Why I Love the Old Testament

I wrote this quick essay as an email to a friend who asked me why I liked the Old Testament so much. Its as true for me today as when I wrote it.

A few days ago on a note I wrote, “I’m totally in love with the Old Testament”. A friend wrote to my inbox and said “Okay, you got me on the Old Testament again. What do you like about it???” I began to write her a response, and started having so much fun, I decided to turn it into a note. So here’s the answer…

Anybody who has a spouse, partner or soul mate/soul friend can usually tell you who it was that introduced you to your future love. And usually – you think very positively or gratefully in regard to the person who introduced you. When I met God, at the awkward age of 17, it was the Old Testament who introduced us.

While trying to discover what it meant to be a Christian, I decided to start by reading the Bible. I did not read the bible in the smartest, easiest or best way. I read it like any other book – from beginning to end. I admit, I almost lost the battle a couple times in Deuteronomy and nearly jumped ship entirely in Chronicles. But – once I read the story of Esther, I was hooked.

The Old Testament is the story of the love promise between God and the people of Israel. (The New Testament is the story of the love promise between God and all of us). It shows the very nature of God, and people – and how we work out that love promise in good moments, bad times, stunning miracles and ordinary mistakes. It introduced me to stories of a whole and holy God – powerful and personal. A God who can create oceans, make donkeys talk, and take the time to wrestle all night with a stubborn traveler. There is so much in the Old Testament to instruct and inspire:

The Bravery: “As for me and my house, we shall serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15); “If I perish, then I perish.” (Esther 4:16).

The Questions: “Suppose they ask me, 'What is his name?” (Exodus 3:13); “How long, O Lord?” (Psalm 89:46); and “Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation?” (Job 38:4).

The Rage: “And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.” (Genesis 4:8); Saul had a spear in his hand 11 and he hurled it, saying to himself, "I'll pin David to the wall." (1 Samuel 18:11).

The Regret: Psalm 51; “When he saw her, Jephthah tore his clothes and cried, "Oh! My daughter! (Judges 11:35); But Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. And they wept. (Genesis 33:4)

The Courage to start over: “Adam lay with his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, saying, "God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him." (Genesis 4:25); Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. (Ruth 1:16)

The Acceptance of Changed Plans: Moses watching others enter the promised land but not able to go. (Deut. 34) ; David being told he cannot build the temple (2 Samuel 7)

The People in the Margins who Make the Difference: Naaman’s servants who convince him to give the miracle a chance, (2 Kings 5), Miriam who follows baby Moses to from the riverbank to see where he ends up (Exodus 2).

The Laughter: Proverbs about nagging wives, leaking faucets and dead flies; Elisha’s loser friends who accidentally poison soup and lose an axe head in a pond. (2 Kings 4); The Philistines desperately trying to ditch the ark they captured. (1 Samuel 5)

The Love: "I will heal their waywardness and love them freely, for my anger has turned away from them. (Hosea 14:4); The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love.." (Zephaniah 3:17)

The Promise:

When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you,
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.

For I am the LORD, your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I give Egypt for your ransom,
Cush [a] and Seba in your stead.

Since you are precious and honored in my sight,
and because I love you,
I will give men in exchange for you,
and people in exchange for your life. (Isaiah 43)

The Old Testament lets it all hang out: saints and sinners, good ideas and bad timing, love poetry, family drama and dietary law all merge to show a picture of a God who continues to reach to wayward children – again, again, again and again.

The New Testament has some fine things – The gospels with their chronology and synoptic account; the history of Christ’s disciples and the church; letters that open so connectively and close with furtive longing, and the revelation of a future where no pain exists and no sorrow abides.

But the New Testament is so polite, so reasonable. The New Testament sets a feast of love and life before us, folds the napkins, and knows what silverware to use. The Old Testament just throws all the spaghetti against the wall – and believe me – it sticks.

That’s why I love the Old Testament.