Through the past few years of my life I didn’t care much for reading the Old Testament.  Sometimes I might read about the Flood or Joseph getting brought to Egypt but I knew the stories already and the books I didn’t understand (like Leviticus and all those books named after prophets) I’d just skip over and go straight to the Gospels.  My favorite books are the Gospels.  I mean who wouldn’t like reading stories about one’s best friend, aka Jesus?  But then things changed after I participated in a bible study.

I never realized how much the Old and New Testament connect!  If I want to experience Jesus’ life to the full I need to read and know the Old Testament. Jesus’ life reflects the Old Testament.  Jesus’ life not only reflects it but also fulfills it through his Death and Resurrection.  Now you might be confused at what I’m talking about, so I am going to give you a few examples.

  1. The first Garden was Eden and the last garden was Gethsemane
  2. Abraham goes to sacrifice his son, but God gives His Son instead
  3. The tribe of Israel crosses the Red Sea and wanders the desert for 40 years; Jesus goes through the waters of Baptism and goes into the desert for 40 days
  4. Israel loses the Temple when the kingdom divides; Jesus is the new temple
  5. In Maccabeus a revolt goes against Greece; Jesus drives the true revolt against Satan and sin

And the list continues…

It is amazing the connections I never realized before!  It was so eye-opening!  By reading the Old and New Testament, I get to know Jesus even more.  The Testaments aren’t separate like I always thought but intertwine with one another.  Now when I read the stories I learned as a young child I will experience them in a new light because I know they have a deeper meaning.  They are other stories about Jesus.

I highly recommend taking this bible study by Jeff Cavins that is filled with revealed mysteries.  It is a great 8 session experience and I can’t wait to take the 24 session!  The five examples I address are shown in this study.