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Listen while you read: "O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go"1 (Lyrics) |
2 Peter 1:20-21 – Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. (NIV)
Although I've read the Old Testament multiple times, I didn't fully internalize how relevant it is, both to my walk with God and to my understanding of the many ways that it points to Christ. This summer, I'm in a Bible study that focuses on Jesus in the Old Testament, and it has opened my eyes and my heart. Each lesson highlights Scriptures that speak of Christ, and then either shows us how the pre-incarnate Christ was present, right from the beginning, or guides us to the New Testament passage in which an Old Testament promise or prophecy is fulfilled.
The first instance is Genesis 1:1,3a – "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. And God said," (NIV) which is verified in John 1:1-2 – "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning." (NIV)
Only 16 verses later, still in Genesis 1, we're introduced to the Trinity: "Then God said, 'Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness.'" (NIV – emphasis mine) God was not alone in creation — Jesus was present from the very beginning.
The pre-incarnate Christ appears to both men and women: Abraham (Genesis 18), Jacob (Genesis 32), Joshua (Joshua 5), Manoah and his wife (Judges 13), and Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 3), to name just a few.
Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53 clearly, accurately, and almost cruelly, identify and predict many aspects of Jesus' crucifixion.
And that's just the beginning! One after another, promises, prophecies, or the pre-incarnate Christ appear in almost every book of the Old Testament, right through to the promise in Malachi 3:1b – "Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come." (NIV)
About 25 different authors wrote the Old Testament over a 1500-year span. One common thread is sewn through all 39 books: Jesus Christ, Who clearly fulfilled those promises and prophecies. The continuity, common focus, and fulfillment of their writings:
- Validate the Bible and its accuracy. Over 300 prophecies were fulfilled just in Christ's first coming.
- Give us hope for the future. We can believe that God is in control.
- Assure us that the Bible is God's revelation. No human could be that accurate.
- Should motivate us to serve the Lord and be a witness for Him in every possible way.
I'm being blessed by this study and I encourage you to investigate this for yourself.
Prayer: Father, thank You for being so clear in Your message, for showing us and assuring us that You are in control. We need that comfort and guarantee during difficult times. Amen.
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Thanks for sharing, Sharon.
Thank you, Sharon. Blessings.
Thank you for sharing this encouraging devotional with us. Blessings.
Thank you for this email good to read in these difficult times, must save to read again, and pass on.
Thank you for this moving devotional.
Can you tell me the author of the study book you used for seeing Christ in the OT?
Very inspiring post, Sharon. The Old Testament is often very difficult to understand but your encouraging words motivate me to keep trying. Thanks and blessings!
Thanks for a great devotion today. It was really interesting and at the age of 78 I learned something. Please keep up the great work.
(Ontario, Canada)
My appreciation for the pithy orthodox devotional, “…speak of Christ, and then either shows us how the pre-incarnate Christ was present, right from the beginning…” Am nudged to search the Scriptures.
Hello Sharon
Thank you for this new ”menu” I will be checking it out. So good for the heart, soul, and mind to have His Word, His food, to fill us.
God bless.
Truly impresses with this devotional.
What is the name of the Bible study you referred to?
I assume it is in print and available through Christian sources.
Blessings.
(Ontario, Canada)
Thank you for your message today, Sharon. I am interested in reading more about Christ in the Old Testament. Is this Bible study online? I belong to a Bible study/ prayer group of women. This would be a great session to study. God bless you in your witness to our Saviour.
(Ontario, Canada)
What a wonderful study that would be! How revealing that you have been able to connect Jesus into the Old Testament with His works and life in the New Testament, in so many instances. What a blessing to have all that connection revealed to you. The discussions of the connections in the group would be exciting and interesting too! I liked the way you told it.
Thank you, Sharon, for this wonderful devotional. As a leader of our Ladies Group, I am so interested in the Bible Study you are currently studying, would you mind me asking the name of this study.
The pre-incarnate Christ would be a welcome subject for study for our ladies.
Thank you and God Bless as you continue to honour God using your given gift of writing.
(Ontario)
Dear Sharon,
What a marvelous experience you have had during this Bible study. I also experienced this a few years ago when we studied the first few books of the Old Testament with the focus on seeing Christ. It truly changes your perception. I needed the guidance of others’ wisdom to have my eyes opened to see this. When you are ready, God makes wonderful things happen, to open your eyes to his amazing wisdom.
May your devotional lead others to seek out this experience and realize that God knows what is going to happen in the future and he is in control. You have included so many concrete examples that I am sure it will inspire others to look closer for Jesus.
Thank you for continuing to share your thoughts and experiences to help all of us increase our faith and wisdom. May God bless you with many more great experiences on your journey.
Thank you so much for sharing what you are learning in your Bible study. I don’t know much about the OT prophecies and the pre-incarnate Christ, and I found your devotional fascinating.
(BC)