Bible Studies

HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE Part Four

by Henry Jaegers
04/08/19
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WHY THE OLD TESTAMENT IS NECESSARY?

To begin, let's talk about why we have an Old Testament and a New Testament. There are many who cannot tell you why because they may come from churches that never recognize its importance. If we fail to understand this basic truth, it will affect the way that I understand other parts of the Bible. Jesus Christ is the central person in both the Old and New Testament. In the Old Testament, there are over fifty prophecies that talk about Him. The reason we know that it is Jesus they are talking about is that the New Testament tells that it is so.  To put it simply, the Old Testament says that He is coming; The New Testament says that He has come. The Jewish people understood the Messiah (or the Christ) is coming, but do not believe That Jesus is He.

SUMMARIZING THE OLD TESTAMENT

For future purposes, I thought it to be helpful for you to have a more detailed list of the major Prophecies mentioned in the Old Testament about Christ (The Messiah). Someday you may wish to find out where they are, so this is a guide to make it easier.

         Genesis 3: 15. This verse gives three important prophecies. 1. He would be the seed of the woman. 2. Satan would bruise His heel. 3. He (Christ) would crush the head of Satan. This was fulfilled in Christ's Virgin birth, the crucifixion and the resurrection.

         Genesis 12: 1-3. Genesis 17: 19, and 18:18, These are the promises given by God to Abraham about the Messiah who would come through Abraham and the Jewish nation.

          Genesis 21:12 and 22:18 confirm that it is through Isaac, (not Ishmael) that the Messiah would come.

          Genesis 28:14, God confirmed the covenant to Jacob that through his seed, the Messiah would come. (Specifically, from the nation of Israel).

          Genesis 49:1O, mentions, that The tribe of Judah, from which the Messiah would come and reign as king. The tribe of Judah is to be the tribe of the kings from whom would come Israel’s first King.

         Deuteronomy 18: 18 and 19 prophecies of a leader and prophet like Moses would come.

         II Samuel 7:12, 13, tells that God would establish the kingdom of David forever. We have many references in the New Testament about Jesus’ connection with this prophecy.

        Isaiah 7:14 predicts His Virgin Birth and the name Emmanuel (Meaning God with us).

         Micah 5: 2, predicts the Messiah's birth in Bethlehem.

         Isaiah 53 gives 12 specific details about His suffering on the cross. (Too specific to ignore).

         In Isaiah 40, and Malachi 3: 1, 4: 5, 6 (given details in the study of John the Baptist) Predicts the arrival Of John the Baptist

         Finally, In Daniel 9: 27 Daniel predicts the death of Christ at the end of the 69^th week. The 70^th week is yet to be fulfilled and it will include the final destruction of Satanic forces (The bruising of Satan's head). It speaks also of the arrival of Jesus as king of kings and Lord of Lord's and the catching away of His church to reign with Him.

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