The Promise. Romans 1:2 Long before Christ was born in Bethlehem, His Person and coming were foretold. The Old Testament scriptures were given that those living in ancient times, and we, might learn about our Lord Jesus Christ. The people of the Old Testament could catch glimpses of the One who would come right from the first prophecy concerning Him in the Garden of Eden at the time of man's fall into sin and its wages. Genesis 12:3, “I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you shall all the families of the earth be blessed.” Psalm 16:10, “For You will not leave My soul in hell (Sheol), nor will You allow Your Holy One to be corrupted.” Psalm 40:7, “Behold I come; in the volume of the book, it is written of Me, I delight to do Your will, O God, and Your law is written within My heart.” Psalm 118:22, “The Stone which the builders rejected has become the Chief Cornerstone.” Isaiah 11:1, “And there shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots…” Zechariah 9:9, “Behold, thy King cometh unto thee: He is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon a donkey, and upon a colt the foal of a donkey.” Zechariah 12:10, “Then they will look on Me whom they pierced.” Malachi 4:2, “But to you who fear My name the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings.”
Not only in the prophets but in all the holy scriptures, there are unfolded "things concerning Himself." The two who walked the road to Emmaus learned in all the scriptures that Christ was revealed to those who seek Him. Those scriptures are holy because they can be counted on to contain the truth. The promises made in those prophecies will all be fulfilled. Many have already been, and all will be in God's good time. Isaiah 41:22-23, “Let them bring forth, and show us what will happen; let them show former things what they were, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or declare to us things to come. Show the things that are to come hereafter…”
That is why it is important that we give attention to the Old Testament scriptures. Not only do we learn from those people of faith, but we also learn from the mistakes of the people of God in those times. "These things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition..." We are well advised when we read through the books of Moses, the history of Israel, the poetic books, the Psalms, and the prophets to learn all we can about the character and plans of the Lord God better to serve Him in the work of the Gospel. As the New Testament unfolds the Gospel of God, we learn the importance of our work in furthering this message to the world of lost souls.
It is more important to emphasize what life wants from us than what we want from life. Modern educators want to unsettle the tried and proven truths that we have been taught by those who were before us. They deliberately want to make us unfamiliar with what we saw and knew was familiar through our family and national heritage and to disorient young people so they can reorient themselves. Consequently, we have revisionist history, mathematics, civics, philosophy, and even physiology being taught to children, leaving them confused and uncertain about who or what they are.
The unchanging standards of divine laws and truth are settled forever in heaven. People and laws may change, but “Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, and today, and forever.” We can rely on the fact that the promises of God contained in the scriptures of truth will not be compromised, forgotten, or changed by human opinions.