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Old 07-05-2010, 11:55 PM   #1  
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Question Old Testament??

Hi all,

I am reading the Bible for the first time, and I'm struggling with just what to do with the Old Testament. I read the New Testament first, and I didn't have the problems that I'm having with the Old Testament. I'm wondering how exactly does the Old Testament fit into being a Christian? I'm only as far as Exodus 23, and I just don't know what to make of the "laws" or rules. I'm so lost at this point that I'm not even sure what questions I should be asking. I'd appreciate your help with this if you have some thoughts on it. Thanks!
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Old 07-06-2010, 01:49 AM   #2  
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The whole Bible is really about Christ. He was in the beginning long before being born on earth. He is the Word made flesh. Jesus Christ fulfilled the Old Testament. We no longer live by law but by faith in Him. The blood sacrifices were a foreshadowing of His death for our sins on the cross. The passover (when the death angel "passed" over those who put the blood on their door posts) is another foreshadowing of this. There's a lot more...even places in the OT where Jesus appeared but the main thing is that Jesus is the Star of the whole Bible and we live by faith in Him and what He has done for us. I see the OT events as generally being concrete examples of something spiritual for us. Often the New Testament refers to them in this way or as types of what was to come. There are many rules in the OT that pertain to that time, some Jesus reiterated which shows their importance for us too, but many He didn't. We are freed from the Law but that freedom is to live His life and do good works not to sin. These are some of my thoughts on this.
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Old 07-06-2010, 06:18 AM   #3  
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This is just one person's opinion. I'm a Reform Jew, which means that I believe that Judaism and Jewish traditions should be modernized and should be compatible with participation in the surrounding culture. I don't take the Old Testament literally. Some of the laws like eating Kosher were to keep people at that time from getting sick from things like Trichinosis from pork.
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Old 07-06-2010, 07:17 AM   #4  
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I believe alot of the book of the OT show us the true scope of Gods grace!! The book of Ruth for example show how God takes the women who are literally widowed and homeless and restores them to stature in their time... Also the books of first and second Samuel tell the story of king David and how even though he screwed up and sinned continually God still shined favor on him.... A proverb a day keeps the devil away!!! Scan through the laws rules and the begots and focus on the meat of the story!! There are some super cool stories in the OT!! Also it help if you read an easier translation. I an a NIV or ESV girl my self!! I also read it on my phone through Youversion.com has every translation so you can compare!! I hope this helps!!!
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Old 07-06-2010, 08:37 AM   #5  
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There is a book called Christ Before the Manger that reveals the foreshadowing of Jesus throughout the O.T. This book really changed how I read the O.T.

Another thing I would recommend is using a chronological Bible because (for me) it helps to read things in a logical order and see how the people and stories are connected.

Max Lucado has some great Bible studies on the O.T. books that help to apply the information to everyday life. (This link is for the one on Genesis.)
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Old 07-06-2010, 08:41 AM   #6  
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Great answers to your post already OHLOVE.

As mentioned....so many cool things to read...and some disturbing too!

So many great lessons and comfort through Proverbs and Psalms....

Knowing we don't live by the "law" anymore because Christ has already come for us sure makes me realize how tough it would have been on me to keep some of those!

Enjoy your time spent in the Old Testament.
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Old 07-06-2010, 09:52 AM   #7  
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I understand where your coming from. I to have trouble with understanding things in the Bible, or you might say to accepting things the way they were but this group sure can help you out in that. You got some great advice as well as I did in Understanding the Bible. Asking questions really helps our spiritual growth, will not learn anything if we don't ask. This group is full of knowledge, just love them!
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Old 07-06-2010, 10:36 AM   #8  
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hmm very interesting conversation here. Im seventh day and we do believe the old testament and also believe that we must follow all of God's rules to the best of our ability, which does include the no eating pork. Adventists believe God laid out his plan for our best health, salvation, and life style and although Jesus came to save us it did not end the laws laid out for us. So we do celebrate sabbath like the Jewish and eat kosher and no pork, crab, lobster, shrimp as well as a list of other things. lol I will admit though we don't eat healthy and many of us struggle with weight. lol hence being here. Have a blessed day!
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Old 07-06-2010, 02:03 PM   #9  
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I am glad you brought up the laws on eating....I been checking that one out for I was raised up on pork, if it had not been for that ,rabbit, squirrel, armadillo, fish, turtle, deer and good old frog legs, watermelon , corn, potatoes and gravy and biscuits we would of starved to death. Now a days the armadillo is a state animal ha! That kinda shows how old I am...My husband and my new Grandpa on our honeymoon had me help out in processing an old hog! That was the first time I ever gave a hog a bath and shave! Pork chops sure was good but that Prune cake Grandma made that day was even better!
I would like to hear what y'all have to say on eating for that has been brought to my attention more than once. I couldn't get myself to eat pork for 3 months, till I read something in the Bible and I cannot remember where I read it , that God said it was alright. But ya know I don't know all about the Bible still studying it , so yes i am very interested what y'all have to say about eating. Oh I don't eat rabbit, armadillo, turtle and squirrel anymore, it just is not on my Hubbies menu !
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Old 07-06-2010, 03:54 PM   #10  
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I agree that you have some great advice here already by Maryea & Hairchick -- I have some similar thoughts as them.

