REF: TR4EN
Before we continue, it’s important to clarify something to avoid misunderstandings:
👉 We believe that the entire Bible—both the Old and New Testaments—is the Word of God.
Both are equally important and form one continuous story, from Genesis to Revelation.
1. One Story, Not Two Separate Messages
The Bible does not present two different ideas, but two parts of the same plan.
- The Old Testament (Tanakh) lays the foundation
- The New Testament reveals, confirms, and develops that foundation in Yeshua
👉 One does not replace the other—they complement each other perfectly.
“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.”
— Matthew 5:17
2. Reading Only the New Testament Is Like Starting a Book in the Middle
To understand this simply:
👉 Reading the New Testament without the Old is like starting a book halfway through.
Imagine reading a novel:
- You don’t know the characters
- You don’t understand the context
- You don’t know why things are happening
The same happens with the Bible.
The New Testament is filled with references, quotes, and concepts that come directly from the Old Testament.
For example:
“That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet…”
This appears over and over again.
👉 If we don’t know what the prophet said, we cannot understand the fulfillment.
3. The Focus of These Studies
One of the main foundations of these studies is this:
👉 To find and explain the connections between the Old and the New Testament
Because that is where:
- Apparent contradictions are clarified
- The apostles’ writings are properly understood
- God’s full purpose is revealed
4. A Key Point: The Restoration of Israel
Another fundamental aspect we must understand is the historical context of Israel.
After the reign of Solomon, the kingdom divided:
- House of Israel (10 northern tribes)
- House of Judah (southern kingdom)
The House of Israel was taken into exile by Assyria around 722 B.C., because of disobedience:
“So the Lord removed Israel out of His sight… So Israel was carried away from their own land to Assyria…”
— 2 Kings 17:23
As a result:
- They were scattered among the nations
- They lost their identity
- They departed from the Torah
- They became “not a people” (Hosea 1:9)
5. What Does This Have to Do with Yeshua?
This is where everything begins to connect.
Yeshua clearly said:
“I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
— Matthew 15:24
👉 One of Yeshua’s purposes was to restore those lost sheep.
This does not exclude others—it reveals the order of the plan:
- First, restore Israel
- Then, through that restoration, reach the nations
6. Restore Them… for What?
This is one of the most important questions:
👉 What is Yeshua restoring them to?
The biblical answer is:
- To return to God
- To restore the relationship
- To return to the original path
And what was that path?
👉 The Torah
“I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts…”
— Hebrews 8:10
This does not speak of removing the Torah, but of restoring it within the people.
7. Grace and Obedience Do Not Contradict Each Other
A common misunderstanding is:
- Old Testament = Law
- New Testament = Grace
But the biblical reality is:
👉 It has always been by grace, and there has always been a call to obedience
The difference is that through Yeshua:
- There is redemption
- There is restoration
- There is renewed access to the Father
Not to live without direction, but to live rightly.
8. So, What Are the Scriptures Really?
Taking all of this into account:
👉 The Scriptures are the complete revelation of God’s plan, from beginning to end
They include:
- The Torah (instruction)
- The Prophets (warning and call to repentance)
- The Writings (wisdom and practical life)
- And the testimony of Yeshua and the apostles, which confirms everything above
Conclusion
If we ignore the Old Testament:
- We lose context
- We misinterpret the New
- We disconnect the message
But if we read them together:
👉 Everything makes sense as one unified story of redemption and restoration
Practical Application
- Read the Bible from the beginning
- Don’t jump straight into the New Testament
- Always look for connections
- Ask: Where does this teaching come from?
Glossary
- Torah: God’s instruction or teaching, not just “law.”
- Tanakh: The Hebrew Scriptures (Torah, Prophets, and Writings).
- House of Israel: The ten northern tribes that were scattered among the nations.
- House of Judah: The southern kingdom, primarily made up of Judah and Benjamin. Its descendants are known today as the Jewish people.
All Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version (NKJV).
God bless you,
Ed S.
