What is the Old Testament?
The Old Testament is commonly referred to as the thirty-nine books consisting of the book of Genesis extending through to the last book of the prophet Malachi.
The Old Testament is also referred to as the first five books dealing with the Law (Genesis through Deuteronomy), and the next 13 books dealing with historical or stories of particular people in the Bible (Joshua through Job), and the Psalms or poetic books (Psalms through Song of Solomon), and the Prophetic books which many teach as “major prophets” (Jeremiah through Daniel) and the so called “minor prophets” of Hosea through Malachi.
To too many people, this is the “Old Testament”, but the truth is they are missing the full importance of the Old Testament or the Old Covenant.
A testament is a “covenant” and a covenant is an oath or agreement between two parties, made or more specifically “cut” by the covenant makers. In the Old Covenant this meant the shedding of blood to “cut a covenant.”
beriyth, Hebrew 1285, Strong’s
beriyth, ber-eeth'; from Hebrew 1262 (barah) (in the sense of cutting [like Hebrew 1254 (bara')]); a compact (because made by passing between pieces of flesh) :- confederacy, [con-]feder[-ate], covenant, league.
Genesis 17:9-11 (KJV)
And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations. [10] This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised. [11] And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.
The act of circumcision required cutting of skin and shedding blood. Later the children of Israel used blood to confirm the Covenant made between God (YHWH) and the people at Mt Sinai.
Exodus 24:7-8 (KJV)
And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that YHWH hath said will we do, and be obedient. [8] And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which YHWH hath made with you concerning all these words.
The Old Testament, or Covenant, consisted of several covenant promises made between God and man, in particular with Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and his children, the children of Israel.
Genesis 9:17 (KJV)
And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth.
Genesis 15:18 (KJV)
In the same day YHWH made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:
Genesis 17:1-14 (KJV)
And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, YHWH appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. [2] And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. [3] And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, [4] As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. [5] Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. [6] And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. [7] And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. [8] And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.
[9] And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations. [10] This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised. [11] And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you. [12] And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed. [13] He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. [14] And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.
Exodus 6:4-5 (KJV)
And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers. [5] And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered my covenant.
This Covenant, and promise of God made to Abraham was to extend to the future generations of his kinsmen, Isaac and Jacob, and the children of Israel.
This is principally the First Covenant, or the Old Covenant, or the Old Testament.
Exodus 19:1-9 (KJV)
In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai. [2] For they were departed from Rephidim, and were come to the desert of Sinai, and had pitched in the wilderness; and there Israel camped before the mount. [3] And Moses went up unto God, and YHWH called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; [4] Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself. [5] Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: [6] And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
[7] And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which YHWH commanded him. [8] And all the people answered together, and said, All that YHWH hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto YHWH. [9] And YHWH said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever. And Moses told the words of the people unto YHWH.
God made a covenant, and promises of that covenant, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and his seed, his kinsmen and their future generations and all who would take hold on the first covenant of YHWH and obey all that God commanded of the those who would have entered under the covenant relationship.
The first covenant required obedience to God and His law, His ceremonial or ritual worship.
Violation of the laws and statutes under the Law of God was known as “sin” or the transgression of the law.
Depending on the violation committed, a sin offering or ritualistic action of repentance to God was required for the sin committed against God. This usually required the use of animal sacrifice offerings to God, whereby the blood of animals was used for atonement (reconciliation) of the sins.
Only after this sacrifice was completed according to the holy strict laws of God, the person or sinner would be forgiven by God of their trespasses and they could continue to remain living amongst God and His people inside the camp of Israel.
The first 39 books of the Holy Bible correspond to this Old Covenant system or relationship between God and man.
The fact that it is called the “Old Testament” means that God somewhere made a “new” testament.
That which is “old” is aged or something formerly done, and that which is “new” is something that comes after the former, usually bringing a change from its former state.
God truly made a New Covenant or a “new testament.”
There is a direct relationship, a direct covenantal link, between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant.
Isaiah 59:21 (KJV)
As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith YHWH; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith YHWH, from henceforth and for ever.
Those “words”, are the Hebrew holy text of the Old Testament writings.
Jeremiah 31:31-33 (KJV)
Behold, the days come, saith YHWH, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: [32] Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith YHWH: [33] But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith YHWH, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
The covenants in the Holy Bible concerned primarily the promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and their kinsmen or descendants, the twelve tribes of Israel.
The Covenants also apply to anyone who will obey and seek to bind themselves to the covenant of God.