As Christians we do "believe in" the old testament, but we are now freed from the imperfections of the law, through JESUS CHRIST who came to fulfill the law or become a better law or way. As PAUL explains in Hebrews, the law served its purpose: to show us that we are sinners and fall short of the glory of GOD.

Now that the Messiah, JESUS CHRIST, has come and fulfilled many of the prophecies and promises of the OT, we are cleansed by HIS BLOOD and HIS SACRIFICE; and are now FREE from the bondage of sin and death, plus endless rules and statutes and laws.

Paul explains this in both Romans and Hebrews in the NT, which are both very meaty books to read. I love the PSALMS; and the Wisdom in the book of PROVERBS is of great value; and other books like JOB and ISAIAH, and many others have good stuff in them too. There are indeed many wonderful stories in the OT that we can all learn from, so we should read it and be blessed by them.

But be warned -- the OT is blunt and does contain a lot of records and tells us the way things really were ... it isn't "always" telling us the way it should be, but the way it was ~ the way things used to be a very long time ago, BEFORE Jesus came to free us. We are indeed blessed to be under this new grace that Jesus has won for us all.

BOOTSIE ~ yes, there are verses in the new testament where PAUL stated that we can now eat anything in the market place or shambles as they were known then (1 Corinthians 10:25 & surrounding verses). He said it is a matter of FAITH; eat what you want to or believe you should eat. We now have great freedom through Christ; to eat or not to eat ... it is up to each individual. If you want to be a vegetarian, that is OK; if you want to eat meat (or pork), that is OK too.

This issue of PORK keeps coming up -- here in the north, some people eat Bear which is also forbidden in the old testament. We also believe that PORK was forbidden becuz it had hidden health dangers in that day. I think we have to be careful about eating anything today, ie watching out for salmonella in raw meats and foods too; BUT we have to live by faith or we would be afraid to eat altogether.

Paul encouraged us not to argue over this but to be gracious to one another in the "freedom of choice" (I am paraphrasing in general here; not quoting). He even said not to offend anyone in the things that we allow. We respect our sisters and brothers of the Jewish faith as well as other Christian groups, and their right to believe, and do as they see fit for themselves and their lives. As PAUL would say, "Let everyone decide for themselves" ...

Last edited by Justwant2Bhealthy; 07-06-2010 at 04:09 PM.
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Old 07-06-2010, 06:39 PM   #11  
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When reading the Old Testament some folks get confused ...probably all of us at some point....on what God wants us to eat. There are many lessons in the OT surrounding food...manna from Heaven

God wants us to eat things that are good for us

Some churches encourage certain diets but most do not.

Not important for slavation

Scripture shows us we are not to make fun of or be made fun of by other Christians on what we eat.


Colossians 2:16-18 (New International Version)

16 ~Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. 17 ~These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. 18 ~Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions.

From my study Bible Paul tells us here the ceremonial laws of the OT are referred to as shadows (Heb 8:5; 10:1) because they symbolically depicted the coming of Christ; so any insistence on the observance of such ceremonies is a failure to recognize that their fullfilment has already taken place.

This is from our LCMS website on eating unclean foods ~

Unclean Foods


Q. What is the Lutheran policy on eating pork or shellfish? I've heard from other Christians that they are not allowed to eat these because of the scripture in Leviticus. Are there other certain foods that Lutherans need to abstain from?

