UNDERSTANDING THE TIMES 5
We are continuing in our discussion on the blessed hope but actually taking some introductory considerations. The introduction, which will till cover some further editions, is important. A matter of such importance as the blessed hope should have no shadow cast upon it in any way. Lack of understanding hinders proper response to divine things.
The Old Testament (the law and the prophets) and all of God's dealings with Biblical characters in that era foreshadow God's dealings with His people in the New Testament age. This is of much importance. For example, take the man Abraham. We know at the beginning, he has just one wife: Sarah. But at some point in his life, Agar, who was actually a house help to Sarah, came in. And after Sarah died, Abraham married another wife, Keturah.
Now these were actually three women that lived. But we know that God's dealings with Abraham and all the Biblical records concerning him foreshadow His dealings with His people under the 2 covenants. For example in Galatians 4, we are told that both Sarah and Agar are allegories. Sarah typified the New Testament while Agar typified the Old Testament. And, after the death of Sarah we find Keturah coming in to give some special emphasis to the antitype of that covenant that Agar represents.
So, all of God's dealing with the people of Israel and those Biblical characters presented in the first thirty nine books of the Bible are, strictly speaking, shadows of the Lord's people and of their experiences under God in the New Testament. This should be noted carefully.
We may look at the Old Testament as serving two purposes. One, God is showing to us in the great doctrines taught by Moses, Aaron and the prophets, shadows of the great themes of redemption. The elaborate ritual and ceremonies, the festal occasions are but types and imageries of real events in the New Testament age touching on the redemption that is in Christ. We can look at the Old Testament therefore as the New Testament concealed in shadows. And in the light of the teachings of the New Testament, we find that God's dealings with the children of Israel under the Old covenant had the general characteristics and boundaries of the great themes of redemption in the New.
Again, we can also look at the New Testament as the Old Testament revealed. So that, when you take any subject matter in the New, you will find that there is an adequate discussion on that same subject in the Old. Thus both the Old Testament and the New Testament writings provide the full range of truth on any subject matter To discuss something in one without an appropriate reference to some passage in the other might border on wrong emphasis. The scripture has provided that by the mouth of two or three witnesses let every matter be established. More importantly, there is no subject matter in the New but that it is to be found in the Old. Even if it is just one aspect of that matter, we will find it in the Old. Thus, we may not be able to fully appreciate a subject matter in the New, without reference to the Old.
There is a scriptural backing for the above observation. Take for example, Paul. He wrote about half of New Testament scriptures. But he said the authority he had for all the things contained in His epistles, is that they agree with the principles of truth that God has laid down in the Old Testament. Paul knew he was an apostle; was called of God and anointed of Him to preach the gospel, but he said all he taught and preached were derived from what was written in the Law and the prophets.
Let us go to the scriptures to see where Paul made this important observation. Acts 26:22. The occasion was the defence of Paul in the presence of Festus and King Agrippa who were dignitaries in the Roman Empire. Paul was converted on the way to Damascus when he was on mission to persecute the church.
On the way to Damascus to arrest believers, God apprehended him. And from that time, all of Paul's life was turned the right way up, and he began to preach Jesus Christ. Certain of his teachings on grace and related subjects were seen by the Jews (who still held rigidly to certain of the Old Testament practices) as heresies. And they were minded to kill him. It was on such an occasion when he was dragged before Festus and subsequently before Agrippa that we find this statement made in verse 22 of Acts 26.
22Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come.
Now, Paul is saying here that there is no doctrine taught by him, whether he was talking of the gifts of spirit, the five-fold ministry, or things that pertain to the perfection and glorification of the church, but that it derived its authority from the Old Testament scriptures.
I Corinthians 10 further confirm the above observation. There Paul said that the events that transpired for those forty years during the wanderings of the children of Israel through the wilderness to the promised land, answer to specific events taking place in and among God's people all through the gospel age. And, of course, saints of this church age have identified this position as true. This song comes to mind now "Guide me O thou great Jehovah, pilgrims through this wilderness".
So, the wilderness journey of the children of Israel answers to the wilderness journey of the New Testament church. We are not passing through any physical wilderness, but from the point we are saved to the point we enter into the fullness of the inheritance reserved for us by God, our pertinent experiences during that time are by the word of God pictured as a wilderness, showing that there is something better, fuller, richer in the mind of God for us than all that we have experienced up till now.
In Hebrews 10, Paul says "for the law. And the word" Law" here covers the first five books of the Old Testament. They constitute the spiritual foundation for the writings of the prophets and the ministry of the priests all through the Old Testament age. There is no prophecy in the Old Testament but that it has its roots in the first five books called Law. The Law founded the words that came forth from the mouth of the prophets. For the law came out of Zion and the word of God from Jerusalem, we are told in Isaiah 2:3.
So the law was the foundation for all that did labour under the Old Testament in teaching and preaching. And so Paul says in Hebrews 10:1
JESUS IS LORD!
Your Brother - 'Segun Ogunfile.
The Writings of Segun Ogunfile 