The Whole Book

Some Christians find the Old Testament boring, difficult to read, and even irrelevant to their Christian walk today. They cannot relate to Jehovah God, the strong taskmaster, harsh rukler and fearsome destroyer of the disobedient, rebellious Israelites. Others of us love the whole book, every story in the Bible, not just the stories of Jesus. After all, He is the Word, present from the beginning as stated in Genesis and many Old Testament accounts foreshadow His coming in the New Testament.

What wonderful teaching you are missing if you don’t get into the stories of the heritage of Christians. There is so much to learn there! It’s fascinating how very human the struggles that God’s people faced in ancient times and how familiar they sound to us now. Many stories These in the Old Testament reveal circumstances and situations we continue to face today, most especially the struggles in our hearts. That same God is our God. That same human nature is still in us.

We can stand on His promises, trusting that He will fulfill them all. He will complete every one of His promises about us claiming our land of promise: His kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy within. We learn from their many errors, connect with their troubles, and identify with them—the obedient and the rebellious! It challenges our human assumptions when God repeatedly used people we would disqualify. Take a look at the lineage of Jesus and you will see those who were chosen would be firmly rejected by the Christian communities of today.

Perhaps I love the stories of God’s people in the Old Testament because I learned them at home from my father. We were privileged to have a father who read us Bible stories from the Old and New Testament every night after supper on the farm. These were short biblical accounts in language that we children could understand. He was doing what his parents had done in his growing-up years. We all participated until, as teens, other activities took us from the family table at night.

Some of the Old Testament stories were quite puzzling and brought up questions. When Dad did not know the answer to why Jehovah God did what He did, he would just say so. What a gift my siblings and I were given through his ministry, sustained to this day within each of us. What wonderful memories these are! Our Christian father created in us a knowledge of the history and the word of His people, for which we are forever grateful. This built up our most precious faith as we learned about God’s faithfulness to His people through history of their lives.

We learned about the deliverance from Egyptian bondage through their conquering of the land promised to them. We heard about how God directed their steps, showing how to defeat every enemy that lived there as well as how He dealt with rebellion and disobedience. AWe read about their defeats as well as their victories, including prophetic words of the coming Messiah and the final victory He will complete.

“And the Lord gave them rest on every side, just as He had sworn to their fathers. None of their enemies could stand against them, for the Lord delivered all their enemies into their hand. Not one of all the Lord’s good promises to the house of Israel had failed; everything was fulfilled.” Joshua 21:44-45 BSB

What amazing truths we can learn as we seek the Lord to understand His all of His word. One powerful account in the Old Testament is of Saul’s difficulty in yielding his kingship when God took it away due to disobedience. King Saul’s jealousy of David’s popularity with the people and the sense of his future as King led Saul to treat David very badly. He continually tried to kill this young man he had loved and brought into his household.

We can read all the details about David as he dealt with Saul’s murderous jealousy of him, learning lessons from his life and experiences. He was well-prepared to be King by the things he suffered. David spent fifteen years running for his life from Saul, waiting and being taught by God until witnessing the fulfillment of his calling to be King and another seven years before he was king over all the tribes of Israel.

David could have killed Saul more than once but he did not. Saul was still God’s anointed and David let God decide when the his position as the nation’s leader would be finally established. David did not take matters into his own hands about this. He sought God at each step, each battle, while believing God’s word for his future. What a godly attitude King David had toward Saul, a friend who had become an enemy. Surely His judgment of Saul was redemptive:

“After Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, ‘David is in the Desert of En Gedi.’ So Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and set out to look for David and his men near the Crags of the Wild Goats. He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself.

David and his men were far back in the cave. The men said, ‘This is the day the Lord spoke of when he said to you, `I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.' Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul's robe. Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe.

He said to his men, ‘The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord's anointed, or lift my hand against him; for he is the anointed of the Lord.’ With these words David rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way.

Then David went out of the cave and called out to Saul, ‘My lord the king!’ When Saul looked behind him, David bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground. He said to Saul, ‘Why do you listen when men say, `David is bent on harming you'? This day you have seen with your own eyes how the Lord delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, `I will not lift my hand against my master, because he is the Lord's anointed.'

See, my father, look at this piece of your robe in my hand! I cut off the corner of your robe but did not kill you. Now understand and recognize that I am not guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion. I have not wronged you, but you are hunting me down to take my life.

May the Lord judge between you and me. And may the Lord avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you.” 1 Samuel 24:1-12 NIV

David truly did leave Saul to God! This did not change Saul’s heart beyond that moment, but consider this godly leader’s model for those mighty men of valor who followed him. When his men urged David to take his revenge, David refused and rebuked them for suggesting it. He still called Saul his father, remembering how he had been a member of Saul’s household and treated like a son.

