Neglect of the Old Testament

NEGLECT OF THE OLD TESTAMENT.

It is a prevailing doctrine, in this age of the world, that people, since the coming of Christ, have little or nothing to do with the Old Testament.

The reason they render is, that Christ came to fulfil the Old Testament, and, therefore, it is all fulfilled and done away. This is one of the greatest errors of the age; and except man­kind can be brought to understanding on this point, and this error done away, it will plunge them into irre­trievable ruin, insomuch that they will not understand the day of their visi­tation and the things that belong to their peace.

Christ did indeed come to fulfil the law, and a part of the prophets; but the far greater portion of the prophe­cies of the Old Testament arc yet future as to their fulfilment; and many of them never can be fulfilled until Christ comes again to fulfil them. Hence Peter predicted, in the third chapter of Acts, that "He shall send Jesus Christ which before was preached unto you, whom the heavens must re­ceive until the times of restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.” Christ's first coming fulfilled a few of the prophecies, but his second coming will fulfil a far greater number of pre­dictions then his first.

He will come with dyed garments from Bozrah, staining his raiment with the blood of sinners, while he treads them in his anger, and tramples them in his fury. (See Isaiah.)

He will come with fire, and with his chariots, to plead with all flesh, and the slain of the Lord shall be many. (See Isaiah.)

He will suddenly come to His temple; while the day cometh that shall burn as an oven, and all the proud and they that do wickedly shall be as stubble, and be burned up (See Malachi.)

He will come to smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked. (See Isaiah.)

He will come to stand on the mount of Olives, and deliver his people, the Jews, and destroy their enemies; while the mountain rends beneath his feet, and moves north and south, forming a great valley in the place of the mountain. (See Zechariah.)

He will come, and all the saints with him.

He will come to reign as king over all the earth. (See Zechariah.)

He will come with the clouds of heaven. (See Daniel.)

Now, we would inquire of these who think that Christ fulfilled all at his first coming, what all these pre­dictions mean, and hundreds of others equally important which never had a shadow of fulfillment at his first coming?

We are apt to censure the Jews be­cause they were blind in relation to the prophets referring to his first coming; but are we not, many of us, equally blind in relation to the pre­dictions yet future, which the Jews understand far better than most Chris­tians (so called)?

Will not this blindness upon the Gentiles prevent them from understanding the things that now belong to their peace, and plunge them into as great a destruction as came upon the Jews when they failed to under­stand the prophets?

Jesus Christ and his Apostles often exhorted the people to search the Scriptures. Now, we would inquire what Scriptures they referred to in these exhortations? We reply, the Old Testament Scriptures, as is evi­dent from the fact, that there was no New Testament written till after Christ had gone to the Father. Indeed the New Testament writings were not all given till some time after the death of Paul and Peter, and most of the Apostles; and they were not compiled into a book called the New Testament until the second or third century of the Christian era. We would not be understood as doing away the neces­sity of searching the New Testament, for we consider them both of equal importance now they are given. In fact, the New Testament is as much prophetic as the Old, and they both predict the same things in many in­stances.

It is for us, then, to give heed to the words of the prophets and apostles, “as to a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in our hearts.”

“Whatsoever was written before­time was written for our profit and learning, that we, through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, might have hope."