Category: Bible

Bible, Old Testament

6 Reasons You Need to Stay Hitched to the Old Testament

Michelle Lesley

Originally published May 18, 2018

Oops, he did it again. Only it wasn’t an “oops”, it was quite intentional.

In a recent sermon, Andy Stanley declared that the modern church needs to “unhitch” the gospel from the Old Testament. He attempted to draw a parallel between James’ pronouncement in Acts 15 that Gentiles did not have to convert to Judaism prior to becoming Christians with the difficulty some non-Christians today have with some of the gory, hard to understand, or otherwise distasteful (to them) passages of the Old Testament (for example: God’s various commands to Israel to utterly destroy all people in certain nations). The apostles cut out the requirement for circumcision to make things easier for Gentiles who wanted to come to Christ, he reasons, so the 21st century church should basically divorce itself from the Old Testament to make it easier for lost people who have a problem with certain Old Testament passages to come to Christ.

Andy Stanley declared in a 2018 sermon that the modern church needs to “unhitch” the gospel from the Old Testament because “difficult passages” are keeping people from coming to Christ. Is that true?

There’s only about a million problems with this line of thinking, and, honestly, the more I investigate what Stanley said and his subsequent explanations of why he said it and what he meant, the angrier it makes me. That a man with a master’s degree from a decent seminary, who’s a pastor of several churches, a best-selling “Christian” author, and a leadership and church growth guru to thousands of pastors across the globe should say, or even believe, such things is reprehensible. If he were generally doctrinally sound and this were the first “iffy” thing he had ever said, I’d be inclined to extend grace and give him the benefit of the doubt. But this is somebody with every theological advantage who should know better, yet still has been on a trajectory of attempting to deconstruct the New Testament church for quite some time now.

So, for the sake of my own blood pressure, I’m just going to throw out a few of the most embarrassingly obvious errors here, and let better people than I handle the blow-by-blow.

1. Andy Stanley is not an apostle personally commissioned by Christ to set up the New Testament church. James and those other guys mentioned in Acts? They were. Andy doesn’t have the authority to change New Testament ecclesiology, which is permanently and inextricably hitched to the Old Testament.

2. Acts is generally a descriptive book, not a prescriptive one. While there are certain principles we can learn from Acts and follow, it’s a history of the establishment of the first century church, not a step by step list of instructions to implement in today’s church. If there were a church today that were insisting Gentiles become Jews before they could become Christians, Acts 15 would be applicable. But, except for the heretical Hebrew Roots movement, I don’t know of any legitimate churches like that, do you?

3. The two church scenarios Andy is trying to make analogous aren’t. No church I know of requires unbelievers to understand, agree with, or even have read whatever Old Testament passages Andy thinks are problematic prior to becoming a Christian.

Furthermore, how many lost people are actually out there saying, “I recognize I’m a sinner in need of a Savior. I want to repent of my sin and place my faith in Christ for salvation, but I just can’t, because of 1 Samuel 15:2-3.”? People who bring up Old Testament passages like that when confronted with the gospel are presenting excuses for rejecting the gospel, not looking for ways to embrace it.

4. Shoving difficult passages of Scripture into the broom closet is not how God has instructed the church to handle His holy Word. We’re to be “a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15b) We don’t get rid of challenging passages, we dive into them, study them, and explain them to others.

The Old Testament is absolutely essential to New Testament Christianity, and a rich blessing to the church, individual Christians, and lost people, besides. Here are six reasons you and your church should stay hitched to the Old Testament.

The Old Testament is absolutely essential to New Testament Christianity, and a rich blessing besides. Here are six reasons you and your church should stay hitched to the Old Testament.

1.
God says so

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 complete, equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16-17

That should be the end of any discussion of ditching any part of Scripture for any reason. God could not have been clearer. “All Scripture” means all Scripture, from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21. And every single verse of Scripture is profitable. Even the genealogies. Even the inventories. Even the Levitical law. There is stuff in every single verse of the Bible that is useful and beneficial to us. God says so (and He says so in the New Testament, by the way).

2.
You need the Old Testament
to understand the New Testament

Can you come to a saving knowledge of Christ by reading only the New Testament? Yes. But it’s kind of like saying, “I know American history,” when you’ve only studied the years 1900 to the present. The New Testament was birthed out of the Old Testament. The gospel is the culmination of Old Testament doctrine. Jesus Himself is the ultimate fulfillment of every Old Testament prophecy and covenant.

