The Old Testament (OT) was hard for me to comprehend. In it, I found vast sections dedicated to genealogy, stories that seemed intriguing as they felt ancient. In fact, I never truly read through the OT until I was around 15 years old. However, as I read it, I gained wisdom and insight on things like governing, success, legacy, warfare – even marital intimacy. I understood the New Testament (NT) better after I read the OT because you see, the OT is a shadow of things to come. A woman’s shadow (OT) can give you a clue as to what she looks like in real life (NT).  Jesus Christ was announced in the OT. God showed His character in the OT.

God Keeps His Promises

God chose the children of Jacob (Israel) to be His people. His foreknowledge allows Him to do that. Seeing the end from the beginning, He is able to predestinate. The Israelites were disobedient to His commands so He gave them up to slavery in Egypt. But He did not leave them there to perish, He planned for them, a deliverance. In the fullness of time, God called Moses to rescue the Israelites from Egypt. God did not deal with the people directly, He dealt with them through Moses. And He did deliver them as He promised. There were ups and downs in their journey from Egypt to the promise land, but at the end, God kept His word, His promise, His covenant. Israel entered and possessed the promise land proving God is a God of the then.

The God You Serve

God is madly in love with you. He fights for you. He is upset when He is disobeyed. Yet, His anger lasts but for a while. His love is everlasting. He chastises with one hand, and with the other, He brings you closer to Himself. God does not renege on His promise to you nor does He backtrack on His covenant with you. He delivers you from trouble.  God’s word is His bond. He is a God of details, of precision, of law and order. This is the God you serve.  The God of the then

God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets – Hebrews 1:1

Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today and forever – Hebrews 13:8