Do we devalue the Old Testament?

"Regarding the Old Testament, I hear Christians say, 'O don't worry about that, we live according to the New Testament'... Why do so many seem to neglect it?"

I am puzzled by this as well, actually I get very irritated by it. It would be similar to meeting entering into a relationship, let's say when I first met my husband, and never ever desiring to know anything about him that took place in his life before that day! Does that make any sense?

If you start watching a movie half way through, do you really understand what's going on, you' catch on eventually, but there are significant aspects of the plot that you have missed and they hold keys to what you now view!

It's the same in Christ! Everything about the Old Testament speaks to us today!!! EVERYTHING! Even, Dueteronomy 25:4 "You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing."

The Apostle Paul used that scripture in 1 Cor 9:9-10, "For it is written in the Law of Moses, "YOU SHALL NOT MUZZLE THE OX WHILE HE IS THRESHING " God is not concerned about oxen, is He? Or is He speaking altogether for our sake? Yes, for our sake it was written, because the plowman ought to plow in hope, and the thresher to thresh in hope of sharing the crops."

That is a seemingly meaningless verse to us today, but it was significant in Paul's letter. Think of the countless times, God is speaking directly to His own people, His instructions, His warnings, His encouragments! Add to that the numerous times Christ is alluded to, foreshadowed and spoken of in typological terms!

The text alone speaks value to us, in its entirety! Then when we understand the reasons behind the text, the revelations, the wisdom of various instructions, laws and boundaries, we realize that through Jesus Christ the Law of God is pure, holy and just. That it speaks of a great glory, a vast wealth of liberty and abundant life as we live it out!

Christians, mostly gentiles or ex-pagans, historically speaking, came into Christianity, unaware of the Jewish customs, various laws and festivals that had been long established from Abraham through to Moses. The gentiles were not put under the requirements of the Laws by the Jewish leaders of the Church during the days of the Apostles...

Of everything the Jews were required to fulfill and keep, the gentile believers in Jesus were permitted to keep it simple - Acts 15:20 "But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood." THAT's IT! The tem commandments were understood, and the gospel as preached regarding Jesus was a given, all else was graciously left off the backs of the new gentile believers.

Because they didn't have the foundation of understanding in the ways of God, the Jewish Believers didn't want to overburden them with things they didn't understand and weren't used to...these things didn't necessitate salvation.

BUT - that doesn't mean those things are worthless, or without merit or value. Dietary laws for the Jews, are incredibly healthy for humans to follow. Not following them leads to all kinds of health problems! The festivals all spoke of a national event and common past, but in addition they spoke of the future coming of the One God had proclaimed.

The more I love the Lord, the more I get a desire to fully understand the beginning of the story, the events leading up to my revelation of Christ. I desire to know more and more of what He ordained, said, did in the past that I might be able to see His faithfulness and character in new, refreshing and thrilling ways.


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