And then there are all the New Testament details that need explaining. Who are these Jews and how did they come to be God’s people? Why do they have such a problem with Gentiles? What are these laws the Pharisees keep talking about? If Jesus is the “second Adam”, who was the first Adam? What on earth is circumcision anyway? And…Hebrews? What’s that all about?

The gospel is the culmination of Old Testament doctrine. Jesus Himself is the ultimate fulfillment of every Old Testament prophecy and covenant.

3.
The Old Testament teaches how we CAN’T be saved

Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. Galatians 3:24 (NASB)

and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation
through faith in Christ Jesus. 2 Timothy 3:15

How was the Old Testament Law our tutor to lead us to Christ? How was it able to make Timothy wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus? It shows us the futility of thinking we can keep the law to earn righteousness. It shows us that right standing with God always comes by repentance and faith, not works. How many times have you shared the gospel with someone only to hear her say some variation of, “I’m OK with God and I’m going to Heaven because I’m a good person.”? Really? Take a stroll through the Old Testament, and watch how “good” God’s chosen people were. He spelled everything out for them, sent them prophets to tell them exactly what He wanted them to do, performed amazing miracles right before their eyes, and they still couldn’t be “good people.” And you, a pagan, think you can do better?

Remember the old saying, “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.”? Some smarty pants came up with the rejoinder, “Yes, but you can feed him salt.” The Old Testament is our salt. Its lessons in the futility of trying to be good makes us thirsty for the Living Water we find in the New Testament.

The Old Testament’s lessons in the futility of trying to be good makes us thirsty for the Living Water we find in the New Testament.

4.
The Old Testament vividly shows us
God’s wrath against our sin

I’m not saying the Old Testament only shows us God’s wrath against sin, because it also shows us His compassion, mercy, and love. I’m also not saying the New Testament doesn’t show us God’s wrath. It does, but in a different way than the Old Testament does. In the New Testament, the main ways we see God’s wrath against sin is when it’s poured out on Christ at the cross, and the wrath of God that’s yet to come as it’s described in Revelation.

When it comes to God’s wrath against me, personally, for my individual sin, those demonstrations of God’s wrath can feel a little detached sometimes. But in the Old Testament, I see, in vivid detail, the horrific plagues God rained down on Pharaoh for his sin. I see the ground open up and swallow Korah for his rebellion. I see God immolating Nadab and Abihu for offering illegal worship. I see the once mighty and majestic Nebuchadnezzar forced out into the wilderness to live like an animal because he took God’s glory for himself. And when I know that God doesn’t change – that His wrath towards my sin as a lost person burns just as hot as it did toward those Old Testament rebels – well, it can hit a lot closer to home and convince me of my need to run to the cross and throw myself on the mercy of Christ.

The Old Testament’s demonstrations of God’s wrath hit close to home and convince me of my need to run to the cross and throw myself on the mercy of Christ.

5.
The Old Testament teaches by example

The largest portion of the Old Testament is history and biography. Most of the New Testament is didactic. The New Testament gives us the subject matter we need to learn. The Old Testament puts flesh and blood on it and shows us what it’s like for real, flawed people just like you and me to walk it out. In the New Testament, we learn “by grace are you saved through faith.” In the Old Testament, we see just how God accomplished that in the life of Noah, who found grace in the eyes of the Lord. In the New Testament we learn what it means to repent. In the Old Testament, we walk with David through the loss of his child and his grief over his sin with Bathsheba. In the New Testament, we learn that the godly will face persecution. In the Old Testament, we stand next to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refusing to bow to an idol, even if it means being burned alive. The New Testament gives the facts of the matter. The Old Testament says, “For example…”.

The New Testament gives us the subject matter we need to learn. The Old Testament puts flesh and blood on it and shows us what it’s like for real, flawed people just like you and me to walk it out.

6.
The Old Testament is a warning to the church

People are people. God’s people of the Old Testament are not significantly different from God’s people today. We’re all made in the image of God. We’re all tempted by similar things.

