2021 In The Word: Old Testament Review

I grew up loving quiz shows on television. I enjoyed the concept of quizzes and had the good fortune of being a part of a Bible quiz team that won a couple of national competitions back in the day. I got into collecting in my head trivia information for those occasions when it would be useful to share that information as though I was a trivia expert. Whenever I became interested in something I got into it to a depth where I would like to be an expert on it capable of answering questions on it. The expertise did not come from applied knowledge, just the capacity to recite information committed to memory.

Over time, I appreciate a lot more the value of applied knowledge as well as wisdom received to impart. For that reason, being someone who loves words so much, I’ve endeavoured to dedicate time and space on this blog to share reflections on what I come across in scripture. I do that not because I think I’m an expert on scripture or that I’ve received greater wisdom on it. I share it because it’s a passion and delight to do so because the word is so amazing, insightful, rich and deep and has so much to say about life that it’s good to share that kind of stuff.

My approach has tended to be to have a focus on something from the Old Testament and then a focus on something else in the New Testament. I’ll give a review on the New Testament things later this week. Meanwhile, where the Old Testament is concerned, other than a single entry in the Moses Profile series at the start of the year, this blog has posted entries on two series covering two very intriguing books named after two characters – Daniel and Ruth.

From August to November, I explored the book of Daniel. There’s something about taking time to read the book for yourself. I had a familiarity with some of the stories in the first part of the book and was also familiar with my tendency to avoid all that weird stuff that was spoken in the second part of the book.

What taking the time to read through the book for myself did was demystify the apparently weird stuff in that second part as well as not take so much for granted what takes place in the first part of the book. Kingdom, I believe, is a prominent theme in the Bible and seeing the lives of these strangers in a strange land did a lot to help me consider how a follower of Jesus has to likewise see themselves as strangers in a strange land. Babylon was not the home for Daniel and his three Hebrew associates. Yet while they were in the strange land, they could not afford to defile themselves and be compromised to their new surroundings.

They also had to be clear that the circumstances that determined their exile to this land did not dismantle the reality of the rule of the God they grew up with. On the contrary, these four Hebrew gentlemen had clear indications of the rule of Yahweh right where they were and to emphasise that even the rulers of the day had clear indications of the awe of God.

What fascinates me about that theme is how that helps to make the ‘weird’ second part of the book make sense. If I know I’m reading the collection of writings of a man who was in a strange land and getting clarity from the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob that He was very much in charge of the past, present and future, then I can take my time to appreciate how that’s being outlined through these visions. As that’s outlined, I can applaud how God brought that about in historical events, as well as what that means for the ultimate destiny of the world. I don’t have to get hung up on the variety of interpretations and stick my neck out to say one is right or the other. I can rather get hung up on the rule of God overcoming all administrations, governments and regimes. Celebrating that too as well in terms of getting with Jesus’ agenda of that rule being seen in His example.

The thing about reading these books, chapters and episodes carefully is that it highlights why I can’t hope to make it through the Bible in a year. The word of God isn’t designed to be appreciated that way. It’s designed to be meditated on day and night and considered in the microcosm of the chapter and the macrocosm of the eternal purposes of God. Doing justice to a book in the Bible is saturating in it for a season and even then knowing that you’ll have to come back to do some pondering and applying at some point soon. That’s why the riches of Christ are truly unsearchable.

Those riches are so abundantly present in Ruth’s Reflections the second series that recently finished and was covered over November and December. The book of Ruth can be read in a very simple way. A woman loses her husband and sons then gains a daughter-in-law who is the key to getting something better than what she lost in a legacy that would lead to the great King David and an even greater King after him.

It can be seen as a love story if you want to work that hard, but it is not about fitting any modern romantic notions of boy meets girl and falls head over heels for each other and live happily ever after. The love in this story is so rich and deep and genuinely admirable for people who want a picture of the kind of love that lasts because it’s a love based on loyalty and the will and honour and respect and cherishing that which right. No, not many portrayals of that doing the rounds in books and films, but this kind of love is amazing.

It’s not just the love between people that makes this book so fascinating. The love of God in action in providence is something that gets me applauding at God and desiring to act that kind of way especially when it comes to addressing situations with my loved ones. That’s not to say that I’m going about setting things up as though people will fall neatly into my carefully planned arrangements. I mean the kind of love that does not get upset when Naomi misunderstands the circumstances and says God has made her bitter. I mean the kind of love that remembers Ruth in her situation. The kind of love that remembers and honours Boaz in his situation. The kind of love that is patient and ever hopeful. The kind love that endures. I see that love from God in this book and I’d love to be able to practice that. As I’m sure He gives me the chance to do so in my everyday interactions and key relationships.

Going through the book of Ruth with that degree of time, meditation and contemplation was a joy and I look forward to building on what I learned when I get the prompt to go back to that beautiful book.

These explorations in these books underline the usefulness of these studies and it’s my hope to continue studies in the Old Testament whether on specific books or on character profiles going forward. Thanks for your time in checking these studies and for your support with these blog entries this year. The aim and desire are not just to read the word and write about the word but learn from what God says in it and apply it in the hope others too will be encouraged to do likewise.

For His Name’s Sake

Shalom

C. L. J. Dryden