Why Our Belief Is False If It Does Not Have an Old Testament Foundation: Understanding the Bible 2

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If Your Belief Has No Foundation In The Old Testament

What a strong statement to make! What am I saying? if your belief cannot be referred to the old testament, then it has no scriptural foundation. Like the Messiah, we must be able to say, “for it is written” or “that it might be fulfilled.”

Everything was written in the so called “old” testament for our understanding and instruction.

2Ti 3:16-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of YHWH, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of YHWH may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

 

Scripture to the Apostles & early Disciples

“All scripture” above refers to what we call old testament as well as other scripture that the apostles and early disciples referenced, but the church fathers did not see it fit to include in the 66 books of the Holy Bible.

If it was referenced by the Apostles, then it is reference for us.

For example, when Sha’ul referenced Jannes and Jambres here in the New Testament, you won’t find their names anywhere else in the 66 books of the Bible.

2 Timothy 3:8 “Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Mosheh, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.”

Where can you find their names? In the Book of Yasher (Jasher).

Jasher 79:27 “And when they had gone Pharaoh sent for Balaam the magician and to Jannes and Jambres his sons, and to all the magicians and conjurors and counsellors which belonged to the king, and they all came and sat before the king.”

Here is one further verse that relates to the quote from Timothy.

Jasher 73:28 And Balaam the magician, when he saw that the city was taken, he opened the gate and he and his two sons and eight brothers fled and returned to Egypt to Pharaoh king of Egypt.
29 They are the sorcerers and magicians who are mentioned in the book of the law, standing against Mosheh when YHWH brought the plagues upon Egypt.

The Book of Jasher, by the way, is also mentioned by name twice in the old testament scriptures:

Joshua 10:13 “And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.”

2 Samuel 1:18 “(Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jasher.)”

If it was good enough for the apostles and early disciples, it should be good enough for us. What did Sha’ul say?

1Cor 11:1 Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Mashiach.

Also, as YHWH said through Yirmeyahu, we must not seek for new paths but stay in the good way:

Jer 6:16 Thus saith YHWH, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.

Now what is one of the main purposes of the old testament scriptures?

The Old Testament Validates the New Testament

In part 1, we looked at how the Bible does not contradict itself. Closely related to that is the point that the Old Testament validates the New Testament. To really understand what we mean, it is very important to visualize what “validates” means.

Meaning of Validate

validate
ˈvalɪdeɪt/Submit

verb
1. check or prove the validity or accuracy of.
“all analytical methods should be validated in respect of accuracy”

2. demonstrate or support the truth or value of.
“acclaim was seen as a means of validating one’s existence”
synonyms: prove, give proof of, show to be true, give substance to;

3. make or declare legally valid.
“a wide range of professional bodies validate courses leading to these awards”
synonyms: ratify, endorse, confirm, approve, agree to, accept, consent to, assent to, affirm, authorize, make valid, sanction, formalize, recognize, legalize, legitimize, warrant, license, certify;

This means that the old testament (Tanakh/ Torah, prophets and the writings) is what makes the new testament valid or true or shows to be true or affirms or authorizes or approves it.

This is because:

2Ti 3:16-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of YHWH, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

A New Testament Understanding Must Have Its Origin In the Old Testament

A meaning derived from the new testament therefore is not valid unless it is backed by proof from the old testament. My favorite way to compare both old and new testament is to say:

“The old testament is the new testament hidden; the new testament is the old testament revealed.”

That statement is validated by this powerful statement from the prophet Amos:

Amos 3:7 “For YHWH does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets.

The new testament was first revealed to the prophets, though not plainly revealed (1 Peter 1:9-12).

Contradiction with Modern Christianity

This contradicts much of new covenant beliefs of modern denominational religion. Some assemblies call themselves “New Testament” only. One of the largest denominations here in Jamaica is New Testament Church of God.

The idea is old covenant is done away with so we only deal with new covenant. Big mistake! We will see the error of this thinking if we look at a summary of what the bible is about.

A Summary of the Bible

The Bible is one complete document that works harmoniously together to guide us along the path of truth. It is not a disjointed old and new book. It is one book.

Here is a quick summary of what the entire Bible is all about as a whole.

Creation of Man, then Sin: YHWH created man: Adam (Gen 2:7), man transgressed (Gen 3:6).

Promise: After a passage of time he gave a promise through Abraham  (Gen 12:7, Gen 13:14-17).

Torah (The Law): He then gave the law to Abraham’s descendants: children of Israel (Exo 34) knowing the consequences that a redeemer would be needed for them to fulfil those laws (Eph 1:9-12).

