The importance of the Old Testament is confirmed every time we read through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. Eric and I, after our three sons grew up still read aloud together every day.
So, the Old and New Testaments stay fresh and
relevant – reminding, inspiring, teaching and warning us. Sure, some chapters,
even whole Books take faith to “read all of” – it is wondrous. “Why did God put
this in His Word?” By now, though, it comes clearer.
The
Old Testament also has power, knowledge you find nowhere else. It is written by
an All wise Creator; the final Word: “In the beginning was the Word, and the
Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with
God. All things were made by him; and without him was
not anything made that was made. In him
was life; and the life was the light of men.”
John 1:1-4.
In the Old Testament is
Creation, Sin and Death, Prophecies of Jesus, The Ten Commandments, the hearts
of mankind revealed. The problem of false prophets. There is profound Wisdom.
There are heartfelt Prayers and Songs, Major and Minor Prophets who “spoke as
they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” Stories of good leaders and righteous
kings and evil leaders and evil kings. In it is the true history of all mankind;
within this documented history is the accurate age of the earth with the ages
of men given from father to son; from Adam to Jesus. The genealogies are
repeated in Matthew and Luke.
Amazing Truth (all that we
need for a successful life) is at our fingertips: The whole Bible can be
downloaded on our cell phones. I have five complete Bibles on my cell phone.
As my husband and I are
doing – stay in the Word of God. “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the
word of God, which liveth and abideth forever.” I
Peter 1:23.
In case you wonder I love the King James Version.
Growing up with a dedicated father and mother who read the Bible with us, their eight children, after each
meal for thirty minutes: they may not have had another version back then. By
the time I was twenty, my life was powerfully informed by this habit.
