Many people wonder what the Old Testament is really about — all those ancient stories, laws, and prophecies written long before Jesus. It can feel distant at first, but when we look closely, we see that it’s actually the beginning of a single story — the story of God’s love unfolding through time.
The Old Testament tells how God created the world, called a people to Himself, and promised to save them. From the first pages of Genesis, where God breathes life into humanity, to the final words of Malachi, we see a journey filled with both faith and failure — yet always guided by divine mercy.
At the heart of it all is the covenant — God’s solemn promise to love and guide His people. He made this covenant with Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David, showing that He would never abandon His creation. Even when Israel turned away, God sent prophets to remind them of His faithfulness and to prepare their hearts for a Savior.
Every story in the Old Testament — from Adam and Eve’s fall to Moses leading the Israelites, from David’s kingship to Isaiah’s visions — points forward to Christ, the One who fulfills all these promises. Jesus Himself said, “Everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled” (Luke 24:44).
So, the Old Testament is not just ancient history. It is the foundation of our faith — the living Word that reveals who God is and how deeply He desires to save us. When we read it through the light of Christ, we discover not a distant past, but a love story still unfolding today.
May we read the Old Testament not as a set of old rules, but as the first chapter of God’s eternal love — a story that leads us straight to the heart of Jesus.
— Fr. John Matthew, for Christian Way
