Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=705492611619550&set=pcb.705492648286213

Having recently preached through the Sermon on the Mount, taught Hebrews, and am currently teaching Revelation, I’ve learned that sometimes to understand the Bible, you have to go “backward” to go “forward.”

So much of the New Testament is predicated upon a familiarity with the Old Testament. For example, John alludes to the Old Testament hundreds of times in Revelation without a direct quotation, yet, his original audience would not have missed these allusions, for they were steeped in the Old Testament. All John had to do was mention “Balaam” or “Jezebel,” and his audience got the point.

So, when I have been asked or heard, “Why study the Old Testament?” My first thought has often been, I don’t understand the question. We can’t afford not to study the Old Testament.

“For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through the perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” (Romans 15:4 LSB).

“All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be equipped, having been thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).