Let's start with the Old Testament. Here we have a seemingly hapless mixture of creation and hero myths, endless genealogies, boring poetry, cryptic prophesies, and gruesome stories of battles where entire nations are slaughtered. Sprinkled throughout, there are laws and regulations, directions for building arks and temples, and step by step details of how to offer blood sacrifices. Let's face it, this is a book like no other, and without some assistance, who can make heads or tails of it?
Then we have the New Testament. This seems, at first glance, to be a whole other book, completely independent of the other. It is written largely in the form of letters to churches or to individuals, and is filled with the telling of who Christ is, what He has done, and how Christians should live.
Now I should emphasize that I am no expert, and there are entire books that devote themselves to the topic of how to read the Bible. But for those who will not (yet) purchase one of those books, let me tell you what I have learned so far.
1. What the Old Testament really is. The Bible is a revelation of God. It is "inspired" and "infallible" and should be read as the direct word of God to mankind. Woven through all of the stories, poetry, laws, and prophesies are glimpses of Jesus Christ, the coming messiah. The Old Testament is a treasure trove of insights into the person of Jesus and the mind of God. But it has to be read in the light of Christ, or it remains darkened to us.
2. The creation and hero myths are not myths. While there may be things that are hard for us to fathom or reason out, such as men living for hundreds of years, or a flood covering the entire earth, there are references in the New Testament of Christ confirming such events. If you believe in Jesus, and that what He said is true, you dare not discount the validity of the Old Testament as truth.
3. The genealogies may be difficult to slog through, but they are there for a purpose. They recount the central theme - that God chose one man out of many, Abram, to call to Himself. Of this man, He made a nation, the Israelites. And from this nation He provided a savior, not just for the Israelites, but for all men, Jesus, who put an end to the need for blood sacrifice because He fulfilled this need "once for all" through his death on the cross. The genealogies begin with Adam and Eve, and end with Christ.
4. The purpose of the nation of Israel. Israel was called by God to be separate, holy to God, distinct as a nation ruled by God directly. But Israel would not remain separate. They intermarried with other nations, and fell into worshipping other gods. The people wanted a king like the nations around them. Much of the Old Testament is filled with the recurring theme of Israel wandering away from God, God calling the nation back to Him (through the prophets), Israel returning for a while, and the pattern repeating. When it is clear that Israel will not serve God, the testament (covenant) is broken, and a new covenant (testament) is needed. This is what the coming of Christ is all about.
5. The prophesies are largely about Jesus. Some "historical" prophesies have already been fulfilled, which is fascinating, because we can go back and search history to see how marvelously these things came to pass. For instance, it is largely accepted that the statue referred to in Daniel was a prophesy of the coming kingdoms prior to Christ's arrival on earth. However, most of the prophesies in the Old Testament point to Christ. Consider Isaiah 53:
He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces, he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by Him and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities, the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
6. Laws and regulations. This is enough to turn non-Christians away at first glance, and to keep many new Christians tied up in meaningless rituals and traditions that have nothing to do with being a Christian. What were the laws for? To make us aware of our sin. Tell a child not to open a cupboard door and see what happens. The law itself speaks to the sin in our nature and causes a desire to do precisely what is forbidden. Christ was able to conquer sin, but we are not. "All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." We, being awakened to our sinful nature, are faced with the only possible options: admit sin and cry out to God for mercy, or harden our hearts toward God, blame Him for our shortcomings, and refuse His blessing.
7. Arks and Temples. Like so much in the Old Testament, the details concerning these things come to life once we see them in the light of Christ's life and purpose. In the Old Testament, the temple was the "place of meeting" - It was literally where God dwelt among His people. In the New Testament, we are asked, "Don't you know that your body is the temple of God?" This new covenant, where Christ has become a gate and an intercessor between us and God, has blown away the need for a separation between man and God. Now believers do not need to go to a temple to meet with God, they are filled with His Holy Spirit and can approach Him directly.
8. Out with the Old? Many Christians say, out with the old and in with the new regarding the Old Testament, but I disagree. I have learned that an understanding and appreciation of the Old Testament is fundamental to our understanding of the New. Familiarity with the New Testament alone is like spending money in a foreign country when you don't know the exchange rate. You know you can get something, but you don't really know the cost.
Let me close in prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, creator and keeper of all things, illuminate our minds with your light and wisdom, so that we will find your word profitable to our lives and our understanding of you. Bring us ever closer to you. May we glorify you in all that we do. Amen.
