As we continue our case for Christ and the New Testament it is important to know that we are setting a full plate with this series. We are focusing on three different areas: Making a case for Christ (apologetics); Overviewing the New Testament in preparation to study in-depth (hermeneutics); and studying the Gospel of John (in-depth). By doing these three things it is our hope that you will not only have questions answered, but you will grow in your walk and relationship with the LORD!

Last week we concluded our introductory part of this series. As we begin to make a case for Christ and the New Testament it is important to first have the big picture of the Bible in our mind so as we study particular books, sections, or topics of the Bible we can keep it in its proper context. Here is a way to remember the flow and the main themes of the Bible as you would read from Genesis to Revelation:

An Overview of Biblical History – 15 major events:

Old Testament:

The Creation
The Fall and God’s Promise/Adamic Covenant
The Flood, Noah and the Noachian Covenant
The Tower of Babel and the dispersion
The period of the Patriarch and the Promise expanded through the Abrahmic Covenant
Moses, the Exodus, and the Promise unfolds through the Mosiac Covenant/The Law
Joshua and the Conquest of the Promised Land
The Period of the Judges and the dark days of Israel (everyone does what is right in their own eyes)
The Period of the Kings:
- The Kingdom United—under Saul, David and Solomon, and the Covenant Promise specified through David—the Davidic Covenant
- The Kingdom Divided—Northern tribe of Israel, Southern Tribe of Judah
The Captivity of Israel by Assyria and the Exile of Judah by Babylon
The return to the Promised Land
The Intertestimental Period—400 years of silence—God sets the stage for the coming of Messiah

New Testament:

The Advent of Messiah—The New Covenant established
The Church and its mission (the Jews are again dispersed from the Promised Land in AD 70, and return 1900 years later in AD 1948!)
The Apocalypse—The return of Jesus and the Kingdom comes—New Heaven and New Earth

Another way to look at human history would be to put it into “ages” or eras of time based on Biblical history. We are currently in what the Bible calls “the last days” and Jesus tells us to keep our eyes open for signs that this age is ending and the next one is soon to begin. However, we must be careful with that, because many people have attempted to predict the “end” and have failed. Jesus said that no one knows the day or the hour of His return, but He did tell us to keep alert because many will fall away or be deceived thinking that it will never happen!

The Ages

The age of Innocence (Genesis 1 – 3) A time where humans had a perfect relationship with God before the fall.
The age of Moral Conscious (Genesis 3 – 11) A time where the effect of sin increased.
The age of the Patriarchs (Genesis 12 – Exodus 12) A time of verbal instruction as God’s Promise unfolds in the Covenant until the time they are delivered from slavery and bondage.
The age of the Law (Exodus 20 – Acts 1) A time of written instruction and Messianic prophecy—Jesus’ death and resurrection ends this age.
The Last Days (Acts 2 – present time) Also known as the age of grace and/or Church age—A time of fulfilling the Great Commission – (We are here!!!)
The Tribulation Period (seven years—the book of Revelation 1-14) Also known as the Day of the LORD and/or the beginning of sorrows—Daniel 9:27, 70^th week of Daniel’s prophecy.
The Millennium (Revelation 14-20) One thousand years of Jesus’ reign and the end of Satan and his demons.
Eternity (Revelation 20-22 and beyond…) A time when all tears, sorrow and death will be gone, and we will live in the presence of the LORD, in His house forever!

GOD’S RESCUE PLAN:

Throughout the Old Testament God is revealing more and more of the promised plan to rescue humanity from the curse of the Fall. As you read through the Old Testament look for pictures of what we now know happened through Jesus in the New Testament. Most of the events and people of the Old Testament foreshadow, or paint a veiled picture, of what was to come. In addition, there are hundreds of prophecies throughout the Old Testament pointing to the fulfillment of the Old Covenant and the coming of Messiah we find fulfilled in Jesus!

The Old Testament is the New Testament concealed

The New Testament is the Old Testament revealed!