Isaiah 56:4 (KJV)
For thus saith YHWH unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant;
Isaiah 56:6 (KJV)
Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to YHWH,to serve him, and to love the name of YHWH, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant;
Understanding this, the main beneficiaries of both covenants were the children of Israel/Jacob and their descendants.
Under the Old Covenant, the children of Israel had to maintain holiness and be free from sin in order to please God in the form of obedience to the law and practice of sacrifices of animals to atone for any sins against God’s holy Law.
In the Holy Bible, the Old Testament is the story of how the covenant peoples lived under this old system of God. The fact is the Old Covenant rituals and activities and system did not make those living under the covenant turn from committing further sin and thus breaking the covenant they had made with God.
The children of Israel, and those under the first covenant, walked not in God’s holy laws and thus were punished by God for their breaking His covenant. Many were punished by violence, war, death, famine, or were cast or taken away by foreigners to other lands and lost into "the nations" biblically known as “the Gentiles.”
The twelve tribes of Israel had sinned and were cast away from God’s holiness and His presence for their sins and disobedience.
God would bring about a means to save those whom He promised He would save and have mercy upon.
Isaiah 42:9-10 (KJV)
Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them. [10] Sing unto YHWH a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth, ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein; the isles, and the inhabitants thereof.
Isaiah 43:19 (KJV)
Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.
Under the new system, He would show mercy on those covenant peoples who were formerly punished.
God would gather His people, and save them, and forgive them of their sins, and call to Himself a spiritually renewed people to serve Him now with the law of God written in their hearts and minds and spirit.
Ezekiel 39:25 (KJV)
Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Now will I bring again the captivity of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and will be jealous for my holy name;
Hosea 2:23 (KJV)
And I will sow her unto me in the earth; and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God.
This was the new hope for those who formally had no hope, lost, or cast away, or punished under the wrath of God’s anger for their former breaking the laws and their disobedience.
This is the importance of the relationship between the Old Testament and that which is the New Testament, the new covenant.
Many churches or ministries today focus so much on New Testament as a great hope, which it is, but they fail to see exactly who the New Covenant was first made with and why it was made.
Many today teach this was a universal God-given gift, but the reality is it was only given to those to whom it was first given and promised.
That means that those under the New Covenant are somehow either spiritually and/or physically genetically linked or directly related to the very same biblical ancestors of the holy lands as recorded in truth of the Holy Bible’s Old Testament, which gives us a historical and genealogical history of ancient peoples who today are largely only viewed as amusing ancient history.
The truth is that we are merely existing today as a surviving remnant of those former peoples and our ancestors.
One living today under the New Testament is highly probable to be the descendent of a people who lived in the ancient holy lands.
God also created all peoples of this world and gave them all a spirit and a life, and He wishes to have relationship with all His creation.
This New Covenant, much like the old (Isaiah 56), opens the door to anyone who wishes to enter into that covenant relationship with God.
The Old Testament also is a foreshadowing of what was to come under the New Testament.
Many fail to realize that the same Almighty God of the seeming old punitive law is the same God working grace and mercy in the New Testament. And that grace and mercy was very much present with Old Testament God, even before the time of New Testament.
The full true spirit and understanding of the goal of the old system is fully realized and fully accomplished under the New Testament, whereas it could not be fulfilled under the first.
That goal is a holy, honest, loving relationship between God and man and His covenant peoples.
The way God accomplished this goal was to become as man, God visiting man in the flesh to teach and establish His righteous holy laws in the hearts of His people.
Jeremiah 31:31-33 (KJV)
Behold, the days come, saith YHWH, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: [32] Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith YHWH: [33] But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith YHWH, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
God, in order to fulfill His promises and to bind the old covenant and to bind any new superceding covenant, would have to die, for a covenant cannot be established in full until the death of the covenant-maker takes place.
Hebrews 9:16-18 (New Testament )
For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. [17] For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth. [18] Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood.
God had to die and shed His own blood to seal the first and second covenants.
The testimony of this amazing feat, how He visited His children in the form of a fleshly man to die, yet live, and fulfill all, is the testimony of YHWH’s Salvation —JESUS—as recorded in the 27 books of the New Testament (or the New Covenant).
Matthew 1:20-23 (KJV)
But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. [21] And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins. [22] Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, [23] Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
Matthew 26:26-28 (KJV)
And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. [27] And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; [28] For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
1st Timothy 3:16 (KJV)
And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
I pray, and hope, you now have a better idea and greater understanding of what the Old Covenant is and why it is important to understand.