Upon a suggestion from SOGFPP, I decided to post a thread about this.
How do you all interpret the Old Testament? Myth? Stories? Truth?
I see the Old Testament as a primarily a History of the Israelites, but there are un-numbered ( and, I believe, intentionally placed by God) themes, messages, and lessons that we can draw from it and apply to ourselves today, especially as it relates to Christ and the Church.
I hope that makes sense. What do you all think?
Linus,
Many people view the Hebrew Scriptures as less important than the Christian Greek Scriptures. Nothing could be further from the truth. Much of what is written in the Greek had it's beginning in the Hebrew Scriptures. The fact is; it is impossible to understand most of the Greek Scriptures without knowing the basis of the teaching, which had it's start in the Hebrew.
Consider 2Tim 3:16,17, says ALL SCRIPTURE is inspired by God, and useful for doctrine, for correction, and instruction in righteousness.
Something to think about: We would not even know why we die if not for the Hebrew Scriptures, Gen 2:17. Adam and Eve were created to live forever, Gen 1:28.
The first prophecy recorded in the Bible is Gen 3:15, which is a prophecy telling about the way all mankind, who puts faith in the name of Jesus and his Ransom Sacrifice, will have the chance to regain the Perfect, Everlasting Life that Adam lost for us.
We would know very little of the march of the nations that had dealings with the nation of Israel. There is to be seven, Egypt Assyria, Babylon, Medes and Persions, Greek, Roman, and the Anglo-American world power that is NOW. We would not know tha this is the last power to be under man's rule, Dan 2:44.
There are many things in the Hebrew Scriptures that help us to understand the Greek and also many things written to let us know God's thinking on matters, even on things of today, not even imagined in the days when the Bible was started to be written.