Pastor Chris Quintana does an excellent job of giving reasons for why we should study the whole Bible. He also explains some of the mistakes often made by not only people, but Pastors in the pulpit. Note: This video is grainy and a little out of sync; I recommend just listening to the presentation, but it is so worth the time!

Pastor Chris Quintana on “The Importance of Studying Straight Through the Bible”

We cannot “unhitch” the Old Testament from the New Testament because in doing so we will loose site of the reason for Jesus’ first coming as well as God’s purpose and final part of the plan still to be revealed for Jesus’ second coming. Keeping the connection between the Old and New Testament is vital for all Christians because there are so many places in Scripture where we see the connection made in the form of the term “covenant.” Here are a few passages that example that fact:

A prophecy of the Messiah and the Covenant Promise made sure:

I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness. I am the LORD, that is my name! I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols. See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you.

Isaiah 42:6-9

New Covenant Prophecy in the Old Testament:

The time is coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers…

Jeremiah 31:31-32

The Prophecy of a Covenant Messenger:

See I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come, says the LORD Almighty.

Malachi 3:1

A voice is calling, “Clear the way for the LORD in the wilderness; Make smooth in the desert a highway for our God.”

Isaiah 40:3

New Testament Fulfillment:

In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea and saying, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near. This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the desert, Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.”

Matthew 3:1-3

Jesus is speaking concerning John the Baptist:

This is the one about whom it is written: “’I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’…For all of the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come.”

Matthew 11:10; 13-14

New Testament Fulfillment of the Old Covenant Promise through the person of Jesus:

Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”

Matthew 26:26-28

For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you…”This cup is the new covenant in my blood, do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

1 Corinthians 11:23-24

But the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises.

Hebrews 8:6

By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete, and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear.

Hebrews 8:13

For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.

Hebrews 9:15

But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks better than the blood of Abel.

Hebrews 12:22-24

The Final Goal

The Kingdom of God on Earth:

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He *said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.” Then He said to me, “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost. He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son.

Revelation 21:1-7

Check out Pastor Mike Winger’s teaching showing the importance of the Old Testament and New Testament connection through Jesus:

Quick Review:

Review the fifteen major historical events of Biblical human history. List them using a word or short phrase.
What are the five major Old Testament Covenants leading up to the New Covenant (in order):
What is the New Covenant and why is it important?

Bible Study

As we go through this series we are also studying the Gospel of John because it is one of the most powerful apologetics on the person and deity of Jesus.

Read John chapter 6 the answer the following questions:

Summarize the two miracles that Jesus does in chapter 6:1-21. How do these miracles prove Jesus’ Deity?
In chapter 6:22-40 the people follow Jesus to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. What does Jesus tell them when they asked about “working the works of God?” In other words, can we work our way to God/Heaven? (6:28-29) How does Jesus compare Himself to the Manna in the wilderness during the time of Moses? (6:30-35) What does Jesus say about the will of the Father that He came down to do? (6:36-40)
What does Jesus say that is so offensive to the Jews and caused many of His disciples to grumble (and some even leave)? (6:41-71—with a focus on 53-55) What do we know to be true about this statement (and we still practice it today)? How did Peter answer when Jesus ask the twelve if they were going to go away too? (See 6:67-69)

Join us next week as we continue our Case for Christ and the New Testament!

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You will not find this material in the public school curriculum even though it is based on solid evidence and grounded in research. It is ironic that following the evidence to where it leads stops at the door of our public schools as they will not let a “Divine footprint” in! Join us as we examine evidence for Christianity and learn how to become a thoughtful defender and ambassador of your faith.

Click into the resource page of this website to view many of the top Christian thinkers and apologists along with some of their work; connecting to these types of resources is essential in your Christian growth.

Please let me know what you think: Give feedback, ask questions or send concerns in the comment section of the blog.

Teri Dugan

TeriDugan@truthfaithandreason.com

1 Peter 3:15