“To this day I have had the help that comes from God, and so I stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass” – Acts 26:22
Most American Christians steer clear of the Old Testament because it is difficult to understand. If that describes you, please reconsider as you make your plans for the new year. As Paul explained in his trial, the coming of Jesus, His perfect life, His sacrificial death, His resurrection, and His glorious reign as King of Kings is exactly what Moses and the other Old Testament prophets promised. Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets of the Old Testament. All of the Old Testament points, in one way or another, toward Jesus. Understanding that connection helps you better understand Jesus.
As a Christian, your understanding of your faith and the New Testament deepens as you grow in your understanding of the Old Testament. For those fascinated by Revelation, it’s impossible to understand that book without knowing the Old Testament because it constantly references the Old Testament. Embrace the challenge of reading and studying the Old Testament if you haven’t done so recently. It’s certainly much older, more culturally distant, and harder to read. You won’t understand it perfectly on your first, second, third… read. However, each time you read it, it becomes a bit easier to understand. You see more of the connections within it and more of the ways it points toward and connects with the New Testament.
What are your plans to grow as a disciple of Jesus in the new year? What plan will you follow in reading and studying the Bible for yourself each day? What new area of Kingdom service or evangelism will you try? How will you seek your Lord more deeply and joyously in 2024? #FollowJesus