Tag: Old Testament

Devotionals

Lent 2026 – The Cross in the Old Testament

Loring Schultz

Read: Psalm 22:13-18 KJV – They gaped upon me with their mouths, – Bible Gateway

“My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?……they pierced my hands and my feet. I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me. They part my garments among them and cast lots upon my vesture.” Psalm 22:1, 16-18 KJV

Photo by Tim Wildsmith on Unsplash

The message of the cross is not just a New Testament story. The man upon that cross is seen all throughout the Bible including much of the Old Testament. Jesus Christ, God the Son, the Messiah is that man on the cross. You may have heard that ‘history’ is really ‘HIS-story’ Jesus Christ. There is plenty of evidence in the Old Testament to convince even the strongest doubters that Jesus is the promised Messiah who was to come. He came in His Father’s timing to earth to paid the penalty for our sins on the cross of calvary.

The author of Psalm 22, King David, prophesized Jesus on the cross when expressing his own thoughts in his prayer of anguish to the Lord. “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Ps.22:1 kjv) David, a godly servant, was under constant attack unjustly by his enemies. Our Lord Jesus was under attack unjustly as David, both as righteous sufferers. But, in our Lord’s suffering, as unjust as it was, justice was served in payment for our sin debt. Jesus ultimately defeated death by rising from the dead to ensure salvation and eternal life for all who believe in Him.   

 There is much to learn about Jesus in the Old Testament. This Lenten season as we focus on the cross let us glean through those treasured sacred writings and discover the many references to Christ within its pages for it is His-story.

Devotionals

JESUS; AN OLD TESTAMENT STORY

Loring Schultz

Sunday’s Biblical Insights “The Gospel of Jesus Christ: the book of Mark” will pick up next week. Today’s devotional speaks of Jesus in the Old Testament!

Photo by Christiane on Pexels.com

“Then Jesus said to them, “You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures. Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his glory?” Luke 24:25-26 NLT

The story of Jesus is not only a New Testament story, but an Old Testament one as well. Some people today dismiss the relevancy of the Old Testament scriptures in modern day Christianity. But it is in those very books of the Old Testament that speak of Him and actually predict His birth and His death to save sinners. Jesus Himself said concerning the Old Testament scriptures, “it is these that testify about me.” (Jn 5:39)

On the evening of Jesus’s resurrection, two men were on their way to Emmaus from Jerusalem. As they were discussing the events of that momentous weekend, Jesus came alongside and walked with them. He asked them what they were talking about. They found it hard to believe that anyone would not have known the events of the last three days. They told of the crucifixion of Jesus occurring on Friday, and noted that they anticipated that Jesus was the one who was going to redeem Israel. Then they told of the amazing discovery that morning of finding His tomb empty with angels declaring He was alive.

Jesus responding to His travelling companions points to the Old Testament scriptures and admonishes them that if they had clearly read the scriptures and believed them, they would have not been surprised at the events that took place. Isn’t that much like today? We do not read the scriptures as we should, both the Old and New Testaments. They both tell of Jesus, His Story of redeeming sinners and reconciling us to God. It’s time to familiarize ourselves once again or perhaps for the first time, with the Old Testament of the Bible, it’s about Jesus; an Old Testament Story.

Devotionals

Look for Jesus in the Old Testament

Loring Schultz

Read: Isaiah 53 NIV – Who has believed our message and to – Bible Gateway

“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” Isaiah 53:5 NIV

Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash
 

It has always amazed me how some people, even Christians, dismissed the Old Testament as having no relevance for today. The New Testament has all the ‘Red Letter’ words of Jesus’ teaching the way of salvation and how to love God and others as yourself. The Pauline Epistles teach us how to walk in the spirit, live the Christian life, and the importance of the church body. And who isn’t fascinated with the end times in the book of Revelation if we can understand it. But there is all of that and more in the Old Testament if we only take the time to go through it.

The most important aspect of the Old Testament, in fact the entire Bible, is that it is about Jesus Christ. When keeping that in mind you’ll begin to find new meaning in the stories you have heard and read as far back as when you were child. Simply put; God created the heavens and the earth, He created us, we sinned against Him, we needed a savior to take our punishment and reconcile us back to God, the Old Testament paves the way for the Messiah born in Bethlehem and there are even prophesies of the end times. It’s all in there.

Isaiah 53 speaks of Jesus’ suffering sacrifice by dying for our sins. This chapter accurately describes the events of Jesus’ death written 700 years earlier. “He was despised and rejected by mankind……Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised……Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering……But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities……He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter……He was assigned a grave with the wicked, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth……For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” (Is.53 niv)

It’s kind of hard to deny that Isaiah was prophesying about Jesus Christ. It’s not a coincidence, but a factual truth found in the New Testament gospels. Jesus is found all throughout the Old Testament for He is God the Son, the second person of the trinity. The Old Testament proves who Jesus is and what He has done as any portion of Scripture from the New Testament. You can look for Jesus in the Old Testament. He’s there!

Devotionals

Jesus; an Old Testament Story

Loring Schultz

“Then Jesus said to them, “You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures. Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his glory?” Luke 24:25-26 NLT

            The story of Jesus is not only a New Testament story, but an Old Testament one as well. Some people today dismiss the relevancy of the Old Testament scriptures in modern day Christianity. But it is in those very books of the Old Testament that speak of Him and actually predict His birth and His death to save sinners. Jesus Himself said concerning the Old Testament scriptures, “it is these that testify about me.” (Jn 5:39)

            On the evening of Jesus’s resurrection, two men were on their way to Emmaus from Jerusalem. As they were discussing the events of that momentous weekend, Jesus came alongside and walked with them. He asked them what they were talking about. They found it hard to believe that anyone would not have known the events of the last three days. They told of the crucifixion of Jesus occurring on Friday, and noted that they anticipated that Jesus was the one who was going to redeem Israel. Then they told of the amazing discovery that morning of finding His tomb empty with angels declaring He was alive.

            Jesus responding to His travelling companions points to the Old Testament scriptures and admonishes them that if they had clearly read the scriptures and believed them they would have not been surprised at the events that took place. Isn’t that much like today? We do not read the scriptures as we should, both the Old and New Testaments. They both tell of Jesus, His Story of redeeming sinners and reconciling us to God. It’s time to familiarize ourselves once again or perhaps for the first time, with the Old Testament of the Bible, it’s about Jesus; an Old Testament Story.