Old Testament theology is the study of the messages and themes of the Old Testament books of the Bible. It looks at how God is revealed in the Old Testament, the nature of his interactions with humanity, his purposes and plans, the covenants he made, and the progression of redemptive history that culminates in Jesus Christ. Here is an overview of some key elements of Old Testament theology:
God’s Nature and Character
The Old Testament reveals much about who God is. He is presented as the one true Creator God, all-powerful, all-knowing, ever-present, holy, righteous, just, loving, merciful, faithful, and sovereign over history. Key aspects of God’s nature described include:
– His holiness and utter separation from sin (Isaiah 6:3)
– His righteousness in judging evil and wickedness (Genesis 18:25)
– His sovereignty and control over all things (Psalm 135:6)
– His justice and impartiality (Deuteronomy 10:17-18)
– His jealousy over idols and false gods (Exodus 20:3-6)
– His love, mercy, grace, patience, and loyalty towards his people (Exodus 34:6-7)
– His faithfulness in keeping covenants and promises (Deuteronomy 7:9)
– His transcendence above the creation (1 Kings 8:27)
– His immanence and involvement with his creation (Psalm 139:7-10)
God’s Purpose and Plan
The Old Testament shows that God has an overarching plan for creation and humanity. Central to this plan is his purpose to glorify himself through his relationship with his people. God called Abraham and chose Israel to be his own special people (Deuteronomy 7:6), gave them the law and covenants, dwelt among them in the tabernacle/temple, and promised them redemption. God’s interactions with Israel were meant to display his glory, holiness, and righteousness. His plan was that Israel would be a kingdom of priests and a light to the nations (Exodus 19:6), fulfilling his promise that through Abraham’s seed all peoples on earth would be blessed (Genesis 12:3).
Covenants
Central to Old Testament theology are the covenants God made. A covenant was a binding agreement between God and his people that established the relationship between them. Major covenants include:
– The Abrahamic Covenant (Genesis 12:1-3, 15:1-21) – God promised Abraham land, descendants, and blessing/redemption for all nations through his offspring.
– The Mosaic/Sinai Covenant (Exodus 19-24) – God gave Israel the law and called them to obedience; they would be his treasured possession, a kingdom of priests, and holy nation.
– The Davidic Covenant (2 Samuel 7:8-16) – God promised David that his offspring would have an everlasting kingdom and throne. This was fulfilled in Christ.
– The New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34) – God promised a new covenant in the future where he would write his law on people’s hearts and all would know Him. This was inaugurated through Christ’s work and awaits future consummation.
The Law
The law is central in the Old Testament. The Torah (Genesis through Deuteronomy) lays out God’s laws for Israel. Key purposes and themes of the law include:
– Revealing God’s righteous standards and expectations for his people
– Providing instruction for righteous and holy living (Deuteronomy 4:1,6)
– Exposing and defining sin (Romans 3:20, 7:7)
– Imparting blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience (Deuteronomy 28)
– Regulating community life, health, and justice
– Instilling identity as God’s special people (Exodus 19:5)
– Foreshadowing Christ through regulations, symbols, and sacrificial system
– Demonstrating the inability of sinful humans to earn righteousness through works (Galatians 3:10-14, Romans 3:9-20)
Sacrifices and Festivals
Sacrifices and religious festivals were also central in Israel’s life. Sacrifices included:
– Burnt offerings – atonement for unintentional sin
– Sin/guilt offerings – atonement for specific sins
– Grain offerings – supplement to burnt offerings
– Peace offerings – celebrate commune with God
– Drink offerings – accompaniment to other sacrifices
Key festivals included:
– Sabbath – weekly day of rest and remembrance of exodus deliverance
– Passover – celebrated exodus from Egypt
– Feast of Weeks/Pentecost – celebrated harvest and giving of law at Sinai
– Feast of Trumpets – day of rest and trumpet blasts
– Day of Atonement – national atonement for sins
– Feast of Booths/Tabernacles – remembrance of wilderness journeys
These rituals instilled identity, facilitated worship, promoted holiness, and foreshadowed Christ’s atoning work.
