I don't understand the old testament

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I don't understand the old testament Christanon 05/21/19 (Tue) 20:33:23 df1f46 No.808762

I've decided to read the bible in hopes of finding something of value for my own spiritual development. I started from the very beginning and now have finished the old testament.

Sadly, I didn't find anything of value at all. It felt bloated, inconsistent and repetetive. Some parts were long and dry descriptions of jewish law, which are irrelevant to christians. Some part were long and dry description of jewish history and their line of kings, which, I guess is somewhat relevant to Jesus' heritage and the perception and importance of "kings" in jewish and christian faiths. Most of it, however, was repetition. Someone disobeys God, God punishes them, prophets preach about how people shouldn't do that again. Rinse and repeat, over and over again.

I haven't read the new testament yet but from what I've heard it's the part that is most relevant for christians. But apart from that, why would I ever need to read the old testament again? Am I too stupid to understand the underlying message? And why are the "rewards and punishments" in the OT being delivered during life, while in the NT they are being delivered after death? I mean, in the old testament people were blessed with wealth and health for obeying and were stricken by poverty, disease and death for disobeying God. Nobody even cared about afterlife, which is the complete opposite from what is supposedly being taught in the NT.

Christanon 05/21/19 (Tue) 21:06:52 2fcb76 No.808775

This is why Protestantism fails

Christanon 05/21/19 (Tue) 21:10:32 b6f06e No.808777

>>808762

In the OT time there was no heaven( nor hell) because nobody really had a choice or a shot at getting into heaven because Jesus hadn't come yet so all people ended up in the same place, Sheol. In the NT jesus comes and offers a way for humans to strive to enter the kingdom of heaven, rather than focus on this life.

Christanon 05/21/19 (Tue) 21:19:46 057f44 No.808779

>>808777

Is this why jews are stereotypically greedy and materialistic? And what happens to the souls of those who lived before Jesus?

Christanon 05/21/19 (Tue) 21:31:41 8f11c9 No.808782

>>808762

>Most of it, however, was repetition. Someone disobeys God, God punishes them, prophets preach about how people shouldn't do that again. Rinse and repeat, over and over again.

And that, good sir, is the point:

>People disobey God

>God nukes them

>Prophets suggest people not disobey God

>People ignore prophets

This is why we can't have nice things. Now when you read Jesus saying "let all who have ears hear" as He concludes His parables, you will understand why this is 1) important 2) doomed to failure in 90% of cases.

>>808779

In brief, yes.

Christanon 05/21/19 (Tue) 21:33:07 8f11c9 No.808784

>>808779

>What happened to the souls?

Jesus went to Sheol after His Passion and death to fetch those destined for heaven.

Christanon 05/21/19 (Tue) 21:37:19 a6ecab No.808785

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You don't remember the part of the prophecy in the Old Testament about God sending a savior to save people from the condemnation of sin?

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

–Isaiah 9:6-7

I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.

And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.

–Deuteronomy 18:18-19

And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. I will be his father, and he shall be my son.

–2 Samuel 7:12-14

But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

–Micah 5:2

Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?

The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.

–Genesis 49:9-10

For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.

Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:

–Psalm 8:5-6

{A Psalm of David.} The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.

—Psalm 110:1

And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

–Genesis 3:15

Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.

Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.

And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.

–Daniel 9:24-26

Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:

And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

–Malachi 4:5-6

Surely if you read the whole Old Testament you remember some of these things?

Christanon 05/21/19 (Tue) 23:15:18 e3d278 No.808818

YouTube embed. Click thumbnail to play.

There is the phrase, referring to each testament: 'The new in the old, concealed; the old in the new, revealed.'

Are you familiar with typology? Everything in the OT is a 'type,' a sign, a signal or symbol to set up (and then in some cases with whats delivered in the NT, subvert) expectations. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Typology_(theology)

I've only watch the first 14 hours (i.e. OT) but Chuck Missler's Learn the Bible in 24Hours is a fantastic presentation for an overview that, well, being an hour each lecture provide a lot of information while it still seeming like a whirlwind tour only scratching the surface and leaving you thirsty to delve in deeper and learn more. He's a zionist prot, which may irk some but in general is a great resource imo.

Christanon 05/21/19 (Tue) 23:40:23 92b36a No.808823

>>808775

Fpbp. Protestants don't seem to understand how the Old Testament ties in with the New. My interactions with them (former Prot) have basically gone like this:

>you know, the old testament is interesting and all - I really like Job's story! but anyway, why is it even part of the Bible?

At the time, I didn't understand what role the OT played in Christianity either, even though the answer is rather simple: the OT prophesies the coming of Christ, and the NT is that prophesy fulfilled. Funnily enough, Jews reject prophets such as Isaiah and twist their own Hebrew language (e.g. "almah can only mean 'young woman', not 'virgin', goy") out of hatred towards Christians and God Himself who, as you said, they constantly disobey throughout the OT.

Christanon 05/21/19 (Tue) 23:49:09 5288d9 No.808825

>>808784

>>808779

Specifically, to rescue those who had died in faith that He would come, who were with Abraham.

Christanon 05/21/19 (Tue) 23:56:51 d6488a No.808830

>>808762

>Most of it, however, was repetition. Someone disobeys God, God punishes them, prophets preach about how people shouldn't do that again. Rinse and repeat, over and over again.

And they were just too thick and proud to get it. So that's why we get the New Covenant, and why Christ's crucifixion was the perfect sacrifice that ended that cycle and fulfilled the law and bought salvation to Christians.

Christanon 05/22/19 (Wed) 03:30:47 c4068f No.808881

>>808762

>Someone disobeys God, God punishes them, prophets preach about how people shouldn't do that again. Rinse and repeat, over and over again.

That's precisely the point. Despite God giving good things to humanity, they still disobey him for no reason whatsoever TO THIS VERY DAY. If it sounds repetitive and obnoxious to you, then imagine how God feels whenever people commit sin?