Emmaus Road MomentsDiscovering The NT From the OT

Introduction

And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself (Lk 24:27)

The Old TestamentWhat is it?

To the Jew

To the Christian

How should it be read?

Reading the OT Wrongly: Allegorical-Only Method“It’s a privilege to be married. It’s a privilege in the time we live in when it’s seven [women] to one man”. - Archbishop Duncan Williams, Oct 2014

Source: Graphic Online

“In that day seven women will take hold of one man and say, “We will eat our own food and provide our own clothes; only let us be called by your name. Take away our disgrace!”

Source: The Bible i.e. Is 4:1 NIV

Reading the OT Better: Historical-Grammatical MethodHistorical context

Textual context

Genre

Historical interpretation

2 hugely important historical influences on the bible today:

1.Ancient Near Eastern culture (mostly OT)

2.2nd Temple Judaism (mostly NT).

Grand Narratives of the Old TestamentApplying the historical-grammatical method of reading the Old Testament, we discover consistent themes/narratives in the Old Testament. 2 ways of describing these themes are below.

1. Creational Monotheism, Election and Eschatology

2. Creation, Covenant and Kingdom

We will be discovering the themes of Creational Monotheism, Election and Eschatology in the OT today..

Creational Monotheism

Creational Monotheism - The “Creational” PartGenesis 1

God creates a “good” world suitable for human flourishing (v 4,10,12,18,21,25,31)

God creates mankind in his image to “subdue it” (v26-28)

Genesis 2

God creates a garden, and puts a man and woman there to tend it and to be tested

Genesis 3

Adam and Eve’s failure leads to separation from God - spiritual brokenness

The woman is no longer a support for the man, but to be “ruled over” (3:16) - social brokenness.

The earth is cursed (3:17-18) - ecological brokenness

Genesis 4-11

The effects of Gen 3 are lived out in chapters 4-11 of Genesis.

Creational Monotheism - The “Monotheism” PartIn the Ancient Near East

1.Every nation had a god/gods.

2.Most had different gods for different purposes - sun, water, fertility, war etc.

3.Defeat in battle means your god is either angry with you, or he was defeated.

4.Ancient Israel believed that there was only one goda. He created the world, and the only one worth worshipping (Ps 33:6-9)

b. Since he’s the creator, he is the god of the sun, water, fertility, war etc.

c. He ruled in the affairs of the nations, but they didn’t recognize him. (Deut 2:5,9,19)

d. Yahweh desires that his status as the only creator god be recognized even by the nations. He desires to be “known” - hence “know the Lord” in the OT. (Ex 7:5; 1 Ki 23:60)

Creational Monotheism - Idol Worship

Egyptian Worshipper Offers sacrifices at the Nile

In worship of Hapi

Idol Worship - Ancient Israel’s Critique

Hapi doesn’t exist. Yahweh is the only creator

Egyptian WorshipperEnds up worshiping a creation of their own hands or Yahweh’s creation

Creational Monotheism - The name ‘Yahweh’

YHWH YaHWeH

Adonai The Lord

Election

Election: The Abrahamic Promise (Gen 12:1-3)

Elects Bless

Yahweh Abraham The Nations

Election: The Exodus and Salvation1.First usage of the word “salvation”, focusing on redemption from

oppression.

2.Yahweh defeats the gods and kings of Egypt

Lessons on Salvation

Restores Israel to a relationship with their God : spiritual restoration

Leads them to their own land, so they can be self-sustenant : socio-economic restoration

Gives them freedom from evil empires/rulers: political restoration

Gives them injunctions on how to take care of the earth: ecological restoration

Saves Israel from sins not their own, but those perpetuated by Egypt on them

1.Salvation precedes covenant. According to Deut 7:7-8, this is a covenant of grace.

2.Yahweh chooses to reveal himself only to Israel (Ps 147:19-20)

3.Yahweh intends to use Israel to draw the nations to “know” him (Deut 4:6-8)

a. By making them “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Ex 19:6)

Election: The Covenant and Spirituality

1.Behaviour towards one another to be guided by “the way of Yahweh” - his ways of redemption in the exodus - his ways of mercy.

a. “remember you were slaves in Egypt” (Deut 5:13-15; 15:13-15; 24:17-18;19-22)

b. care for the fatherless and needy amongst them

c. non-abuse of slaves, something common amongst their neighbours

d. the Jubilee - a declaration of freedom for slaves and restoration of sold land every 50 years.

2.Embedded in this covenant are injunctions regarding ecology - e.g. a 1 year fallow period for the land after 6 years, and also 1 rest day after every 6 days.

Election: The Covenant and Ethics

Election: The Abrahamic Promise through Israel

Elects Bless

Yahweh Israel The Nations

Abraham

Election: The Abrahamic Promise Becomes Messianic

Yahweh is King Israel Protests Yahweh appoints a king for them

Abrahamic Promise

(Ps 72:17)

1 Samuel 8,9

Election: The Disaster of Exile1.This time Israel’s sins of idolatry and injustice lead to exile, as

expected from Deut 28:15-68.

2.The language of “forgiveness of sins” linked with salvation becomes more dominant during/after the exile. Very clear in Daniel 9.

3.The hope was that keeping Torah properly will make Yahweh forgive them and come back and be their God, expressed in Deut 30:1-10.

Eschatology: The Coming Kingdom

EschatologyHopes about the “age to come” (the eschaton) became rife during/after the exile.

An example: The hope of resurrection is never discussed before the exile.

