You Will Benefit From the Ageless Insights of the Bible
Daily Old Testament Bible reading can be fun and exciting, even for new readers of the Bible. However, some new readers of the Old Testament can get discouraged because they do not know the answer to a simple question: “What’s the point?”
If someone does not understand the underlying point or purpose of the Old Testament or the books found within it, it can be difficult for him to find enjoyment in his reading. New readers can benefit greatly as they read Old Testament Bible verses if they understand a few simple points.
When you look at the Bible as a whole, the underlying story of it all is that God created the world (Gen. 1:1), God created man (Gen. 1:27), man sinned against God (Gen. 3:7), God promised He would send Jesus to save people from their sin (Gen. 3:16), Jesus came to earth to die for the sin of humanity (John 1:1, 14), and finally, Jesus is going to return to make all things new (Rev. 21).
Simply put, the Bible’s underlying story is a story about how Jesus would come, did come, and will come again.
Introduction to the Old Testament
So where does the Old Testament fit into all of this? The Old Testament is the beginning of the story of Jesus before He came to earth. In the book of Genesis, God created mankind, and man sinned against God. The sin problem caused a separation between God and man, and God sought to provide a solution to that problem.
In Genesis 3:16, God promised that the seed of woman would one day crush the head of the serpent. This was the first promise of Jesus’ coming. Later, God promised Abraham that through him, the earth would be blessed (Gen. 22:18). Abraham fathered Isaac, and Isaac fathered Jacob. God changed Jacob’s name to Israel, and his children literally became the nation of Israel.
The Old Testament largely speaks of God’s interactions with Israel because Jesus would be born through the Israelites, and thus the world would be blessed through Abraham. The Old Testament tells the stories of how God gradually worked through the Israelites to eventually bring about Jesus’ coming.
The following is a quick guide to help new readers understand how to read Old Testament Bible verses and books:
Genesis-Esther are historical books. They are filled with characters and tell stories. Clear commands are not frequent in these books. Rather, the new reader will benefit by copying good characters and avoiding the conduct of the bad characters.
Job-Song of Solomon are known as wisdom literature. These books vary in their writing style. Two of the best books for new readers are Psalms and Proverbs. The book of Psalms is filled with the greatness of God and the frailties of man. The Proverbs have a number of quick, practical application points that can be highly beneficial.
Isaiah-Malachi are prophetic books. These books all consist of God speaking through a person to proclaim His Word to others.
Daily Old Testament Bible reading is important. In it, you gain a clear understanding of the God of the Bible, timeless Bible insights, as well as how to have a relationship with the one true God Who loves you and sent His Son to die for you.