so i've recently been thinking about the old testament (OT) and the new testament (NT) and my view of them... and have been quite humbled by my perspective. i've always loved the OT, but i've found, to my shame, that i tend to look at it as a collection of narratives that show more of the judgement side of God's character than the mercy that is... and has always been... equally present and manifested. if God is eternal... and God is mercy... than God has always BEEN mercy, just as he is today... just as he is always just, and has always been just. his justice is no less present in the NT... and same with his mercy in the old. i was reading in A.W.Tozer's 'knowledge of the holy', and came across this:
'mercy is an attribute of God, an infinite and inexhaustible energy within the divine nature which disposes God to be actively compassionate. both the old and new testaments proclaim the mercy of God. but the old has more than four times as much to say about it as the new. we should banish from our minds forever the common but erroneous notion that justice and judgement caracterize the God of Israel, while mercy and grace belong to the Lord of the church. actually, there is in principle no difference between the old testament and the new. in the new testament scriptures there is a fuller development of redemptive truth, but one God speaks in both dispensations, and what he speaks agrees with what He is. wherever and whenever God appears to men, he acts like himself. whether in the garden of eden or the garden of gethsemane, God is merciful as well as just. he has always dealt in mercy with mankind and will always deal in justice when his mercy is despised. thus he did in atediluvian times; thus when Christ walked among men; thus he is doing today and will continue always to do for no other reason than that he is God.' --Tozer, 'Knowledge of the Holy', chptr 18
i've been going through Genesis, and my small group has been studying the book of Daniel over the last couple of months, and i have to say this is resounding loudly with me! growing up how i have, and being exposed to the incredible, Gospel centered teaching that i've been exposed to, its no new concept that the OT points forward to the Gospel, and the NT walks forward IN it... with the entirety of Scripture and our existance centered around it. but its also no secret that we as believers forget the obvious. and i'm thankful for the reminder. going through Daniel has been EVERY BIT as relevant to new testament living as Romans... just in different perspectives, but pointing at the same ultimate target - our supreme God, made accessible to us through Christ.
let us search the Scriptures... digest them and let them compose our existance... but let us not neglect the provisions of grace in the old testament in a false notion that they are any less 'relevant' to our lives today.
'for the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.' --hebrews 4.12 (esv)
'all Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.' --2 timothy 3.16-17 (esv)
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