David shows Saul that he has no evil intent towards him, despite what men are telling him, but Saul’s heart is unable to believe or trust. His heart was too full of hatred and revenge to accept that David’s heart was not. What a lesson for us! How hard it can be when God seems to give us an opportunity to hurt or destroy others who are trying to do that to us. It is particularly wounding when a former friend has made us their enemy. Yet David found he could not even cut off a piece of the robe of the Lord’s anointed. He acted in the love God had given him for Saul and God encouraged David on the way.

How often do those who come against us in hatred or malice assume we have the same in our hearts toward them? God says not to repay evil for evil. Yet how common it is for us humans to feel justified in taking revenge. In fact, any of us can find a circle of support to get back at those who wrong us. In human eyes, the more deep, lengthy and costly the wrong done to us by others, the more many believe vengeful actions are due and justified.

That is neither God’s word nor His way. The phrase you get what you deserve sounds wise, but it is not godly. Yes we do reap what we sow, but that is from God’s hand, not ours. None of us get what we deserve in God, because of His love, mercy and forgiveness. None of us have gotten what we deserve because we are all sinners saved by grace. Thank God He sees it differently!

It was typically a rocky road for Old Testament saints on the way to fulfilling their promised calling and purpose. Consider another Old Testament saint, the life of Esther who was born for such a time as this. God did not make her a queen to enjoy the palace and its riches. Oh no, He had her there to save her people! Are we not born for such a time as this? Read about Jacob being tricked into marrying the apparently unattractive older sister, Leah after he had fulfilled his agreement with Laban, their father to win Rachel.

Jacob lived in a household of ongoing conflict between his two wives, sisters Leah and Rachel. and their conflicts sounds sadly familiar. Though polygamy is rare now, we still have jealousy and competition present today as it was then. There’s a commonality in all our human battles for position, pride, and even love. We seem to have a built-in fear, an assumption that we won’t get our share, that someone else will get what we want or at least have an easier time in getting it.

And waiting upon God to exact revenge is not our favorite thing! Old Testament stories of the men and women of faith show us that, whatever our calling, God will have us in readiness to fulfill it. Our confidence builds in Him as we relate to the struggles and doubts of the saints. Read about Moses, who told God he wasn’t fit to lead His people because he did not speak well. Consider Sarah laughing when God said she’d have a baby when she was 90, long past childbearing age. Read about Jeremiah who was faithful, even compelled, to say what God told Him to say, despite being repeatedly rejected, beaten, and jailed for it.

Meditate upon the powerful words of prophecy foretold by the faithful obedience of Old Testament prophets. They foretold of God’s future plans as well as were called to speak corrective words to others. They did not understand all God had them say and many did not witness repentance to salvation from their words, some suffering greatly for obedience to God. They learned there was no guarantee that others would honor or receive their anointed words and behavior, neither promised nor routine.

In the Old Testament, we also find many other saints to identify with in their struggles. I can understand Jonah refusing to go to Nineveh because he knew God would have him predict disaster, the people would repent, and he’d look like a fool. Maybe it is not a good thing, but it makes me chuckle to read about Jonah pouting, sitting under a tree when it happened just as God said and he’d foretold.

Jonah shows himself to be one stubborn dude, apparently preferring to be proven right more than obedient. Jonah also did not hesitate to tell the Lord what was in his heart, which was no surprise to God. This reluctant but faithful prophet did not agree with God’s redemptive judgment, to the point he wanted to die:

“But to Jonah this [saving the city of Ninevah] seemed very wrong, and he became angry. He prayed to the Lord, ‘Isn’t this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish.

I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. Now, Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.’ Jonah 4: 1-1-3 BSB

Jonah learned that God gives and He takes away. Either way, it is God’s business, God’s justice and mercy that was provided or withdrawn.

Thus He made His point as He did to Moses in Exodus:

“And he said, ‘I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord be fore thee, and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.” Exodus 33:19 KJV

And in Romans:

“For he saith to Moses, ‘I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.’ So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy.” Romans 9:15 15-18 KJV

God rains on the just and the unjust. He decides about mercy and judgment in each situation. We could sum up His message this way: He is God and we are not! We realize this as we deal with anything that is far beyond our understanding. Along with Jonah, however, we may occasionally become angry about God’s decisions regarding mercy and justice.

Why does He heal, save, bless, and deliver this one and not the other? Why are our circumstances allowed to be so consistently unequal, at least in outward appearance? Why does this world of sin wax worse and worse? He does not have to explain His ways to us, but He often chooses to do so, particularly for those who are seeking truth and understanding from Him. We also learn much from the Old Testament about His ways.

