I should've included the 20th fact in my last article – I really love the Old Testament of the Bible.
I know it's unbearably long (I'm reading through the Bible and it took me a year to get through the Old Testament so trust me, I know!!). And I know sometimes it consists of multiple pages of confusing names and numbers. When you think of the Old Testament, you maybe think of Genesis and the Creation story, the Psalms, Jonah getting swallowed by a whale, or maybe you've explored enough to read about the story of Ruth, or of Hosea's unfaithful bride.
For the most part, though, our understanding of the Old Testament consists of fuzzy memories of Sunday School and 'Veggie Tales' and whatever other snippets and pieces we've picked up over the years.
Now I'm no expert in the Old Testament by any means. I'll agree it is overwhelming and sometimes a tad boring, but if you're looking to branch out and try something new, I've listed some of my favorite Old Testament passages, and either a verse or an explanation of just what you're missing out of when you skip through the first 3/4 of the bible.
Genesis 3
"I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head and you shall bruise his heel." Genesis 3:15
This chapter alone is one of the main reasons I love the Old Testament so much. Already on the third page of the Bible, humanity has messed up, and already God has promised to send someone to defeat sin and death (aka JESUS!!). Jesus was a part of the story long before He was born, and the Old Testament is full of prophecy and promises of a savior for God's people.
Joshua 10:1-15
"And the Lord said to Joshua, "Do not fear them, for I have given them into your hands. Not a man of them shall stand before you." Joshua 10:8
Ezekiel 37: 1-14
"Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know I am the Lord." Ezekiel 37:5-6
This passage honestly seems like something out of a movie. God takes Ezekiel out to a desert and before his eyes, raises dry bones to life.
Judges
"'Please Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.' And the Lord said to him, 'But I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man.'" Judges 6:15-16
The book of Judges is basically a constant loop of the Israelites begging for forgiveness and deliverance from God, and then after He graciously gives it to them they forget and fall back into sin and cry out to God again (sound familiar?) It's easy to look at them and think, "Why couldn't they learn their lesson and stop sinning?" but then I remember how many times I knowingly turned away from God, and the endless and undeserving grace He gives me each time I come running back.
Jeremiah 30-31
"I have loved you with an everlasting love,
therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you, and you shall be built" Jeremiah 30:3-4
Isaiah 65
"I was ready to be sought by those who did not ask for me;
I was ready to be found by those who did not seek me.
I said, "Here I am, here I am."
to a nation that was not called by my name." Isaiah 65:1
Job 38-42
"Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding, who determined its measurements -- surely you know!" Job 38:4-5
I'd honestly recommend you read all of Job because this book is so good and filled with so many things. Job reminds us that following Christ does not promise us a life of ease, that He never leaves us no matter how bad it gets, and to not give up hope or doubt because the Lord is in control.
Ezekiel 16
"yet I will remember my covenant with you in the days of our youth, and I will establish for you an everlasting covenant." Ezekiel 16:60
I'll be honest, this passage might be a little PG-13, but it also is a blunt picture of how the Lord views our sin and our blatant decision to reject Him.
Hosea 1-3
"And I will betroth you to me forever. I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy." Hosea 2:19
Even before Jesus died on the cross, God still bestowed so much grace upon Israel, and the book of Hosea is just one example of that.
Isaiah 53
"But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed." Isaiah 53:5
This passage is arguably one of the most well-known prophecies of Jesus. I encourage you to take a moment and think deeply about these words written long before Jesus was born. This is what Jesus did for you and me, and by His wounds we are healed and free from sin and shame.
1 Kings 18-19
"'Answer me, O Lord, answer me, that this people may know you, O Lord, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back.' Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones an the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench." 1 Kings 18:37-38
You know when athletes make highlight reels to showcase their very best moments? Some parts of the Old Testament remind me of that, a highlight reel for our mighty God and Creator. If you're ever doubting the power of God, reading about the things He did for the Israelites can remind you just how great He truly is.
Ezekiel 34:11-24
"As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness." Ezekiel 34:12
Yes, another Ezekiel passage. But how cool is it that The Lord relentlessly sought out His people long before there was a permanent atonement for sins!
Habakkuk
Yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation." Habakkuk 3:18
The Lord is good, and He is faithful, and His nature is evidently present on every page of the bible. I encourage you to check out one or all of these passages, and I hope you will learn to see the Lord in a new way.
