Does The Old Testament Apply To Us?

In this regular feature, Dave and Tom respond to questions from listeners and readers of The Berean Call.Here is this week’s question:“Dear Dave and Tom:Could you give me some guidelines about reading the Old Testament?Although I understand it’s all about Jesus Christ the Messiah, there seem to be many things that only apply to the Israelites.Also, in the Psalms, David prays some things about his enemies that I’m not sure we should pray.”

Tom:

Dave, I got onto this program, actually we started last year, although I read the Bible all the time, I was not reading it from beginning to end throughout the year, and I did it last year and got it done in, probably about 4 months, which was really exciting, and I’m starting back again.But as one does go through the Old Testament some discernment is needed with regard to what they are reading.Again, this is inspired by the Holy Spirit, but there are certain dispensations.There are certain times which certain things applied to the Israelites, and don’t particularly apply to the church, right?

Dave:

Yeah, oh, of course, the church and Israel are not the same.I don’t know what exactly this person had in mind, I can think of all kinds of problems that arise.Wait a minute!This God, because Eve takes a bite out of an apple or something, some fruit, and then He throws them out of the garden and He brings death, and all the mess we’ve got today with murders and wars, that all came from eating that?What kind of a God is this?Well, you need to have some understanding, as you said, Tom.First of all it tells us how serious it is to rebel against God, the smallest thing.Well, that’s not much.So for not much you would defy God?That makes it even worse.So, Tom, it speaks to my heart.There’s not much solemnity, not much reverence in most Protestant, so called churches.Who is this guy, and watch Christian TV, it’s likely he’s just our buddy and he will do anything we want him to do.Secondly, what about Sodom and Gomorrah?Well, before we get to Sodom and Gomorrah, what about the flood?He’s going to wipe man off of the face of this earth.Now I can think of a lot of tough questions.Well, wait a minute, maybe we had better recognize that this is God’s universe.Hemakes the laws and He has a right to run it, to make the rules.Now, Tom, I guess I wrote a little booklet back there called, The Non-Negotiable Gospel, and I guess The Berean Call offers it still.You don’t negotiate with God!First of all, this is God’s Word, so I’m not going to second guess God, I’m not going to complain, first of all I am going to have to admit He knows what He is doing, He has the right to make the rules.Then I had better get in line with Him, I had better try to understand.Now if the wickedness of man was great, this is what the Bible says, Genesis 6, it was so great that the imagination of his heart was only evil continually, God says, I’m not going to put up with that, they are going to have to go.Now, well, why can’t He reason with them a little bit and—Look, you find out, Tom, it’s one of the mysteries I can tell you, and you know, by God’s grace you’ve had really good success with your family, you and the Lord, it’s God’s grace.But I can tell you there are some husbands, some wives, some children, brothers and sisters, you cannot reason with them.And Paul asked the Thessalonians to pray that we will be delivered from wicked and unreasonable men, for all men have not faith.You can’t reason with a Muslim who is going to take your head off if you don’t confess Allah is the only true God, Muhammad is a messenger.So, we have something today—I wrote a book back there about the man who was the head of the National Parole Board, and Tom, what you learn is, this parole board, these people mean well.The guy comes and he testifies—Well look, yeah, I’ve really changed and I’m going to turn over a new leaf, and he’s out for three days and he’s raped somebody else, or he’s murdered someone else.You just can’t rely on someone’s promise!So God was saying, The human race is going to have to be done away with, and we are going to have a new race, and this is why the Bible calls that we are made new creatures in Christ Jesus, born again into the family of God.So, as we read the Old Testament there are tough things that come up.God tells the Jews to wipe out the Canaanites.Why?Because of their wickedness.But there are many other questions, for example—

Tom:

Dave, one of the things—we just have less than a minute here—David was always wrestling with God, and talking about his enemies and we also have a song that’s sung today from the Psalms:Take not thy Holy Spirit from me.There are things that need to be thought through.

Dave:

Well, that was in the old days because the Holy Spirit came upon them, He did not indwell them.The Scripture says that Christ said, I will abide with you.So, in those days He would come upon them, but He could leave, so that was a legitimate prayer.

Tom:

But what about David’s attitude toward his enemies, for example?He had some really tough things to say, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

Dave:

Right, David was generally—in fact one of the complaints his men had against him was that he was too easy, too forgiving with his enemies.But he said, in one of the Psalms. I count them, my enemies, I hate them with perfect hatred because they are your enemies.It wasn’t for his own selfish reason, in other words, he wasn’t taking this personally,Well, you guys don’t like me, well I hate you for that!No, you are the enemies of God, and I hate you with a perfect hatred.The Lord hates sin.

Tom:

Can we say that today, Dave?

Dave:

Well, if you were in that position, that you were ready to pass judgment upon someone.Paul said, I’ve committed him to Satan for the destruction of his body.

Tom:

A discipline thing.

Dave:

I would say you have to be really in touch with God, knowing that this is where God has placed that person, they are beyond hope.