If you begin studying the Old Testament, you can’t help but notice some of the same themes running through the story of God’s people back then that run through our story today. Idolatry. Ecumenism. Doing what’s right in our own eyes. Going through the motions of religious activity without true repentance and faith. Depending on our own power and resources rather than depending on God. False prophets. Persecution and derision of those who stand firmly on God’s Word by those who claim to be His people. Fickle hearts and tickled ears. Oh sure, we might be a little more sophisticated and subtle about it, but, as Solomon put it:

What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun. Ecclesiastes 1:9

And because the Old Testament shows us more direct interpersonal interaction between God and His people, we get to see exactly how God feels about all of those things. We hear what He has to say about it. We see how He responds to it. And, if we’re wise, we take heed to those warnings, humble ourselves, and grow in our fear of the Lord and our desire to please Him with holy living and clean worship.

 

I could give far more than a mere six reasons why the Old Testament is so vital, a precious blessing, and such a spiritual treasure trove. It tells us where we, and the world around us, came from. It shows us the beauty and precision of worship. It extols the charm of Creation. It displays God’s power, grace, trustworthiness, mercy, justice, His plan for mankind, and all of His other attributes. And so much more.

Are there some passages in the Old Testament that are hard to understand or accept at first blush? Sure. But they’re not keeping anybody from coming to Christ. People reject Christianity, not because of difficult Old (or New) Testament Scriptures, but because they love their sin more than Jesus. And that’s no reason to unhitch anything or anyone from the beauty, the joy, and the benefits of the Old Testament.

People reject Christianity, not because of difficult Scriptures, but because they love their sin more than Jesus. And that’s no reason to unhitch anything or anyone from the beauty, the joy, and the benefits of the Old Testament.

How has the Old Testament been profitable in your walk with the Lord?

Bible, Entertainment

Birthday Verses

Michelle Lesley

I’m probably the last person EVER to have heard of this, but I recently saw a post of a beautiful Bible verse meme on social media, and someone had commented underneath, “That’s my birthday verse!”.

“Birthday verse?” I thought, “What’s that?”. Well, it didn’t take too long to figure out that the numbers in the reference of the Bible verse corresponded to the numbers in the date of the commenter’s birthday.

Now if you’re a long timer around here, you know that I’m not too keen on “life verses” and having a “word for the year” because people tend to go too far with them. They build doctrine and theology around those concepts (which are found nowhere in Scripture), and things can go wonky fast.

And if you take this “birthday verse” thing seriously, the same thing can happen. It doesn’t define you. It doesn’t have any significance in your life or identity. It doesn’t mean anything.

But it’s kinda fun just to see what pops up, and if that’s all you’re in it for, it’s no more a harmful diversion than watching a funny YouTube video or playing some Wordle.

You can go old school and flip through your Bible, but I found it easier to go to Bible Gateway and click on the “Bible Book List” drop down. That way it’s easy to see – if, say, your birthday is in December – whether or not the book you’re looking at actually has twelve chapters. If it does, you can just click on chapter 12, and it’ll take you right to that chapter of the book you’re looking at:

My husband and I gave it a try with both of our birthdays. His birthdate yielded some pretty impactful verses. Mine, some pretty random verses. All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable (Any March 16 babies out there?)… but some of them need a lot more context than others!😀

My birthday is April 27 (4/27). Some books don’t have four chapters, and of those that do, not all of those fourth chapters have 27 verses. But here are my “birthday verses” for the ones that do. Why not give it a try with your birthday!

4:27

Exodus: Then Yahweh said to Aaron, “Go to meet Moses in the wilderness.” So he went and encountered him at the mountain of God and kissed him.

I have a son whose middle name is Aaron, and a son-in-law whose first name is Aaron. Neither of them were born on April 27, and I’m pretty sure neither of them know anybody named Moses. I guess this one’s a bust.

Leviticus: ‘Now if anyone of the common people sins unintentionally in doing any of the things which Yahweh has commanded not to be done, and becomes guilty,

…Eeek! A cliffhanger!

Numbers: All the service of the sons of the Gershonites, in all their loads and in all their service, shall be performed at the command of Aaron and his sons; and you shall assign to them as a responsibility all their loads.

There’s ol’ Aaron again. These Gershonites sound like pretty responsible, hard working dudes.

Deuteronomy: And Yahweh will scatter you among the peoples, and you will remain few in number among the nations where Yahweh drives you.

See, this is where “These verses don’t have any significance in your life,” is a GOOD thing.

1 Kings: And these deputies sustained King Solomon and all who came to King Solomon’s table, each in his month; they left nothing lacking.

More responsible, hard working dudes.

