Key Connections: Understanding Changes from the Old to New Testament

 

 "Exploring the changes from the Old to New Testament provides an open window to the wide-ranging vision of God’s work in the human race. It is actually a remarkable vision, which stretches from the beginning of the universe to the end of time as we know it. In between these vast stretches of time, we find the human story." (2023, 1).

 

"When we look at the massive plan of God to redeem the human race, it is crucial to focus on the challenges that God has faced in bringing these purposes forward. How does one deal with the ongoing tendency of human beings to follow their own self-serving desires? How does one deal with a rebellious world? It’s easy to speak in lofty generalities or suggest philosophical musings about the situation, but God was going to get directly involved with human failings. He was going to get his hands dirty (so to speak) because of the difficulties of human corruption and self-will. God would speak to people at their level, to lead them towards
his ultimate purposes." (Key Connections 2023, 1-2)

 

"Many aspects of the Old Testament are difficult for people to understand today. The ancient origins of the Old Testament (OT) explain part of the difficulty. The OT was written thousands of years ago, in cultures and time periods very different from our own. These vast differences in culture make many practices in the OT seem strange. Even in comparison with the New Testament (NT) writings, there are many aspects of the ancient Old Testament that are quite different. Understanding and making sense of these changes from the OT to NT is one of the key purposes of this book."  (2023, 2)

 

 

“When looking at the OT it is striking to consider how many laws and customs no longer apply today in any literal sense. Animal sacrifices have been completely done away with. All of the OT temple regulations, such as laws governing the duties of the priesthood, the placement of the temple furnishings, furnishings, the offering of incense, the laver for washing, the table of showbread, and the rules concerning sacrifices and offerings—all of these regulations have been set aside and no longer take place, anywhere on the earth” (2023, 2).

 

“In addition to these changes, the numerous OT regulations for clean and unclean foods, various instructions concerning holy days, and attendance at national feasts are no longer physical requirements for those who follow Christ today. Circumcision is no longer a requirement for Christ’s followers. And consider the various laws requiring the death penalty in the OT: while these were part of the OT nation, the communities of faith in the NT are very different; they do not enact any kind of physical penalties on wrongdoers. And rather than engaging in warfare with enemy nations, the NT believers have set aside the sword. The NT communities do not raise armies or engage in warfare with enemy nations. They peacefully promote the gospel, seeking only to persuade people with the truth. Why have all of these remarkable changes taken place?”  (2023, 2).

 

 

"Many changes from the Old to New Testament are based on the differences between God’s instructions to a nation (Israel) in the Old Testament and God’s instructions for freely gathered communities of faith in Christ in the New Testament.These freely gathered communities would be built upon faith in Christ’s death and resurrection, and would take the message of Christ throughout the world."  (2023, 18-19)

 

 

"The larger picture of the Old Testament was that God formed a nation, Israel, to communicate his truth and pass down that truth over many centuries of time. This was a monumental challenge, described in the prophetic and historical books."  (2023, 20).

 

 

"While many Old Testament practices no longer apply today, there is still a wealth of teaching material from the Old Testament texts. As Paul described it, these texts were written for our instruction (1 Cor 10:11). There is often a universal principle that can be extracted from an OT practice, even though the OT practice itself no longer applies."  (2023, 21).

 

"We will consider symbolic and literal language, fulfillment of OT concepts and prophetic passages, and how Christ fulfilled many specific aspects of the vision of the Old Testament."  (2023, 22)

  The excerpts above are taken from:

Key Connections: Understanding the Changes from the Old to New Testament by M. A. Erickson (Wipf & Stock, Dec. 2023).

 The book is available in print or Kindle formats at the following Amazon link:

 

Amazon.com, Key Connections:Understanding the Changes from the Old to New Testament

 

   **Concerning Key Connections: Understanding the Changes from the Old to New Testament, Dr. Roger Cotton, professor of Old Testament for many years at Evangel University / AGTS, wrote the following recommendation (from the back cover of the book):

“M. A. Erickson has written the best exposition I have seen of the changes and the continuity between the Old Testament and the New. He expresses it in very similar ways to mine so that this is the book I wish I could have written. He deals very well with difficult issues like the use of the sword in the OT but no longer by the communities of faith in Christ. All Christians, especially teachers, should read this book.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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