In beginning one’s pursuit of God, as He has revealed Himself throughout the Scriptures, it is important to note that there are certain presuppositions which ought to be addressed from the outset. How one approaches the Scriptures, particularly The Old Testament Scriptures, will determine one’s ability to understand the great truths of The Almighty God as He has chosen to reveal them unto His creation. In approaching the collection of writings which comprise what we have come to call The Old Testament there are several valid questions which naturally arise that we ought not to leave unaddressed in a satisfactory manner.
Much confusion and problematic doubts can be avoided through this process of setting the stage for study rather than just diving in without proper preparation. Let us bever be mindful as we begin that every word, we read upon these pages, is a word spoken by God. We are not examining someone’s opinion. We are not examining a myth or legend which came down from those who lived before us and suffered some sort of change in the process. We are being instructed by God Himself concerning factual, historical, events which occurred.
in the accounts of the Old Testament events, we shall find noted many acts of courageous men and women as they pertain to the grand plan of God’s revelation of Himself and especially God’s plan for the redemption of mankind unto Himself. Names such as Abraham, Noah, Sampson, Saul, David, and many others which may or may not be familiar to you are to be found here. The record of the events of their lives will be found to contain not only those things which place them in a good light, but also those things which show them to be humans with a sinful nature as well.
As you journey through these pages of Scripture you will find that there are many people groups not mentioned or otherwise noted here. That does not mean they did not exist but rather that they are not germane to the record of God’s direct plan which He is revealing. Keep in mind that such revelation of Himself and His master plan of redemption form the main theme of all you will be encountering. It is imperative that you maintain the focus upon these themes in order to obtain the most benefit from these Scriptures.
You ought to know that the entirety of The Old Testament writings point forward unto the coming of The Messiah. Enfolded in these writings are all of the necessary characteristics to identify the Messiah of God who was yet to come. These will be fully revealed and made manifest in The New Testament Scriptures. Keep in mind also that when you read these Old Testament passages, which are referred unto repeatedly by Jesus The Christ, The Apostles, and the New Testament authors who penned the words of God which we have today, you are reading the Bible which they knew. It will serve you well if you maintain the perspective that these teachings were the Revelation from God with which the New Testament era worshippers of God lived in accordance.
It is also imperative that you understand the relationship between the authors of The Old Testament books unto each other to avoid confusion. The order of books which we use today is structured in such a way that the content of The Prophets writings are grouped together for ease of use by those who read them. The “wisdom books” which include the writings of Solomon also are separated for the same reason. Know however that these all have a place in the timeline of the historical books, so that one will find that certain Prophets of God represented God unto certain Kings of Israel, and Judah, during a given time period. All of these writings in The Old Testament are woven intricately together to present ONE UNIFIED work unto us. As one reads through these pages it is best to approach what is presented as a literal account. Most especially is this true when reading the Prophets. In the event that something is to be understood as a pictural or figurative account that will be made clear in the context of the writings which are being examined.
Let me mention a bit about that term “context”, for it is very important to understand. The context involves knowing who is being addressed in what is being read. It also involves recognizing who is speaking and what they are directly addressing in what is being said. One should take into account how the passage at hand fits with the writings immediately before and after it, as well as how it fits within the entirety of the book and the Old Testament in general.