Written by BibleOne Team
October 26, 2025
The Neglected Scriptures
For many Christians, the Old Testament can feel like a foreign land. It's filled with strange laws, detailed genealogies, and stories of violence and judgment that can seem confusing and disconnected from the grace-filled message of Jesus in the New Testament. As a result, the first two-thirds of our Bibles often go unread and unappreciated. We treat it like the dusty attic of our faith—we know it's there, but we rarely venture in, preferring to stay in the familiar, well-lit rooms of the New Testament.
This neglect is a tragic loss. The Old Testament is not a separate, irrelevant story; it is the essential foundation upon which the entire New Testament is built. Without it, we cannot fully understand who Jesus is, what his mission was, or the profound depth of God's redemptive plan. Jesus himself viewed the Old Testament as being entirely about him. On the road to Emmaus, he rebuked his disciples for their slowness to believe what the prophets had spoken, and "beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself" (Luke 24:27). The Old Testament is the story of a promise; the New Testament is the story of that promise fulfilled.
1. The Old Testament Points to Jesus
The Old Testament is a rich tapestry woven with threads that all lead to the person and work of Jesus Christ. From the first promise of a serpent-crusher in Genesis to the final prophecy of a coming messenger in Malachi, the entire story is looking forward.
Prophecies Fulfilled
The Old Testament contains hundreds of specific prophecies about the coming Messiah that were perfectly fulfilled in the life of Jesus. It predicted his lineage, his birthplace, his virgin birth, his life of suffering, his betrayal, his death by crucifixion, and his glorious resurrection. These fulfilled prophecies provide powerful, objective evidence that Jesus was indeed the long-awaited Messiah.
Types and Shadows
Beyond direct prophecy, the Old Testament is filled with "types" and "shadows"—people, events, and institutions that served as living illustrations pointing forward to the reality found in Christ. Adam was a "type" of Christ. The Passover Lamb was a shadow of Jesus, the "Lamb of God." The entire sacrificial system pointed to the final, once-for-all sacrifice of Christ on the cross.
2. The Old Testament Provides the Foundation for Our Theology
Trying to understand the New Testament without the Old is like watching the final movie in a series without seeing any of the prequels. You'll miss the context and the significance of the climax. The Old Testament provides the foundational concepts that give meaning to the Gospel, such as the character of God, the problem of sin, the concept of covenant, and the meaning of sacrifice.
3. The Old Testament Offers Timeless Wisdom for Life
The Old Testament is not just about history and prophecy; it is filled with practical, timeless wisdom for living a godly life today. The Psalms provide a divinely inspired prayer book. Proverbs is a treasure trove of practical wisdom on friendship, money, and work. The stories of the Patriarchs and Kings provide us with both positive and negative examples to learn from.
Conclusion: Embracing the Whole Story
The Bible is one unified book that tells one grand story of God's redemptive plan through Jesus Christ. To neglect the Old Testament is to attempt to read only the final chapters of a magnificent epic. As followers of Jesus, let us embrace the *whole* counsel of God. Let us read the Old Testament with fresh eyes, looking for Jesus on every page. For in doing so, we will gain a richer, deeper, and more profound understanding of the God we worship and the glorious salvation He has accomplished for us in Christ.