 24840 weeks (Daniel 9, 69 periods of 7 years = 24840 weeks). Of the 24000 who where killed by plague, 1 Cor. 10:8 only talks of 23,000. 23 represents Jesus in the book of Numbers.
 

jameen

Senior Member
Feb 5, 2018
540
150
43
36
Manila
#17
Hey everyone, im in Numbers at the moment and I'm getting bored out of my mind. I want to read the entire old testament but struggle very much when its so repetitive and a headache. Any advice?
Did you once experience loving an opposite sex?

if Yes then I believe you will not be sick reading his/her love letters to you.

It is also the same in reading the Bible. If you love God too much then you wont mind struggling reading His book even how long and hard to do it.

Don't just read the OT. Read the New Testament as well bro

On my experience, I almost read the contents of the Bible. I can even quote Bible verses when giving advice to someone here in this forum.