For Our Learning

 I have heard the comment: “you must remember that the Old Testament was ‘written for our learning’” many times in the past years.  The implication is that the part that was “written for our learning” is not very important, and that we only need to know and understand the part that was written “to us.”

That phrase “for our learning” could take a good looking at. It is true that different parts of the Bible are addressed to specific groups of people. The part of the Bible addressed to us in our day and time is the Church Epistles: Romans –Thessalonians.

Some have said the Old Testament was written to the Old Testament believers, and it is like we just get to peek over their shoulder as they read a letter God wrote to them.

I have heard some say that in their church or fellowship they only study the book of Ephesians or the Church Epistles – the part specifically addressed to the church of today.

If that is true that you only need to pay attention to that very small area of a large book, what do you do with the verses below?

• BUT: before we read them, here are some things to consider. In the Old Testament no one had a Bible like we have today. The scriptures were in the temple only, and perhaps the king had a copy if he copied out the scriptures like God told him to do. Other than that, all that the people had was what they heard when the scriptures were read or taught. They had no dust covered Bibles on the coffee table. They could not open the Bible in the morning with their coffee and read the law or the Psalms or the prophesies of Isaiah. It wasn’t until very late in the Old Testament, around the time of the Babylonian Captivity, that the scripture began to be translated into Greek. Then those copies could be copied by slaves and if you had enough money to have a slave do the work, you could buy a copy of the then Old Testament.
• Also consider in Ephesians 1:4 that God called out the church we belong to before the overthrow (foundation) of the world. When Adam had sinned, God had Adam on one side and the devil on the other. Before God gave over the dominion of the earth to the devil, God called out the church. He knew one day He would have sons and daughters once again like Adam but they would have much more. All through the Old Testament days, the prophets spoke many things to God’s people and others. Some of what was spoken and taught God had written down … for us His Children!

Romans 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

1Corinthians 10:11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

1Corinthians 9:8-10 Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished (perfectly equipped) unto all good works.

If you are a child of God, God had all the Old Testament, Gospels, and other New Testament books written for our learning. So that we could see all that God went through to bring the Messiah to pass on the earth. So that we could see what God was like – that He was a God of deliverance, health, and prosperity. So that we could see that God was a faithful Father and that He loved His children. So that we, as His children, could believe that as He sent Christ the first time that He would be faithful to send Christ again to gather the church. We ought to become very familiar with what our Father had written for our learning, our admonition, so that we can be fully equipped for every good work as He intended when He had the Old Testament written.

Becoming familiar with ALL of God’s Word is one of the keys to The Prosperous Life.