A. Lutherans teach that Old Testament ceremonial laws regarding "clean" and "unclean" foods are not binding on Christians, having been fulfilled in the coming of Jesus Christ. As St. Paul teaches in Colossians 2:16-17, "Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ."
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Old 07-06-2010, 09:35 PM   #12  
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I think for myself it is easier for me when I look at the laws in Leviticus. The reason there is clean food and unclean food does go beyond how something is cooked. Unclean foods are scavengers. They eat garbage, rotting food and carcasses of other animals. The skim the bottom of the ocean eating algae and slim. So God tells us we don't eat animals that are scavengers like pigs, vultures, lobster, shrimp and so on because their nutritional content is not good. We wouldn't eat garbage would we? so we don't eat animals that consume garbage. I agree that pork and shellfish is dangerous when not cooked properly and can further cause us disease. The diet God gave us in the beginning was the garden of eden diet, fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains and God said take from it and eat. It was once we introduced meat and seafood that we started to have ailments. Just to be clear Im a meat eater...just chicken and salmon and tuna but meat eater still the same. lol Look how our bodies are made, how long it takes to break down vegetables and fruit compared to beef. Our bodies were made to try and digest those harsher foods. Just my two cents

and your exactly right, no one should be judged in any way shape or form for what they eat or believe....there is only one judge and that is our heavenly father. have a blessed night everyone
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Old 07-06-2010, 11:14 PM   #13  
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I wanted to add that I love the Old Testament! Always loved the stories like David and Goliath but like many struggled with it otherwise. No more...now it is speaks to me as much spiritually as the NT because of how I see the fulfillment we have in Jesus. So just read it prayerfully and also read the NT and ask God to guide your understanding.

As to the foods, I feel free to eat anything but I do think that the Creator God knows what is best for me and try to eat healthy most of the time. Obviously I wouldn't be on this forum if I always ate right...my biggest issue has been gluttony something I honestly think should be addressed more from the pulpit!

I used to think that those things were not to be eaten just because of the time like pork needs to be well cooked etc., but with more health info I have come to the conclusion that these foods may not be as healthy as some have thought. If you think of the jobs that at least some of these seafood (not sure about them all) do in the ocean and even with the "whitewashing" the pork industry has tried to do with their products "the other white meat" I prefer not to eat these foods. Not so easy as I still love bacon and do have a little now and then! But I try to avoid them...the seafood is easy as I only like fish and I do eat only fish with scales because of the toxicity..makes sense to me that smooth-skinned fish are more likely to absorb it. But these rules are not reiterated in the NT, and we are not saved or made righteous in any way by what we eat...it is not what man eats but what is in his heart.

You have gotten a lot of good responses and hope it has helped.
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Old 07-06-2010, 11:45 PM   #14  
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I love the stories also in the old testament about Sarah , it shows me God has a sense of humor , I laugh every time I think of her laughing . I just know God had to laugh too. Then there is Ruth my Mother was named after her. There are so many good stories! I love the Psalms and I read them for everyone on here at night time and my other friends, sorta like praying for everyone. The Bible is awesome, even though at times I don't understand it but I have friends that do and have helped me a-lot!
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Old 07-07-2010, 09:11 AM   #15  
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Interesting subject ~ my DH and I were talking about this last night; and I just want to be clear that we do respect the basic laws of the bible like the Ten Commandments, and many others that were expounded upon in the NT also; and we definitely obey the laws of the land (our country). I meant endless rules, traditions, ceremonies, rites, etc regarding eating, sacrifices, and other stuff, as Jesus changed that for us when He came.

GONNABANANNY ~ I agree with your thoughts there about the animals that are scavengers and yes, pigs do scavenge as well. They say that today, they are cleaner and are now only fed "clean feed" but as you know what happened with some other meats/foods, there has been a problem with them. So, we all can decide for ourselves what we should eat for health or religious reasons. I do avoid some kinds of foods if I am not sure about them; esp after working in the fastfood industry for some time in the past.


MARYEA ~ we have the opposite issue here; "gluttony" is preached about so much that many people stop going to church. I think we need to discuss "HEALTHY EATING" OR "HEALTHY LIFESTYLE" which focuses on how to eat and live well, rather than pointing fingers at people until they feel persecuted.

There is no other group that is set apart for their appearance today, and since this issue is so complex, it must be handled sensitively and wisely.

Plus, many churches turn around and serve "unhealthy" foods at potlucks, teas, and lunches right after preaching at people for being "fat" ... this is the worst kind of hypocrisy to me.

Many of us are becoming much more health conscious today and that can only be a good thing really ...

Last edited by Justwant2Bhealthy; 07-07-2010 at 09:39 AM.
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