Expert: Marilyn - 1/27/2011

Question
Hi Marilyn

Why read the old testament when the New testament kinda over-rides the
the Old Testament ?

It seems to me (as a Born Again Christian) people read from both books
but don't live by them. What I mean: Which is the day of the Sabbath?

The Seven-Day Adventist believe that Saturday is the day of the Sabbath, while us Christians worship on Sundays.

Very confusing. I admit that I don't understand many things in my Bible; HOWEVER, I DO BELIEVE IN EVERY WORD MY LORD AND SAVIOR SAYS.

Thank You Marilyn
GOD BLESS YOU
Ray M.

Answer
Hello Ray;

From notes in the Scofield Bible regarding the Sabbath found in conjunction with Matthew 12:1:

Sabbath is from the Hebrew Shabbath and means "cessation from labor; rest"

The first Sabbath was the day of God's rest from His finished work of creation, Genesis 2:2 & 3.

The concept of Sabbath is not mentioned until the giving of the Law at Sinai, Exodus 16:23; Nehemiah 9:13 & 14. It was made a part of the Law, Exodus 20:8-11 and is "invested with the character of a "sign" between the LORD and Israel," a reminder that they're different from everyone else, Exodus 31:13-17. No Israelite was to do any work on this day, a man could not even gather sticks, Exodus 35:2 & 3; Numbers 15:32-36. There was not to be any significant acts of worship on this day except for the burnt offering, Numbers 28:9, and what was required for annual feasts, Exodus 12:16; Leviticus 23:3,8; Number 28:25.

Jesus said, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath," Mark 2:27. In Jesus' day the Sabbath had been crusted over with more rules and regulations by religious leaders through time, Matthew 12:2,(and evasions) not included in the original Law. Jesus was considered a Sabbath breaker by the authorities because He did not observe the Sabbath in their way.

The Sabbath will again be observed during the Tribulation, Matthew 24:20 & 21 and during the Kingdom Age, Isaiah 66:23.

The Christian first day of rest perpetuates the principle of one-seventh of the week or of time is sacred. On the seventh day God rested, on the first day Christ rose from the dead. The Sabbath commemorates a finished creation, Sunday commemorates finished redemption. Observing the Sabbath was a legal requirement, observing Sunday is a voluntary act of worship and service.

The Sabbath is mentioned in Acts only in connection with those still observing the old ways. It is also mentioned in Colossians 2:16 and Hebrews 4:4. In these passages the Sabbath is explained as not a day to be observed, but as a type of the present rest into which the believer enters when he lives by faith in Christ.

Well, you might be right about not needing the Old Testament now that Jesus has come and fulfilled the Law and we have the New Testament, but it would kinda be like a guy who lived in a nice house and had no clue about his foundation. Since Jesus quoted the Old Testament Himself, maybe reading the parts He thought were important would be a good start. After all, John 1 says that He is the Word made flesh and when He was made flesh, all the Bible anybody had was the Old Testament. When Paul says that the "blessings of Abraham" have become ours because of Jesus, it might be useful to know what those are. I kinda like to know what I'm entitled to by faith in my Lord.

The answer to the confusion about what day of the week to worship can only be found through study, meditation and prayer. Most people have concluded that since in Christ we are free, Sunday works just as good as Saturday, and the main point is to have one day of rest set aside to recuperate and bask in the Lord. But, that concept is an Old Testament one and when you start examining it, goes way deeper than just rest for one day all the way into years of jubilee and even further into the idea that when God runs the show humans experience His favor and things just sort of flow instead of having to be forced. But you have to study the OT and the NT together to get that.

Some prophecies in the OT have yet to be fulfilled. Revelation is best understood with an underpinning of especially Daniel and the prophetic utterances of the other prophets.

The Psalms show us how to praise God and how we can feel free to whine at Him too.

Job answers the dilemma some face when confronted with disaster and oddly gives comfort.

When you realize that every part of both the tabernacle in the wilderness and the temple in Jerusalem portray some aspect of Jesus it really deepens your faith. Like for instance, the Ark of the Covenant is a portrait of Jesus, Human-the wood; God-the gold; the Word-the tablets of the Law Moses received; the Bread of Life-the pot of manna; the Resurrection-Aaron's rod that budded and the seat of God's Mercy on the top...sure does make a person think.

Genesis is quoted more than 60 times in the NT. If a person doesn't get Genesis, he probably hasn't plumbed the depths of the NT either.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus' battle with the Pharisees escalates until He reminds them of a passage in Psalms where God tells human beings that we're little 'g' gods and describes our duties--something the casual reader won't get if he doesn't go back and read that part in Psalms. Knowing this gives the reader a clue into the depth and breadth of Jesus' understanding of the OT, His amazing wily wit and intellect--plus His skill at a battle of words with any comer.

When the two depressed disciples were walking back home to Emmaus, a Man appeared to them and asked them why they were so down. They said, "What are you clueless? Jesus our Lord has just been crucified." Then, the Man explained the Scriptures to them--the OT, since that's all the Scriptures there were in those days--and their spiritual eyes began to open. It wasn't until He broke the bread for them that they realized they'd been talking to the Lord the whole time. Now, that's a sermon I'd like to have heard and all of it from the OT. Still, Paul spent 3 years studying the OT in the (literal)light of his revelation on the road to Damascus and came back fighting for the Lord Jesus. Gotta be something to it.

Knowing the prophecies Jesus fulfilled with His first coming is a study worthy of any believer and will heighten his appreciation for how long God laid His plans and how well. Read Psalm 22 and compare it to the crucifixion accounts in the Gospels. And then think about the verses in Isaiah 55 where God promises that His Word will go out and do what He says. If that doesn't make your hair stand up, you probably don't have any.

And the OT has a lot of prophecy Jesus has yet to fulfill. Get "Rosh HaShanah and the Messianic Kingdom to Come" by Joseph Good. It will heighten your appreciation for the Lord, the biblical feasts of the OT and how they portray the Lord Jesus and what they mean for us believers today.

Study coupled with a request of God to give wisdom and understanding resolves confusion. And sometimes it requires digging deeper into the foundation.

Sincerely,

Marilyn