Old Testament Survey
Welcome to the Old Testament
I love the Old Testament with its rich pictures of people and their problems – as well as the solutions to those problems. David, Noah, Abraham, Samson, all stories many learn in Sunday School, heros we remember from our childhood, whether we let it teach us or not. In each book of God’s Word, we find His method for dealing with men and their dilemmas. And, more importantly, we find the symbols and pictures and markers which point to Christ. The Old Testament is the road map of life which demonstrates the need for a Savior. It is also the road sign along the highway of life which points to an event occurring some four hundred years after the close of the Old Testament.
There are many ways to study Gods Word.
- One is the synthetic approach. This method provides an overview of the Bible as a whole to allow one to grasp the complete message of Scripture.
- One is the analytical process of viewing the Bible verse by verse to get an in depth understanding of God’s message.
- One is the topical or doctrinal approach which studies all of the traits and characteristics of the given topic.
- One is the typical study. Here the various “pictures” of the Old Testament are reviewed and considered. Here one looks for the “types” of Scripture which are explained later, in fuller fashion. An easy example is that both the Tabernacle and the Temple are “types” or pictures of the heavenly Temple of God. Another example is that Joseph is a “type” of Christ as various symbols of his life parallel or help to explain events of Christ’s life.
A survey is more of a synthetic study, for it is a review and overview of the books of the Bible and their relationship to the “forest.” This survey will, along the way, attempt to point out key doctrines and types, occasionally analyzing some verses in depth to explain the relationship of the Old Testament to the New. For, in the end, all of Scripture answers two questions for us. The first, the key, is HOW TO FIND GOD. The second, almost equally important, is HOW TO LIVE ONCE YOU HAVE FOUND GOD.
The entire of Scripture is an effort to answer these two questions. Many thing the Old Testament is a thing of the past would be surprised to learn that there are over 350 direct quotes or clear allusions from the Old Testament in just the book of Revelation! The New Testament concerns itself with the Person of God in the form of Jesus Christ. It is only through a study of the Old Testament, however, that we come to have our basic understanding of God’s majesty, power, holiness, and sovereignty. His love, goodness, and wisdom are defined for us in the pages of the Hebrews Scriptures.
The Old Testament presents the background for the New Testament. It is the preparation and foundation of Christianity. In it we find
- Law—the Foundation for Christ
- History—Preparation for Christ
- Poetry—Aspiration for Christ
- Prophecy—Expectation of Christ
So, sit back and join me as we tour the Old Testament. Keep your eyes open for Jesus as we travel through the history of ancient Israel.
Jim Arthur
Calvary Road Baptist Church
Wednesday Night Alive
Winter 2000
