Jesus and OT Stories...

Many of us are reading through the book of Genesis this January. Many students have been asking a lot of questions - usually they boil down to two types of questions 1) Details Questions: Where did Cain get his wife? What's with Abraham wife/sister? Lot? Predestination? Did God choose or did Abraham choose? Did Abraham really obey God? 

But there's also another underlying question - what am I suppose to get out of all this:

Is it profitable? Given 2 Tim 3:16 - how are these stories helping me out?

Is it about Jesus? – So far, no mention about Jesus?

What do we do? – Fellow Pilgrims –

• Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, ² looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2

Who are those in this cloud of witnesses? (Moses, Abraham, Rahab the Prostitute, Isacc) these witnesses should 1) encourage us to repent (don’t’ be like them) and run (be like them) but 2) Look toward Jesus! (two levels personal and historical) –

By looking at the stories of Genesis through the grid of Hebrews 11-12, and asking some tough questions, the stories become both profitable and point to Jesus:

Personal Level:

1) Positive:

a. How does this person’s godly example drive me to the Lord Jesus for the power to be like him? – (Dependence) (faith of Abraham)

b. How does his/her experience of God’s choosing love and faithfulness, despite his sin and frailty drive me to praise the Lord Jesus for his grace and compassion. (Jacob the deceiver is blessed)

c. His/her experience of deliverance against great odds drives me to a deeper trust that I too will be saved and vindicated by the Lord Jesus’ hand? (Esther?, Isaac? Sarah delivering)

d. His innocent suffering in the face of injustice drives me to look for One who will make things right again and give meaning to the pain. (Joseph?, Job)

e. His righteous suffering in a leadership role reminds me of the suffering of Jesus and leads me to adore him with fuller understanding (Joseph)

f. Their faithful performance in a leadership role fires my imagination with a picture of the character and work of the true messiah and whets my appetite for his return.

2) Negative:

a. His imperfect performance in a leadership role drives me to adore Jesus (by contrast) and appreciate him more fully and my only truly sufficient deliverer, friend, teacher and Lord (Abraham’s leadship skills/Jacob)

b. How does this person’s experience of God’s punishment drive me to respect and obey the Lord? (LOT)

c. His/her transformation from unbelief to strong faith fills me with wonder at the kindness, wisdom and power of the Spirit (Jacob chances from manipulation in his youth to deep trust in his old age.)

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Questions adapted from Ancient Love Song: Finding Christ in the Old Testament.