Transgression of the Law: As expected, Israel transgressed and YHWH promised to send his redeemer to get Israel to obey (Isa 62:1-12). His redeemer/Messiah: the 2nd Adam, was in his plan even before the foundation of the world (1 Pet 1:20, Rev 13:8). He heralded this redeemer through the prophets.

The Prophets: The prophets spoke specifically of many things to come, but they could not pinpoint how it would be revealed. It was a mystery to them (1 Pet 1:9-12), but now revealed to us through the Messiah and his Apostles in the New Testament (1 Pet 1:9-12, Eph 3:3-9, Col 1:26-27).

Salvation: This redeemer/Messiah/anointed one came to save Israel from their sins (Jer 30:10-11). At the same time, he would also save Gentiles (strangers) who join themselves to Israel (Isa 11:10, 12).

Redemption: He will finally redeem his people and establish a new everlasting kingdom of heaven/Elohiym here on earth in the city of New Yerushalayim (Jerusalem). See Zec 11:17, Zec 2:11-12.

Now if that is not what you understand from the Bible, then you need to go find your new covenant beliefs in the old testament.

No Doctrine in New Testament that is not Hidden or Prophesied In Old Testament

There is nothing in this new covenant that was not heralded or hidden in the old covenant. Therefore, if I have a belief in my new testament reading of the bible that matches nothing in the old testament, then it is a flawed understanding. It is not the old testament that is “old” or done away with, it is my teaching that needs to be thrown out.

Common Example #1: For Whom is the Messiah Coming Back?

In the summary of the Bible above, there is an example of flawed beliefs by various religions. Here is the quote:

This redeemer/Messiah/anointed one would save Israel from their sins (Jer 30:10-11). At the same time, he would also save Gentiles (strangers) who join themselves to Israel (Isa 11:10, 12).

Many Christians will tell you the Messiah is coming back for Christians. However, that is not what the Bible says. He was promised to gather Israel and Yahudah along with Gentiles (Isaiah 11:12). In the new testament, he referred to them as the lost sheep of the house of Israel (Mat 10:6, Mat 15:24). Gentiles came next. Israel first, Gentiles next (Mat 10:6).

Now Israel who believe in Messiah go by different names. Some may call themselves Christians. The vast majority call themselves Messianic Jews or simply Messianics.

There are other followers of the Mashiach such as Hebrew Israelites, Natsarims or even those like me, who prefer no label. I merely refer to myself as a disciple of the Yahushua HaMashiach.

Are you telling me that because these groups don’t call themselves Christians, the Messiah is not coming back for them? Bear in mind, that he came to make disciples (John 17:20), he did not come to start a religion. Bear in mind also that some of these groups walk in obedience to the biblical Messiah.

Jehovah Witnesses have told me that they are the chosen ones. A Seventh Day Adventist told me he will be coming back only for SDA’s.

Where is the prophecy in the old testament that he is coming for Christians, whether Catholic, Pentesostal, Jehovah’s Witnesses or SDA’s?

Where is the prophecy that he will not be coming for Israel and Yahudah, to join them together in one (Isa 11:13) as they were before the sin of Jeroboam (1 Kings 11:31)?

On the other hand, some extremist Hebrew Israelites postulate that the Messiah will only be coming for Israel, no Gentiles.

Do you see the two extremes? These are errors caused by not sticking to old testament prophecy. To be more exact, not sticking to the interpretations of the old testament prophecies by the Messiah and his Apostles as laid out in the new testament.

Common Example #2: The Law is Done Away With

Another example is: “the law is done away with.” By now, you must be tired of us highlighting this. Where in the old testament did it prophecy that the law would be done with? Instead we see the DIRECT OPPOSITE, a prophecy in Yeshayahu that “he will magnify the law and make it honorable.”

Isaiah 42:21YHWH is well pleased for his righteousness’ sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable.

So by ignoring this rule, that the old testament validates the new testament, we have millions of people following a false Messiah. The Eurocentric, Greco-Roman, blonde hair, blue eyed Mashiach is totally different from the Hebrew (Jewish) Mashiach of the Bible. The false Messiah heralds that he law is done away with. The true Messiah magnified the law. Big different which I aim to look at in a separate post.

The Messiah & Apostles Quoted Heavily from the Old Testament

The Messiah quoted heavily from the Tanakh (old testament). In fact, he kept saying “that the scripture (old testament) be fulfilled.”

The apostles also matched up with the old testament. In fact, Sha’ul spoke of how the mystery that was hidden from the prophets have now been revealed to them (Rom 11:25, Rom 16:25, Eph 1:9, Eph 3:3-9, Col 1:26-27).