Hope 1: A Messiah to save them from their enemies and cleanse the temple

Hope 2: Yahweh’s return to his people

Hope 3: The nations “knowing” Yahweh

Hope 4: A new covenant

Hope 5: Resurrection and Judgement of faithfulness to Yahweh

Hope 6: Restoration of Creation

Eschatological Hope 1: The MessiahThe “Anointed One”. Hebrew - Messiah, Greek - Christ.

A descendant of David who will lead Israel in a just and righteous way that pleases Yahweh. His reign will not be limited to Israel alone, but to the world at large, including over their enemies.

He will also take up the suffering of his people.

“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners” (Is 61:1 NIV)

“I will proclaim the Lord’s decree: He said to me, “You are my son; today I have become your father. Ask me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.” (Ps 2:7-8 NIV)

Eschatological Hope 2: Yahweh’s ReturnSolomon’s Temple could only have been destroyed if Yahweh had

abandoned the nation.

Yahweh’s return will signify that he has forgiven them of their sins.

This return will be visible to the whole world, so that the nations will be drawn to worship him.

“Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for” (Is 40:1-2)

“Therefore this is what the Lord says: ‘I will return to Jerusalem with mercy, and there my house will be rebuilt. And the measuring line will be stretched out over Jerusalem,’ declares the Lord Almighty.” (Zech 1:16)

Eschatological Hope 3: The Nations “Knowing” YahwehYahweh’s desire to be “known” amongst the nations will come true

They will also receive forgiveness of sins for not “knowing” Yahweh.

They will become part of Israel.

“Many nations will be joined with the Lord in that day and will become my people. I will live among you and you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you.” (Zech 2:11 NIV)

“I will record Rahab and Babylon among those who acknowledge me—Philistia too, and Tyre, along with Cush —and will say, ‘This one was born in Zion.’” (Ps 87:1-4 NIV)

Eschatological Hope 4: A New CovenantYahweh will initiate a new covenant with his people when he returns.

Yahweh will empower them to be faithful to this new covenant.

“The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah.” (Jer 31:31 NIV)

"‘For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh." (Ezek 36:24-26 NIV)

Eschatological Hope 5: Resurrection and JudgementYahweh will judge the nations

Yahweh will judge Israel

Yahweh will vindicate his faithful by resurrecting them.

“Lord our God, other lords besides you have ruled over us, but your name alone do we honor. They are now dead, they live no more; their spirits do not rise. You punished them and brought them to ruin; you wiped out all memory of them … But your dead will live, Lord; their bodies will rise” (Is 26:13-14,19 NIV)

“Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.” (Dan 12:2-3 NIV)

Eschatological Hope 6: Restoration of CreationCreation of a New Heaven and a New Earth.

A new Jerusalem, with Yahweh dwelling amongst his people.

The end of enmity and violence, even amongst creation.

The defeat of death

See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy. (Is 65:17-18 NIV)

The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat ... They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. (Is 11:6-9)

Patterns In the NT

Fulfils Hope 1 & 2 i.e. The Messiah and Yahweh’s ReturnThe coming of Jesus is “good news”. The coming of Jesus is gospel.

Jesus is Messiah

“We tell you the good news: What God promised our ancestors he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm: ‘You are my son; today I have become your father [Ps 2:7]’ ” (Ac 13:32-33 NIV)

Jesus is God

“Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” (Jn 14:9 NIV)

Therefore, the eschaton has begun!! (Mk 1:14-15; Lk 17:20-21)

Hope 1: The Messiah Hope 2: Yahweh’s Return

The Church: Fulfils Hope 3 - Part 1Because of the eschaton, Gentiles (Nations) must now “know” Yahweh, just as Israel.

“Knowing” requires being reconciled with him

“Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behaviour. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation” (Col 1:21-22 NIV)

“Knowing” requires being a part of his chosen people

“remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” (Eph 2:12-13 NIV)

Hope 3: The Nations “Knowing” Yahweh

The Church: Fulfils Hope 3 - Part 2“Knowing” requires resisting/correcting ignorance or deception

“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God” (2 Cor 10:6 NIV)

“Knowing” must lead to obedience

“Through him we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith for his name’s sake.” (Ro 1:5)

Hope 3: The Nations “Knowing” Yahweh

Election: The Messianic Promise through The Church

Elects Bless

Yahweh The Church aka “The body of Christ” The Nations

Jesus aka “in Christ”

A new covenant whose membership is determined by “faith in Jesus”

A new way of life as taught and modelled by Jesus e.g. Sermon on the Mount etc.

A new power to enable this way of life - the Holy Spirit.

The Church and the Spirit: Fulfills Hope 4Hope 4: A New Covenant

The Church1.A multi-ethnic, multi-gender, multi-social kingdom of priests and a

holy nation

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. (1 Pe 2:9 ref Ex 19:6)

2.Bearers of Yahweh’s desire to be “known” and reconciled to all

And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us (2 Cor 5:19-20)

3.Carriers of the Messiah’s task of justice and ethics

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. (Gal 6:2)

Hope 5 and 6?Already began, but awaiting consummation

Jesus’s resurrection is the firstfruits of what is to come.

For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. (1 Cor 15:22-23 NIV)

New creation has already began, but awaits full revelation.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here (2 Cor 5:17 NIV)

Hope 5: Resurrection and Judgement Hope 6: Restoration of Creation

Summary of Patterns in the NT1.Political resolution - Jesus the Anointed King (Messiah)

2.Spiritual resolution - Reconciliation with Yahweh

3.Social resolution - A community whose membership card is “in Christ” only

4.Economic resolution - A community dedicated to practically caring for one another

5.Ecological resolution - A community that actually cares for creation wherever the community is located.

6.Blessing the world - A community that learns to practice the above internally and goes into the world practicing the same.

The End

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