Old Testament

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The Old Testament

The Old Testament is an important part of our study as believers because it shows us in pretty vivid detail God’s desire to have a people set apart to worship him. Your thinking will be challenged and your heart encouraged through the stories of these ordinary and flawed people. No matter how dark yours or the world’s situation seems. God has a plan. No matter how inadequate you feel, God loves you and wants to use you in his plan. No matter how sinful and separated from God you are, his salvation is available.

The Old Testament contains thirty-nine books total and the first five, which we will reflect on, are called the Pentauch or the books of Law. These five books make up the Scripture in which the Jewish faith is founded on.

In the first five books, Genesis will recount creation and pinpoint the time when sin entered the world and how people struggled with their sin nature while striving to please God. Exodus contains the enactments of Moses and how he was instrumental in bringing the Israelites out of bondage. The Passover, the parting of the Red Sea, and the 10 Commandments are all contained in Exodus. Leviticus contains accounts of the priesthood and instruction. Numbers has enactments of false idol worship, punishment, and the forty years of wandering in the wilderness. Finally, Deuteronomy is the account of the ceremonial, civil, and social laws set forth for the Israelites.

The most important message of the Old Testament is the need for Messiah to save the people from their sins. The Jewish people do believe that a Messiah will come but not that Jesus was the Messiah. The word spoken of in the OT was Jesus who was with God in the beginning, who came to earth and walked among men and then gave His life to save them.

Questions:

1. What has been your experience in studying the Old Testament?

2. Think about your story to this point. How have you seen God work in your life in the past? Recently?

The Journey Archive – Old Testament