Introduction to the Old Testament
problems with OT: familiarity gap, time gap, culture gap, application gap
misconceptions:
Covenant
A covenant is a formal agreement (treaty) between two parties that establishes the terms of the relationship. This was a common practice in the Ancient Near East (ANE), and this concept of covenant is behind much of the Old Testament. Understanding this concept is important to understanding the OT, and its relation to the NT. A covenant was a concept common in the Ancient Near East (ANE), which God adapted as a means of communicating to ancient people who He is and His requirements.
The covenant form was used in treaties, constitutions, marriage contracts, and business / trade agreements. Often the king of a dominant country (the overlord or suzerain) imposed a treaty upon a weaker state (vassal). Such covenants typically consisted of the following elements:
Unfolding of the OT covenant: Various aspects of covent theology are revealed to Adam & Eve (Gen 3), Noah (Gen 6f), Abraham (Gen 12, 15, 17), Moses (Sinai), and David. The New Testament tells of the “new covenant”, or the new form or administration of the covenant, under Jesus. God provides the ultimate sacrifice to fulfill the covenant; the OT covenant signs are replaced by baptism and communion.
covenant element | OT equivalent |
identification & prolog |
God identified from Gen. 1 throughout Pentateuch (5 books of Moses) God’s workings in creation, with the patriarchs, and in bringing the Israelites from Egypt to Canaan are recounted |
requirements | moral law (e.g., 10 Commandments); civil and ceremonial law (fulfilled by Christ for us) |
deposit and public reading |
ten commandments deposited in ark of the covenant in temple Law to be read publicly on certain occasions; also Deut. 27 Law to be taught at home to family members |
witnesses | heavens and earth; God himself |
blessings and curses |
Deut. 28 (Moses’ sermon) the prophets enforced God’s covenant centuries later |
ratification |
verbal oath (Ex 19, 24; Josh 24) animal and grain sacrifices (Gen. 15, Ex. 24, Leviticus) circumcision Passover & other feasts |
misconception:
prophecy = foretelling, future predictions
definition:
prophecy = forth-telling, i.e., proclaiming and declaring God’s word and God’s will; includes proclaiming judgment, call to repentance, hope, encouragement, etc.
purpose:
applies covenant conditions from law to contemporary times and conditions; enforces God’s covenant
prophetic ministry:
prophet called (sometimes unwilling) to proclaim God’s message revealed to prophet by Holy Spirit; served as “covenant enforcers”; spoke God’s message, not their own
means of revelation:
prophecy occurred under direct supervision of God, at God’s command; given by means of dreams, visions, words, signs, object lessons, spiritual insights, or miracles
communication:
Prophetic utterances (oracles) were preached publicly, and written down in the form of poetry or narrative prose.
Covenant relationship between prophecy and the rest of Scripture:
The prophets enforced God’s covenant. They pointed out people’s violation of God’s law, and applied the blessings and curses of the covenant to their day. So their messages consisted of doom and judgment (curses for violating God’s covenant), and messages of hope and encouragement (promise of God’s blessing if they repented; God’s future restoration and blessing of His people after judgment; and the Messiah who would come to fulfill the covenant).
The New Testament shows that Jesus fulfilled the covenant and took the penalty as the ultimate sacrifice. He did on our behalf what we couldn’t to fulfill the covenant. He fulfilled the law and abolished the civil / ceremonial law for us, so we don’t have to do it. He gave us baptism and communion as signs of the covenant.