Believers often get bogged down reading the Old Testament because they only see the laws and events as unrelated to the modern person. So how can we begin seeing it more as God intended?
This morning in my private worship time I meditated on a beautiful text in Deuteronomy 4:32-35.
For ask now of the days that are past, which were before you, since the day that God created man on the earth, and ask from one end of heaven to the other, whether such a great thing as this has ever happened or was ever heard of. Did any people ever hear the voice of a god speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you have heard, and still live? Or has any god ever attempted to go and take a nation for himself from the midst of another nation, by trials, by signs, by wonders, and by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and by great deeds of terror, all of which the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes? To you it was shown, that you might know that the Lord is God; there is no other besides him.
This is beautiful! Has there ever been a god that spoke to people like God spoke to Moses from the burning bush and on top of Mt. Sinai? Has there ever been a god who did what our God did, going into Egypt freeing the Hebrews from slavery with supernatural signs and plagues? No, never! This is the gospel of grace in Deuteronomy.
This makes us see more clearly the gospel of grace in Jesus. Think about it. Has there ever been a god who stepped out of heaven, became visible, taking on human flesh and came to live among His people as one of them? Has there ever been a god who took their sinful guilt upon himself to die in their place in order to wipe out their guilt so they are totally forgiven? Has there ever been a god who took the old sinful man and crucified in on a cross so that it no longer has enslaving power over the new man? Has there ever been a god who died and resurrected from the grave in order to give his people eternal life with him in an eternal kingdom? No, never! This is the greatness of Jesus. He has done it!
Learn to read the Old Testament with the new eyes of the gospel. You will see the grace of God made clearer and clearer. And it will make you worship Jesus more and more! And when you read Deuteronomy in family worship, be sure to explain this to your children so that at an early age they can see the full beauty of the gospel as God intended.
The image above is from the organization called The Bible Project. They have created great resources to help you understand the Bible better. Click this link to hear a great overview of Deuteronomy from The Bible Project.