2 Kings: Then she came to the man of God to the hill and took hold of his feet. And Gehazi came near to push her away; but the man of God said, “Let her alone, for her soul is bitter within her; and Yahweh has hidden it from me and has not told me.”

This is from the story of the Shunamite woman. If you’ve never read it, you should! It is an amazing story that points us ahead to Christ.

1 Chronicles: Now Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters; but his brothers did not have many sons, nor did all their family multiply like the sons of Judah.

Good to know… I guess?

Proverbs: Do not turn to the right nor to the left; Turn your foot from evil.

Aha! Meaningfulness! What a great admonition to remember!

Jeremiah: For thus says Yahweh, “The whole land shall be a desolation, Yet I will not execute a complete destruction.

Again, thank you, Lord, for good hermeneutics that tells me this judgment has no application to my immediate life circumstances.

Daniel: Therefore, O king, may my advice seem good to you: break away now from your sins by doing righteousness and from your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor, in case there may be a prolonging of your prosperity.’

I wouldn’t mind saying this to a “king” or two…

Mark: and he sleeps and rises, night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows—how, he himself does not know.

God has a sense of humor. He knows I have a black thumb.

Luke: And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.”

The story of Naaman is another fantastic Old Testament story you should read. You can find it in 2 Kings 5.

John: And at this point His disciples came, and they were marveling that He was speaking with a woman, yet no one said, “What do You seek?” or, “Why are You speaking with her?”

OK, this one touched my heart. Who am I that my Lord should come to me, make sure I heard the gospel, and, in His love and mercy, save me? Why would you speak with me, Lord? I am just a sinful woman. But even sinful women are precious to Jesus.

Acts: For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel,

This is in the middle of an incredible prayer raised by some of the first Christians. I included it in my Bible study, Sweet Hour of Prayer: Learning to Pray from the People of Scripture (lesson 10).

Galatians: For it is written, “Rejoice, barren woman who does not give birth; Break forth and shout, you who are not in labor; For more numerous are the children of the desolate one Than of the one who has a husband.”

This is actually a quote of Isaiah 54:1. It is an allegory of the old and new covenants.

Ephesians: and do not give the devil an opportunity.

OK, maybe this IS my life verse! Or at least my ministry verse.😀

What about YOUR birthday verses?
Anything interesting, meaningful, or funny?
Share in the comments!

Bible, Bible Study

My Favorite Bible & Study Apps

Michelle Lesley

Many of my readers have asked1 for recommendations of good apps for reading and studying the Bible. These aren’t the only good ones out there (I’m sure there are hundreds) but they’re a few of my favorites, and they’re all free.

BibleGateway– This app has the whole Bible in many different translations and languages. Several of the translations are also available in audio format so you can listen to the Bible as you drive or do other activities. Additional helpful features include footnotes, cross references, and parallel panes for viewing a passage in several different translations at once. There are Bible reading plans and other study resources such as commentaries, Bible dictionaries, encyclopedias, and study Bibles. Not all of the devotions and “translations” (e.g. The Message, The Voice) are trustworthy, but if you stay away from those, Bible Gateway is excellent.

Faithlife Study Bible– A wonderful study Bible with copious notes, charts, articles, maps, photos, and even videos. It comes with several free translations (the Lexham English Bible is their default translation, and a good one), an audio feature, and community groups you can join.

The Study Bible– A great little Bible study app from Grace to You. The entire text of Scripture (ESV, KJV, or NASB), search, audio, highlighting, notes, and you can synchronize your account across devices. Access John MacArthur’s daily devotional and tons of sermons. And, if you’ve always wanted a MacArthur Study Bible, but cost was an issue, all of the study Bible notes and features are available as an add on for just $5.99.

Bible Hub– Bible Hub has so many helpful resources I tend to forget that you can just read the full text of the Bible on it, too (in dozens of different translations – mostly decent ones). Tons of commentaries, sermons and thematic/topical outlines to accompany every Scripture reference, daily devotions from Spurgeon, Tyndale, and others, Strong’s lexicon, parallel passages and chapters, interlinear, Bible book overviews and outlines, a timeline of the Bible …and so much more. It’s like having a theological reference library on your phone. There are literally thousands of resources – impossible for me to vet them all – so if you choose a devotion, commentary, sermon, etc., be discerning.

