This post is inspired by a *discussion* I had with someone on facebook who believes that the Old Testament is simply Jewish history and bears no significance to us today. I, and more importantly, Jesus, quite disagree ...
{Jhn 5:39} Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. -Jesus
There was NO *New* Testament when Jesus said these things; only the Old Testament, which was known as: The Law (first five books of Moses), Chronicles of the kings, the Psalms, the Judges, and the Prophets.
{Jhn 6:45} It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me. -Jesus
The purpose of the Old AND New Testaments is to record, and testify, in writing ... as a *witness* ... of thing that would take place in the future; as well as things that were happening at the time of their writing that would bear significance to the people or nations being addressed ...
{2Ki 17:13} Yet the LORD testified against Israel, and against Judah, by all the prophets, [and by] all the seers, saying, Turn ye from your evil ways, and keep my commandments [and] my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the prophets.
{Jer 7:25-27} Since the day that your fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt unto this day I have even sent unto you all my servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending [them]: Yet they hearkened not unto me, nor inclined their ear, but hardened their neck: they did worse than their fathers. Therefore thou shalt speak all these words unto them; but they will not hearken to thee: thou shalt also call unto them; but they will not answer thee. {see also Jer 26:5, 29:19, 35:15, 44:4}
{Eze 38:17} Thus saith the Lord GOD; [Art] thou he of whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those days [many] years that I would bring thee against them? {Speaking of the future Gog, of the land of Magog}
{Zec 1:6} But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not take hold of your fathers? and they returned and said, Like as the LORD of hosts thought to do unto us, according to our ways, and according to our doings, so hath he dealt with us.
By the way, NO ONE writes the good, bad, and ugly about themselves for all to see, no one. The OT was written by Hebrews/Israelis and much of it was doom & gloom as a witness against them, and other nations. The Old & New Testaments are witnesses for us -and- to us even now ...
{Deu 31:26} Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee. {"this book of the law" is the first five books of the bible, which were a written testimony of the covenant between God and His people Israel}
{Mat 24:14} And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. - Jesus {"this gospel" would include all of the Old Testament, much of which was expressed in the New Testament as those things prophesied of were being expounded on or fulfilled}
{Act 7:42} Then God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, O ye house of Israel, have ye offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices [by the space of] forty years in the wilderness?
We don't need to do sacrifices today, which was only -a type- of what was to come in Jesus' ultimate sacrifice on the cross. He has paid the price of our sins and nothing else needs to be done except for you to accept the gift of His precious, sinless life in place of your own self-centered, sinful one.
The behavior of nations were recorded in Old & New Testaments. These *testaments* were, and still are, Covenants between God & mankind; we call it history, but they are much more than that. Israel and many other nations were warned of future events that would result from their iniquity. The bible is the written word of God. And Jesus IS the promised, physical, manifestation of the Word of God in the flesh. The entire bible is HIS-story (history). It's a living book, as relevant to us today as it's ever been to anyone in the past. The more you study it the more you see that it's ALL about Him.
{Jhn 1:1-5} In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
NO ... the written words in our bible are NOT done away with ... neither the Old nor the New Testaments. They are both witnesses, in writing. You can believe them in their entirety.
{Mat 5:17 KJV} Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. -Jesus
{Luk 24:44 KJV} And he said unto them, These [are] the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and [in] the prophets, and [in] the psalms, concerning me. -Jesus
{Jhn 1:45 KJV} Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
{Act 28:23 KJV} And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into [his] lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and [out of] the prophets, from morning till evening. {Speaking of Paul}
Paul, and ALL of the apostles & disciples used the Old Testament (first witness) to bring people to the saving grace of Jesus, the Messiah/Savior of the world. And then they wrote our New Testament (second witness) as another confirmation of His grace & glory. Two witnesses that agree in harmony of Jesus. Many of us believers are still writing!
If there are things you don't understand in either the Old -or- the New Testaments (Covenants) then it is YOU that is wrong, not God's word ... seek Him for understanding.
Thanks for reading ;o}
{ALL scripture here is KJV. Blue text quotes God. Red text quotes Jesus. Curly bracket comments mine.}
