Is It Okay to Pray a Curse on My Enemies? (Psalm 5)
Prayers of this sort generally carry the unstated assumption that the evildoers will not repent and seek forgiveness; should they turn, these prayers are reversed as well.
Articles on Old Testament
288 results found
Why It's Wrong to Take God's Name in Vain
One of the remarkable things about God is that no one ever named him.
10 Things You Should Know about the Psalms
Bruce K. Waltke, Fred G. Zaspel
Throughout the history of the church, Psalms has been among the first books of the Bible translated and the most commonly read and memorized.
4 Psalms You Didn’t Realize Point to Christ
Again and again I have seen a psalm come into focus when I relate it to Christ, similar to a fuzzy scene through a camera viewfinder coming into sharp focus when the lens is properly adjusted.
10 Lesser-Known References to Jesus in the Old Testament
The Old Testament contains “types,” that is, symbolic personages and things and events that point to a climactic fulfillment in Christ. Here are ten lesser-known types that point forward to Jesus.
The best answers to that question will come when we understand why God gave us this book.
Deuteronomy is clearly one of the most important books in the Old Testament.
What Does Ecclesiastes 1:2 Mean?
People seek lasting significance, but no matter how great their accomplishments, they are unable to achieve the significance they desire.
The Middle Ground between Dispensationalism and Covenant Theology
Peter J. Gentry, Stephen J. Wellum
Putting together the biblical covenants is central to the doing of biblical and systematic theology.
Was King Saul Possessed by Demons? (1 Samuel 19)
Was Saul a prophet or was he possessed by a demon? Learn more about 1 Samuel 19 with commentary from the ESV Expository Commentary Series.
5 Questions about the Ten Commandments
We should love the law because we love Jesus, and because Jesus loved the law.
Bible Q&A - Why Are There Two Testaments in the Bible?
Dane Ortlund answers why there are two testaments in the Bible.
Proverbs 1:7 seeks to instill in us the indispensable virtues for becoming wise. We must tremble at the Lord’s holiness, just as we are drawn to him in love.
Is the Story of Job Historical? (Job 1)
Was there really a man named Job? Did he live in a land called Uz? Was he perfectly righteous with a perfectly blessed life? Put simply, did the author of Job create the whole drama?
How (and How Not) to Read the Psalms
Bruce K. Waltke, Fred G. Zaspel
Although we all have derived spiritual benefit from the Psalms—an ancient collection of poems—on many levels, there are ways to read the Psalter that are more beneficial than others.
Are the Old Testament’s Moral Laws Still Binding on Us Today?
Even if the Mosaic covenant no longer has binding force on us today, we still need to realize that the Old Testament is a valuable source of ethical wisdom.
10 Things You Should Know about the Pentateuch
Just like missing the first fifteen minutes of a movie will spoil our ability to fully enjoy its plot line, a lack of familiarity with the Pentateuch will compromise our ability to fully appreciate the Bible’s overarching story.
The foundation stories of Genesis set the stage of the drama of Scripture in many ways.
Why Are the Books of the Bible in the Order They’re In?
The positioning of each book relative to other books in the canonical collection has hermeneutical significance for the reader who seeks meaning in the text.
What Is New about the New Covenant? (Jeremiah 31)
Since the old covenant could be broken by disobedience, the new covenant will impart a greater ability to obey. The result will be the kind of covenant relationship that Yahweh has always sought with his people.
What Does It Mean That All Israel Will Be Saved? (Romans 11)
There is a particular call to faith in Christ through the call of the gospel. Both God’s gifts and his calling of Jews to faith in Christ remain in force and will not be revoked.
Is the Story of Jonah and the Whale a Historical Account or a Parable? (Jonah 1 and 2)
Jesus often taught in parables and expected his hearers to learn and act on the truth the parables conveyed. But is “parable” the best approach to Jonah?
Who Were the Nations in Nebuchadnezzar’s Prophetic Dream? (Daniel 2)
A great God has made known to the king what shall be after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure.
A Simple Solution to a Boring Prayer Life
But if God invites and expects all his children—regardless of their age, IQ, education, or resources—to do the same thing—to pray—then prayer has to be simple.
As one of the more mysterious utterances in the Old Testament, God’s self-revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:14 has received countless examinations by biblical interpreters.
How and Where the NT Authors Reaffirm the Ten Commandments (Except One)
The Ten Commandments are part of the OT Law, but NT authors do quote or allude to the commandments quite often as being relevant for new covenant Christians (except for one).
4 Ways Jesus Fulfills Every Old Testament Promise
When Jesus fulfills the Old Testament Law and Prophets, he is actualizing what Scripture anticipated and achieving what God promised and predicted.
What Does It Mean That King David’s Son Would Build a House for God? (2 Samuel 7)
The Lord is undoubtedly favorably disposed to David, but this does not warrant a blanket endorsement of all that David proposes. It is the Lord’s right to decide when and by whom a temple for him should be built.
For believers today, the significance of the book of Esther is that it coordinates with the rest of the Old Testament to foreshadow Jesus as deliverer and mediator for God’s people.
In the Beginning God Created a King
You could argue that the theme of kingship is the central theme in the story of the Bible, the one without which the others simply cannot cohere.