Blue Letter Bible– Sort of the “diet” version of Bible Hub, but it still has a number of great features. Several translations and languages are available, notes, highlights, audio, parallel, reading plans, interlinear, sermons, commentaries, Bible dictionaries and encyclopedias, and much more. This one also has an interesting feature: you can auto scroll (instead of scrolling manually) as you read through the text of Scripture. I imagine this might be very helpful for folks with arthritis, tremors, or limited manual dexterity. Be discerning about any sermons, commentaries, etc. you might choose.

The Olive Tree Bible– A good, basic Bible app. The Bible portion of the app is ESV default, though there are other downloadable versions. Good cross references, audio Bibles, and a number of Bible reading plans are included along with standard notes, highlights, and other features.

Literal Word– Literal Word is a very simple, streamlined, NASB-only (New American Standard Bible) app. It has the typical notes and highlighting features, but that’s basically it, except for one handy feature: integrated Hebrew and Greek lexicons. What does that mean for you? Simply click on a word as you’re reading, and the info box will tell you the Greek or Hebrew word and its definition(s). A great app if NASB’s your jam, and you just want to read the Bible without all the bells and whistles.

Legacy Standard Bible– This one’s great if you’re an LSB geek. But even if you haven’t had the pleasure yet, this is a super, no-frills Bible reading app that will help you get acquainted with this new, rock solid translation. The full New and Old Testaments are now available (LSB only). In addition to standard notes and highlighting, the LSB app does have a unique interlinear feature available, as well as a handy word click Greek and Hebrew lexicon feature. Syncs with your Accordance account if you’ve got one.

ReadingPlan– All Bible reading plans, all the time. There are literally hundreds of plans to choose from (there was no way I could vet even a fraction of them, so be very discerning) in this great little app. Download the one you like, set your start date, link up your favorite online Bible, and start reading. You can even sync and share your progress and set a daily reminder for reading.

1Some of the requests were from readers who wanted an alternative to YouVersion (Bible.com) and The Bible Recap, neither of which I would recommend.

Bible, Bible Study, Church

Throwback Thursday ~ Context Message Me

Michelle Lesley

Originally published December 3, 2013

Yesterday, I saw several friends and organizations re-posting this article (and others like it) on Facebook. The gist of the article is about teaching the Gettysburg Address to students in a “stand alone” sort of way without teaching that it has anything to do with the Civil War.  

As a teacher myself, this seems utterly ridiculous to me. How can students grasp the full meaning, depth, and impact of the Gettysburg Address without knowing the history and events that led up to it, who wrote and delivered it, the people to whom it was delivered, and why it was delivered?

Yes, a few things can be gleaned merely from the text itself, but is that all we want our students to learn about the Gettysburg Address? Are we satisfied for them to merely skim the surface of this document and leave with a superficial (and likely, incorrect) understanding of it, or do we want them to dig in and learn all they can about it?

And then it hit me: What many of us would not abide in the classroom, we embrace in the sanctuary.

What many of us would not abide in the classroom, we embrace in the sanctuary.

Week after week, many Christians sit under pastors and Bible teachers who fail to preach and teach God’s word in context. A verse from one book is thrown in here, a half verse from another passage, there, like so many sprinkles on top of an ice cream sundae.

No mention is made of the historical (pre-Exile or post-Exile?) or cultural (Was this written to Jews or Gentiles?) context of the passage.

Prescriptive (thou shalt/shalt not do X) passages are conflated with descriptive (here’s what happened to this particular guy) passages, leading to confusion over law, grace, and precisely what it is that God wants from us.

Promises that were never meant for 21st century Christians (because they were written only to a specific person/people at a specific time) are ripped away from their intended audience and plastered, bait and switch style, onto you and me. (I’ve always wondered why Jeremiah 29:11 is preached as applying to today’s Christians, but verses such as Jeremiah 29:17-19 are not.)

Pastors and teachers treat individual Bible verses and brief passages as “stand alone” items rather than showing how they fit into the immediate context of the surrounding passage and book, while simultaneously neglecting to show how those Bible tidbits fit into the broader, complete story of the gospel revealed across both Testaments.

Pastors and Bible teachers, myself included (and, believe me, I’ve failed many times in this area, too) are to care for those who sit under our teaching by doing our best to handle God’s word correctly (2 Timothy 2:15) and by preaching and teaching, as Paul put it, “the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:26-27). May we as teachers not merely skim the surface of God’s word, but proclaim the Truth, the whole Truth, and nothing but the Truth. And may our hearers demand nothing less.

