Today, many Christians believe that you do not need to study the Old Testament because we are under the New Covenant, therefore we need only the New Testament. Consider this. The Old Testament is the New Testament concealed and the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed. If this is true, and I believe it is, then how much must we embrace the Bible from beginning to end? 

 

The Bible is full of mysteries and hidden treasure beckoning us to discover them all. These mysteries are hidden for us not from us. The Old Testament draws us in with pictures. It is saturated with pictures. The New Testament is the message. For example, the New Testament tells us to be holy but does not tell us how. The Old Testament shows us how by way of pictures. The Apostle Paul taught with Old Testament pictures.

 

Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. (1 Cor. 10:11)

 

Then He said to them, “Therefore every scribe instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old.” (Matthew 13:52)

 

Interpreting parables, metaphors, types and shadows are needed to understand God’s mysteries. If we are scribes then, instructed in the kingdom of heaven, we will bring treasures out of both the Old and the New Testament.

 

The word of God is like a puzzle with one big picture. God gives us all the pieces and is ready to help us put them all in the right place in order to see His big picture. When we do not know what the puzzle is supposed to look like, then it is very difficult, if not impossible, to put the puzzle pieces together in their intended place. We are left with many scattered, disconnected pieces never getting to enjoy the finished picture.

 

When we do not see the big picture, we misunderstand what the Bible is all about, therefore taking scripture out of context. The bottom line is that we need to interpret the Bible in context. It is then that we are able to teach the Word in a fresh way. We can be used to open the eyes of others

 

As we dig deeper, it is vital to study the first five books of the Bible, in order to understand the Bible in its entirety and to understand the administration and economy of God. If we do not understand the Pentateuch, we will misinterpret much of the Bible.