These mysteries didn’t just appear. They have their origins in the old testament.

Some surprising facts

Let’s consider a few statistics to show how the writers of what is known as the New Testament viewed the Hebrew Bible, called the Old Testament today. These are very revealing.

How many times do the writers of the New Testament quote the Old Testament? An index in the Jewish New Testament catalogs 695 separate quotations from the books of the Old Testament in the New (Jewish New Testament Publications, Jerusalem, 1989). There are many other passages where the Old Testament is referred to , as in cases where an Old Testament figure is mentioned, but no specific scripture is quoted. Depending on which scholar’s work you examine, the number of quotations and references in the New Testament to the Old may be as high as 4,105 (Roger Nicole, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary , Zondervan, Grand Rapids, 1979, Vol. I, p. 617).

Compare those figures to the number of times other writers are quoted in the New Testament: four . The apostles quoted the Old Testament 695 times , but other writers only four times . Yet some people insist that the teaching of the New Testament is that the Old is obsolete, only valid for a specific people during a limited time in history.

Consider a few more statistics. Of the 27 books and letters forming the New Testament, 21 quote the Old. The only ones that don’t directly quote the Old Testament are the six shortest-Titus, Philemon, 1, 2 and 3 John, and Jude. However, Titus, 1 John, 3 John and Jude allude to Old Testament personalities or passages.

Let’s look at it the other way around too. The way modern Bibles are organized, there are 39 books in the Old Testament. Of these 39 books, only nine are not quoted in the New Testament. However, since the Hebrew Bible has long organized these books differently than they appear in modern Bibles, and some of these nine were originally combined with and part of other books, in reality only five of the Old Testament books are not quoted in the New Testament.

Some assume that the five books of Moses are obsolete, as they focus so heavily on laws supposedly annulled by Jesus Christ. However, these same five books are quoted at least 245 times and referred to many more. Paul, the apostle who some believe taught that the law contained in these five books is done away, quoted from those books between 70 and 110 times -more than any other New Testament figure. Jesus Christ quoted from these same books about 60 times.

Source.

That it might be fulfilled

The new testament is nothing more than the fulfillment of old testament law and prophecies. The Messiah summarized it well: all the law and the prophets have to be fulfilled:

Mat 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

As such, throughout his ministry, he highlighted what was fulfilled. In the book of Matthew alone, the word fulfilled was used 16 times. When ever things came to pass, the scripture that was fulfilled was highlighted:

Mat 8:17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.

Mat 27:35 And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.

It is Written

16 times in the book of Romans alone, the apostle Sha’ul wrote either “as it is written” or “for it is written.” This shows how much he relied on old testament scripture as the basis for his understanding.

He knows that he could never come to the Jews with any abstract, new religion. He had to come to them with prophecy fulfillment, which is why this happened:

Act 17:10 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.
Act 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
Act 17:12 Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.

It was because the Bereans searched the scriptures and matched up the life of Yahushua HaMashiach with the law and the prophets that they believed. The Messiah (new testament) MUST match up with old testament prophecy!

That is why the Messiah could confidently say:

John 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

It is written.

What has NOT been written

There are several promises in the old testament of salvation coming to the Gentiles.

However, there are NO PROPHECIES OF:

1. Law being done with
2. Sabbath being done away with
3. Day of worship being changed to 1st day,
4. Feasts being done away with
5. Food laws being changed
6. Believers final destination being heaven.
7. The unrighteous inheriting the kingdom
8. A Messiah that will reject Israel and come for another group of people
9. A Messiah coming to start a new religion
10. The Messiah being worshipped as YHWH (“Jesus only” pentecostalism)
11. A trinity (YHWH in 3 “persons”)

Old Testament Shows Up the Doctrines of Men

In fact, if we followed this rule, a myriad of Christian (and various other) doctrines will show themselves as being false. They have no scriptural foundation. What happens in effect, is that the old testament shows up the doctrines of men.

If it is not referenced in scripture (old testament), it is not valid as the new testament is based on the old testament. If your belief has no foundation in the old testament, sorry, but it is simply a false doctrine.

Note: I believe that scripture goes beyond the 66 books. Several scriptures have been referenced in the Bible, some of which we still have today. They were considered scripture by the Apostles and early disciples. The Book of Enoch for one was taken out some 500 years ago. It does not conflict the bible, but gives more depth to it. In so doing, it gives us a better understanding. However, my core belief is based on the 66 books of the Bible and anything that contradicts or takes away from the Holy Bible must be thrown out.