The Old Testament is the first 39 books of the Christian Bible (24 in Jewish ordering), covering creation through the return from Babylonian exile (~1500 BC to ~400 BC). It records God's covenant with Israel, the giving of the Law, the history of the kings, the writings, and the prophets. It points forward to Christ.
The Old Testament (Hebrew Bible / Tanakh in Jewish ordering) is foundational to Christianity. Several biblical truths. (1) Structure. (a) Pentateuch / Torah — Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy (the Law). (b) Historical books — Joshua through Esther (history of Israel). (c) Wisdom and Poetry — Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon. (d) Major Prophets — Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel. (e) Minor Prophets — Hosea through Malachi. (2) Time span. Genesis covers from creation to about 1500 BC. The historical books take us through Israel's monarchy, exile, and return (~1400-400 BC). Malachi (the last OT book chronologically) is around 400 BC. (3) Languages. Primarily Hebrew, with small portions in Aramaic (parts of Daniel, Ezra). (4) Authors. Moses (likely the Pentateuch); David (many psalms); Solomon (Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song); the prophets (named books); various authors of histories. (5) The covenants. Adamic (Genesis 1-3), Noahic (Genesis 9), Abrahamic (Genesis 12-17), Mosaic (Exodus 19-24), Davidic (2 Samuel 7), and the promise of a new covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34). The covenants structure the OT. (6) Christ-centered. Luke 24:27 — Jesus, after the resurrection, 'beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.' John 5:39 — 'they are they which testify of me.' The OT is fundamentally about Christ. (7) Still Scripture. 2 Timothy 3:16 — 'All scripture is given by inspiration of God' — Paul refers primarily to the OT, since the NT was still being written. Romans 15:4 — OT was 'written for our learning.' (8) Manuscript reliability. The Dead Sea Scrolls (discovered 1947) contain copies of OT books 1,000 years older than what was previously available — and showed remarkable textual preservation. (9) The Law fulfilled, not abolished. Matthew 5:17 — Christ fulfilled the Law. Ceremonial laws (sacrifices, dietary, festivals) are fulfilled in Christ. Moral law (the Ten Commandments, love your neighbor) continues to bind. Civil laws applied specifically to Israel. (10) Old in age, not in relevance. The OT speaks to creation, sin, suffering, hope, justice, worship, and salvation — perennial human concerns. Common questions. 'Why is the OT so violent?' — much of OT history reports real events without endorsing them. Some passages reflect God's judgment on extreme wickedness. The OT does not glorify violence but documents the broken human condition. 'Are OT laws still binding?' — Christians distinguish: moral laws (continuing), ceremonial (fulfilled in Christ), civil (specific to Israel's theocracy). 'Did Jesus reject the OT?' — No. He affirmed it as Scripture (Matthew 5:17-18), quoted it constantly, and treated its events as historical.
“And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.”
“And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God.”
“Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.”
“Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.”
“For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning.”
“For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things.”
Read the OT regularly. Start with Genesis. Read Psalms for prayer. Read Proverbs for wisdom. Read the prophets for insight into God's heart. See Christ in every book (Luke 24:27). Don't skip the OT — it shapes the Christian understanding of God, sin, redemption, and hope.
The Old Testament is the first 39 books of the Christian Bible — covering creation through the return from Babylonian exile (~1500 BC to ~400 BC). It includes the Pentateuch (Genesis-Deuteronomy), historical books, wisdom/poetry, major prophets, and minor prophets. It reveals God's covenant with Israel and points forward to Christ.
(1) Jesus and the apostles affirmed it as Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16). (2) It is Christ-centered — Luke 24:27. (3) It reveals God's character — the same God of the NT. (4) It teaches about sin, suffering, hope, and salvation. (5) The NT cannot be understood without the OT. (6) Romans 15:4 — written 'for our learning.' Don't skip it.
Christians distinguish: (1) Moral laws (the Ten Commandments, love your neighbor) — continue binding. (2) Ceremonial laws (sacrifices, dietary, festivals) — fulfilled in Christ; not binding (Acts 10; Hebrews 7-10). (3) Civil laws — specific to Israel's theocracy; not binding on modern states. The moral law endures; the ceremonial and civil law had their place in the OT economy.
(1) Direct prophecies (Isaiah 7:14, 53; Micah 5:2; Daniel 7:13-14). (2) Types and shadows (the Passover lamb, the high priest, the temple, David's kingship). (3) Promises (Genesis 3:15 — seed of the woman). (4) Themes (sacrifice for sin, deliverance, kingship, prophet, suffering servant). Luke 24:27 — Jesus expounded 'in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.' Christ is throughout.