The Messiah
The Old Testament contains many prophecies about the coming Messiah who would redeem God’s people. He is given titles such as Son of David, Immanuel, Servant of the Lord, Branch, Prince of Peace, and Lord of Glory. The Messiah would be the offspring promised to Eve, Abraham, and David (Genesis 3:15, 12:1-3, 2 Samuel 7:12-16); a prophet like Moses (Deuteronomy 18:15); a priest in the order of Melchizedek (Psalm 110:4); and an anointed King to rule forever (Isaiah 9:6-7). He would suffer and die to atone for sins (Isaiah 52:13-53:12) and reign in glory, defeating God’s enemies and restoring creation (Zechariah 14). Jesus claimed these prophecies spoke of Him and his life, death, and resurrection fulfilled them.
Sin and Judgment
The Old Testament underscores humanity’s universal sin problem. Despite God’s laws and covenants, Israel was prone to idolatry, injustice, and disobedience. The prophets confronted these sins and called for repentance and renewed obedience. They warned that flouting God’s laws would incur judgment, curses, and exile through foreign powers. But they also promised that God could restore and forgive a remnant who trusted in Him. The Old Testament shows that sin separates people from relationship with God, requiring sacrifice, atonement, and forgiveness. It points to humanity’s need for inner heart change and a new Spirit (Jeremiah 31:33, Ezekiel 36:26-27).
Redemptive History
The Old Testament tells a story of redemptive history that progresses through key stages:
– Creation – God created the world good, and humanity to relate to Him, but they sinned.
– Fall – Adam and Eve’s disobedience brought sin, death, curses, and separation from God.
– Covenants – God chose Abraham and established a covenant people, Israel, to bless the world.
– Exodus and Law – God delivered Israel from slavery and gave them the law and tabernacle worship.
– Conquest and Kingdom – Israel conquered Canaan and established an kingdom under Saul, David, and later kings.
– Exile and Return – Israel’s disobedience led to judgment in exile, but God brought restoration.
– Prophets and Messianic hope – Prophets promised a new covenant and coming Messiah who would atone for sins, defeat evil, and establish God’s kingdom on earth.
This storyline culminates in Jesus Christ, the fulfillment of Old Testament Messianic prophecies and revelation of God’s ultimate plan to redeem creation.
Theological Themes
Major theological themes threaded throughout the Old Testament include:
– The sovereignty, glory, and lordship of God
– The holiness and righteousness of God
– The mercy, love, and faithfulness of God
– The justice and judgment of God on sin
– The grace and forgiveness of God
– The presence, goodness, and salvation of God
– Loyalty, obedience, and covenant relationship with God
– The sinfulness of humanity and need for inner renewal
– Sacrifice and atonement for sins
– Redemption, restoration, and hope in God’s promises
– The coming of the Messiah and God’s eternal kingdom
These themes find unity and culmination in the person and work of Jesus Christ in the New Testament.
Continuity and Discontinuity with New Testament
The New Testament writers saw Jesus Christ as the fulfillment of the Old Testament. There is continuity in that God’s plan culminates in Christ, and he fulfills its key elements like the covenants, law, sacrifices, prophecies, and festivals. Theologians also see discontinuity in that some Old Testament regulations have been set aside, and there are new elements relating to the church, Spirit, and end times. The New Testament presents the Old as a shadow that finds substance in Christ (Colossians 2:17, Hebrews 10:1). The Old Testament lays a foundation that establishes anticipation and expectation fulfilled in the New.
Approaches to Old Testament Theology
There are various approaches scholars take to Old Testament theology. Some key ones include:
– Biblical theology – tracing theological themes chronologically through Old Testament history
– Systematic theology – studying doctrines like God, sin, salvation, in Old Testament context
– Canonical approaches – treating Old Testament books as finished canon to synthesize theology
– Covenant approaches – emphasizing God’s covenants as central organizing structure
– Narrative approaches – focusing on the Old Testament storyline and God’s mission
– Literary approaches – studying theology based on Old Testament literary genres
– Topical approaches – analyzing major theological motifs like worship, law, temple, etc.
– Historical approaches – incorporating study of Israelite religion and history to illuminate theology
There are strengths and weaknesses to each approach. Scholars often combine approaches to gain a multidimensional understanding of Old Testament theology.
