From Bruce Waltke, An Old Testament Theology:
Only those who have journeyed through the Old Testament can appreciate the full splendor and glory of the New Testament and fully digest its fruit, and those who have not cannot. The consequence of a general ignorance about the Old Testament among the people of God is a pervasive reduction of the full message of the New Testament to a basic gospel of atonement and individual ethics. I suspect many Christians feel spiritually undernourished because they live out their lives on the basis of about ten biblical texts. The spiritual life of the church would be greatly enriched by kindling a love of the Old Testament through a more thorough program of adult Christian education (emphasis mine; p. 16).
I think that’s true.
Todd,
I whole heartedly agree with Waltke on this. I have purposed to read front to back (again) the word this year, currently I am half way through, and I am amazed at two continuing issues I see. 1. My desire to always move to the New Testament, I believe this is in part because I am fighting a feeling that in reading the O.T. I am not learning, living, working in the words of Christ and as Christians Christ is my goal, my focus, even mentor, if you will. 2. I am blown away by the links and threads of to Christ in the study of the Old Testament. In reading through Psalms for instance although not the only place for this to occur,I am continually stopping and examining the writing in light of the advent.
Thanks for posting this and reminding again that the entire book is the Word of God, to us.