The Purpose of the Old Testament Today

Introduction. The Bible is actually two separate libraries containing a total of 66 books. The first library is called the Old Testament with 39 books. The second library is called the New Testament with 27 books. The NT contains the writings of Jesus’ apostles and prophets, inspired by the Holy Spirit to reveal the New Covenant which was established and purchased by Jesus Christ. Since Christians are now under this New Covenant, all that it commands is binding upon all Christians as the Law of Christ. The OT is now only an historical record of events and laws found under the Old Covenant. God made the first covenant with Moses and Israel on Mt Sinai. The first five books were written by the inspired prophet and lawgiver, Moses. The rest of the books were written by other prophets chosen by the Holy Spirit to reveal God’s commands, rebukes, and expectations to Israel.  After Israel rejected and crucified Jesus, God brought it to an end, which is why it is now called “old.”

• In that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away. (Heb. 8:13).

Although it is called obsolete, it is only in regard to the binding nature of its laws, priesthood, animal sacrifices and tabernacle. Since it has all been replaced with the new covenant, those ordinances and customs would soon vanish away when Hebrews was written almost 2000 years ago. God was very clear that “all authority was given” to Jesus and that anyone who would sought to bind the Law of Moses would become “severed from Christ” and “fall from grace.” (Gal. 1:6-9; 5:3-4).
 
So, what should we do with the OT? Should it all be forgotten and not read? Does God still have a very important purpose for the OT today? There are several Scriptures that reveal what God wanted us to use them to accomplish.

1. They were written for our learning to give us patience and comfort.

• For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. (Rom. 15:4).

Everything written before the NT are the Scriptures found in the Old Testament. They were all left for us to learn. It is a divine textbook, written not only to guide and direct those who lived under it, but also to give those who would live under the New Covenant patience and comfort leading to hope. There is nothing in the Old Testament that should be overlooked, skimmed over or forgotten. They still contain all the history of God’s creation from the beginning until the arrival of Jesus that God wanted us to know. Within this history are the stirring examples of His faithful children as well as the terrible examples of those who rebelled against Him.
 
2. They contain a record of the lives of “the great cloud of witnesses” God recorded to encourage and give us hope.

• Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. (Heb. 12:1).

Beginning with Abel’s righteous worship promoting Cain’s wicked persecution and continuing through Enoch, Noah, Abraham and others, God has revealed that each of these men and women have a story to tell and we would be wise if we listened and made applications from each of them. Abraham is just as much our father today as he was of Israel under the Law of Moses. “We like Isaac are children of promise,” and “Abraham’s seed heirs according to the promise.” (Gal. 3:26-29; 4:28). The men and women found in the Old Testament are therefore our ancestors, and because “that which has been is that which will be and that which has been done is that which will be done” (Ecc. 1:9-11), their examples are just as pertinent and applicable today as they were when they lived.
 
The more we can learn about these people the more powerful their testimony will become and the clearer we will see why God so testified about them. Their lives can change ours for the better, motivating and convicting us. They can reprove and rebuke, exhort and admonish, and provoke us to love and good works. How many of these people do we know well? How often are our decisions modified or plans changed because their lives help us see what we must do to be successful and victorious?

•  My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. 11 Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord — that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful. (Jas. 5:10-11)

Yet it is not just the good examples that God wants us to learn from.
 
3. They also contain a record of the ungodly lives of those who rejected God. All who came out of Egypt, through the Red Sea, and brought to Mt Sinai with a few exceptions (Joshua and Caleb), were recorded as our examples and written for our admonition and warning.

• Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. (1Cor. 10:1-12)

There are so many similarities between Israel leaving Egypt and journeying to the promised land and our leaving the world and journeying toward the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ that the Holy Spirit used their lives as an example for our own. For the most part the testimony is negative with God showing us through their mistakes what we must never do if we are to avoid their fate. Although this passage specifically describes the negative examples recorded in Exodus through Deuteronomy, the Scriptures don’t stop with their entrance into the promised land. All of the examples of how God dealt with those who sinned during the judges and kings would have the same value.
 
Since there is “nothing new under the sun,” “that which has been is what will be” and “that which is done is what will be done”, everything faced by those recorded in Scripture will be faced again by us. If we do not learn from the failures of those who fell, they could easily become our own failures. (1 Cor. 10:1-12). On the other hand, if we learn from the successes of those who remained faithful until death, and follow their conduct as a template wherever applicable, their success can become our success. (Heb. 11:1-12:3). If their faith becomes our faith, we will be victorious as they were victorious
 
4. Paul told Timothy that these Scriptures “are able to you wise for salvation.”

•  from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Tim 3:15-17)

As we can see from this passage, we make a foolish mistake if we neglect them. They were written for us to learn, not only so we can become aware of our great cloud of witnesses and those who were written for our admonition and example, but they also make us wise in a way that will lead us to salvation. In the Proverbs great wisdom is recorded. In Israel’s songbook (Psalms), we can also perfect praise and adoration.

• God’s testimonies become our counselor:       Ps 119:24
• They make one wiser than their enemies:       Ps 119:98
• Give more understanding than all teachers    Ps 119:99
• Understand more than the ancients                Ps 119:100
• A lamp to one’s feet and light to one’s path    Ps 119:105

 
Conclusion. The first portion of our Bible, called the Old Testament, is a rich treasure trove of wisdom, comfort, admonition, endurance and hope. It makes us wise to salvation, giving us a great cloud of witnesses along with examples and warnings of those that fell. The more we can learn the stronger we will become.