We assuredly need to eat the whole book by the spirit as the angel told Ezekiel in the Old Testament and John in Revelation:

“And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, ‘Give me the little book.’ And he said unto me, ‘Take it, and eat it up and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.’” Revelation 10:9 KJV

We need to eat the whole of His word, though it may at times be a bitter pill to swallow. Peter spoke of our path of growth as the way to become participants of the divine nature, to make our calling and election sure:

“…employing all diligence, in our faith supply virtue, yet in virtue, knowledge, yet in knowledge, self-control, yet in self-control, endurance, yet in endurance, devoutness, yet in devoutness brotherly fondness, yet in brotherly fondness, love. . .

Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble.” 2 Peter 1:5-10 CLV

Layer upon layer, the quality of His character is built up, working together within us to be like our Lord. This process is like building blocks of His character within us: diligence or persistence, virtue or being morally right, knowledge and wisdom, self-control or restraint over impulses, endurance or the ability to withstand hardship, devoutness or devotion to God, brotherly fondness or loyal affection, and the capstone, love, which is unconditional agape caring.

His ways are beyond understanding, but He promises to explain Himself by the spirit and reveal His secrets to those who love Him. We surely do not need to explain or defend our God in what He does or does not do, unless the Holy Spirit directs us to speak. To be fully equipped, however, we can and should read and learn from the whole book, Old and New Testament! Paul tells the Corinthians:

“Now these things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. So the one who thinks he is standing firm should be careful not to fall…” 1 Corinthians 10:11 BSB

The warning is showing the results of continual disobedience as the Israelites remained a stubborn and rebellious people. Read the whole book and let the holy spirit allow you to see the Old Testament saints as humans struggling to deal with their God, just as we do. There are vast differences in culture and lifestyle, but they were all people learning to follow Him and do His will…or not! None had the depth of the Holy Spirit within that we have since Jesus Christ came, however. No wonder they struggled to obey and serve God!

When you eat the whole book, you also learn of the Old Testament feasts, their patterns of tabernacle worship, the rise and fall of ruling dynasties, and the great leaders and prophets of the ages. All are patterns from which we can learn and grow. While we cherish the words and behavior of our Lord Jesus Christ in the New Testament, we can be sure He is present all the way through God’s word.

The writings of the Old Testament also teach us much about heaven and the foundation of our faith:

“The place where they [the Israelites] serve is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the Tabernacle: ‘See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.’" 1 Corinthians 2:17 BSB

“Therefore you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone. In Him the whole building is fitted together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord.…” Ephesians 2:19-21 BSB

Is it not miraculous how this one Book continues to teach God’s truth through the Holy Spirit? God refines and clarifies, showing us more and more of Who He, Who he has always been, so we understand to be more like Him. We learn that we are in great company with the saints who have gone before us. He is fitting us together as lively stones growing into His holy temple, a dwelling place for God.

“Come to Him [the risen Lord] as to a living Stone which men rejected and threw away, but which is choice and precious in the sight of God. You [believers], like living stones, are being built up into a spiritual house for a holy and dedicated priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices [that are] acceptable and pleasing to God through Jesus Christ.

For this is contained in Scripture: Behold, I am laying in Zion a chosen Stone, a precious (honored) cornerstone and he who believes in Him [whoever adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Him] will never be disappointed [in his expectations].” 1 Peter 2:4-6 AMP

Peter was quoting directly from the Old Testament:

“So this is what the Lord God says:‘ See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; the one who believes will never be shaken.’” Isaiah 28:16 BSB

We are a part of Christ’s body, with all of the saints that have gone before us. God is building His house with us. We offer spiritual sacrifices from our hearts rather than the animal sacrifices of that era. The great prophet, Isaiah, foretells the coming of Jesus as the precious Cornerstone, our sure foundation. It is a spiritual house with us as Living Stones joined to Christ Jesus, our Lord.

All of the disciples saw Jesus Christ fulfilling what they had learned from God’s people of old. Jesus often quoted the Old Testament in His teachings, as did other New Testament writers. It was still truth to them and had stood through time, though it did not bring the righteousness God so desired in His people. God knew it would not and could not, so He prepared His only Son to be revealed and known as the righteous Cornerstone of the house of God, not built by hands.

All is fulfilled only through our Lord Jesus Christ. The whole Book is good to eat and absorb. It will continually nourish us on our walk, reconciling us back to God. He will write His truth upon our hearts so we may believe and never be shaken. Aren’t you glad?