Bible, Bible Study

A Weeping Profit

Michelle Lesley

For years now, I have urged women to read through the Bible using the chronological plan. It’s especially helpful for getting all the historical events of Old Testament history in order so you can understand what precipitated what’s happening in whichever book you’re currently reading.

But there’s another reason it’s helpful. A reason that’s difficult to put into the right words, but one I think is equally important as understanding the historical order of events.

I’ve read through the Bible a few times using the chronological plan, and I started it again this past January. It started out OK, like it always does. You’ve got Creation. You’ve got a bunch of godly patriarchs: Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses. You’ve got God rescuing His people from Egypt and bringing them into the Promised Land. And, of course, along the way, you’ve got instances of some pretty heinous sins committed by individuals. But the overall, visceral sense you get is that God is advancing His plan through godly people. He’s working to establish His people in their land and prosper them.

Then, along about the time Solomon’s wives turn his heart away from God and entice him into idolatry, you start getting this sense of foreboding. Things are changing. Something is about to happen and it isn’t going to be good. And that’s exactly what comes to pass. You get slammed with a bunch of evil kings. Oh sure, there’s the occasional bright spot of an Asa, a Hezekiah, a Josiah. But the bad kings keep coming more and more frequently, each one more and more depraved. And God’s people, led by these evil kings, plunge headlong into sin and idolatry that’s worse than that of the pagan nations God had them drive out when they entered the Promised Land.

You sit in the midst of the filth and rebellion of God’s people for months – knowing that, for them, it was actually centuries – feeling your skin crawl at the evil you’re reading about. You hear God cry out to Israel through the prophets, to turn around and come back to Him. You see Him pour out a little bit of His wrath on His people here and there. Just a taste of what’s to come if they don’t repent and return. You sit there, helpless and frustrated, knowing what’s going to happen to these people, aching for them to just stop it! Stop sinning. Humble yourselves. Rend your hearts and not your garments. 

But they don’t. No matter how many times you read the Old Testament hoping and pleading with Israel to change her ways so that there will be a happy ending, it never works out that way. God’s people continue to forge ahead, inventing new ways of doing evil. Whoring after idols of stick and stone. Abandoning the God who saved them and carried them.

By August (in the chronological reading plan) I’d been watching these people sink lower and lower into degradation and debauchery for the better part of a year. But then I started reading Jeremiah, and I realized another reason he’s often called “the weeping prophet”. Yes, he was probably lonely since God didn’t allow him to marry and have a family for support. Yes, he was grieved that his people wouldn’t turn back from their sin. But after reading the first three chapters of his book, I had to think Jeremiah had yet another reason for weeping. 

The words God put in Jeremiah’s mouth are the words of the broken heart of God:

I remember when you loved Me and were loyal to Me; how we enjoyed sweet fellowship. You trusted Me and I protected you. You followed me and I provided for you. You lifted up my Name, and I lifted up yours in the eyes of the nations.

You’ve never been able to say that I wronged you. I have never let you down. I have never failed you.

And despite all of My love and care for you, you have cast Me aside. You have chosen the sewer over your Savior. Evil over the Eternal One. Hell over Heaven.

I have called you back to Myself time and time again, but you keep running away from Me. Even now, if you will repent and come back to Me, despite everything you have done, I will forgive you. You can enjoy that sweet fellowship with Me once again. I want to tenderly care for you and give you every good thing.

I love you. Come home.

How could Jeremiah – how could we – not weep over the things that break the heart of our good and loving God? How can we not grieve over the things that grieve Him?

And that brings me back to why the chronological reading plan is so helpful. 

You need to not only understand the cold, hard historical facts that led up to this moment, you need to feel in your spirit, know in your heart the weight of sin, the blackness of evil, the depth of God’s love, compassion, patience, and righteousness. And you don’t get that by randomly parachuting into OT books. You have to walk with these people – live with them – and watch what they do over time. You have to sit next to God through His words and see with His eyes, understand how He feels about His people, and stand with Him as He acts in holiness and justice.

“Just the facts, ma’am,” is not enough when it comes to Scripture. We must live it, put it on and wear it, immerse ourselves in it, if we truly want to feast on God’s Word and know God’s heart.

I used the word “profit” intentionally in the title of this article as a play on words. Jeremiah is known as “the weeping prophet” and I believe it will “profit” us to study our Old Testament as I’ve outlined in the article.