Stress Test Devotional May 4
May 04, 2024
LUKE 24:25-27 | 25 Then he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! 26 Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?” 27 Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures.
The Old Testament, or Torah, is unified by the promises to Abraham, the covenant with Israel, and the hope for a Messiah and a new age. The unity of the Bible as a whole centers on Jesus, who brings all the key elements of the Hebrew scriptures together. He is the expected Messiah, fulfilling the prophets dreams. In and through Him, Israel becomes a blessing to the nations and influences world history and billions of individuals. He established a new kingdom in which the signs of a new age are present, defeating death and brokenness. He embodies the royal dynasty as Son of David, the Aaronic priesthood as great High Priest and final sacrifice, and the prophetic legacy of justice in His outreach to the poor and marginalized. Like Moses, He liberates, freeing people from the slavery of sin and the fear of mortality. He fulfills the law in His life and deeds and teaches its inner meaning. He pours out His Spirit to establish a new intimacy between God and His creatures. All things were created through Him and are being renewed through Him, uniting Genesis and the beginnings of life with our final destiny.
If you were showing someone Jesus’ connection to the Torah, what passages would you choose?
Gracious God,
Thank You that the diversity of the Bible, with its eras, actors, and ages, finds a power unity in Jesus.
Amen.
