Our Daily Bread - Bible BasicsSample

Discovering the Old Testament

The Old Testament story begins before time began. It begins: 

Before there was man.

Before there were animals, trees, or flowers.

Before there were planets and stars.

Before there was water and air.

Before there was sound.

Before there was light. 

It begins with God.

The Old Testament story emerges like a tiny shaft of light way off in the distance, races toward us through the darkness, and bursts over us in a crescendo of light, color, and sound. It fills our minds, our emotions, and our spirits with the majesty and presence of Almighty God Himself.

It’s a marvelous story as it unfolds. It’s Adam’s story. It’s Noah’s story. It’s Israel’s story. It’s our story. But, most of all, it’s God’s story. It’s the opening of His book, the explanation of His character, and the record of His mighty deeds among men from the beginning of time.

The Old Testament is a book of great spiritual and personal value. This is because: 

It tells us about God.

It answers questions about how life began.

It tells how evil came into our world.

It prophesies of the Messiah-Redeemer.

It inspires us to holy living.

It fills our hearts with gratitude and praise. 

Even so, the Old Testament has been undiscovered by many people. To them its wealth lies hidden, like a vast vein of gold under someone’s backyard.

Except for a few familiar passages cherished by millions—Genesis 1, Psalm 23, Isaiah 53—it remains a closed book even to many Christians.

Admittedly, to a new reader the Old Testament does seem overwhelming. It does have sections that are hard to read. And it does contain violence. But once a person grasps some basic facts about it, the Old Testament is not nearly as imposing or old-fashioned as it may seem. It’s exciting. It’s dramatic. It’s realistic. It tells us things we need to know about ourselves and our world. And most of all, the Old Testament tells us about God!

For video and additional resources see  the following website: https://christianuniversity.org/courses/bible-basics/