Why Should we read the Bible

Why do some rules in the Old Testament not apply? (Like eating pigs)

Lev. 11 (esp Lev. 11:26-27 “‘Concerning all the animals which divide the hoof but do not make a split hoof, or which do not chew cud, they are unclean to you: whoever touches them becomes unclean. ‘Also whatever walks on its paws, among all the creatures that walk on all fours, are unclean to you; whoever touches their carcasses becomes unclean until evening,” ) has a lot of rules as to what you can and can’t eat.

There was a long list of things you could/n’t do, say, or eat.

However, the NT generally says some different things.

Rom. 14:20 “Do not tear down the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are clean, but they are evil for the man who eats and gives offense.”

Acts 10:9-15

Mark 7:18-19 “And He said to them, “Are you so lacking in understanding also? Do you not understand that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile him, because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and is eliminated?” (Thus He declared all foods clean.)”

Therefore, it seems as if some parts of the OT no longer apply

Two potential reasons

Different types of laws.

Ceremonial, Civil, and Moral laws

Israel functioned under all of these types of laws. However, Christians do not operate under all of these laws because we do not live in ancient Israel. Therefore, the information on buying and selling slaves, or eating pork, do not apply because they were ceremonial or civil laws. However, we still follow the Ten Commandments, because they are moral laws.

Different Covenant

We’re not Jews. Therefore, we follow the covenant that we are under, the covenant of the cross. So, we follow the laws that align with the NT and that we feel led by the Holy Spirit to follow, but really have to think about the ones that don’t.

What is the point of reading books like Numbers or Leviticus?

It’s the Bible

All of the Bible reveals something about God

Leviticus and NUmbers talk about the level of care that God wants us to put into our daily lives and worship of Him.

We couldn’t have Jesus if we didn’t have the OT.

Foreshadows the rest of the Bible

EXAMPLE: Ex. 38 talks about how Moses is supposed to set up an altar

In Revelation 4, there is a picture of a very similar altar in heaven.

God used the imagery of the altar to communicate something incredibly important to us, and that imagery of the altar is used all throughout the rest of Revelation. And that’s just one piece of imagery!

How do we know that the people who wrote the Bible didn't get it wrong or mistranslate it like a big game of telephone?

Manuscripts.

Number of manuscripts

Over 10,000 manuscripts of the OT

Something over 20,000 manuscripts of the OT

People will then compile these to find the best translation.

It would be nearly impossible for the Bible to be completely mistranslated or wrong due to the amount of evidence we have.