OUR RELATIONSHIP TO THE OLD TESTAMENT

Photo by B Smith from the patio

2 - OUR RELATIONSHIP TO THE OLD TESTAMENT
July 18, 1962
Pastor Henry F. Kulp

2 - OUR RELATIONSHIP TO THE OLD TESTAMENT 

July 18, 1962

Pastor Henry F. Kulp

Romans 15: 4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

Here we have Paul instructing the church at Rome and us, the use of the Old Testament in our daily lives. He is primarily speaking to Gentiles in the church of Rome, who had no Old Testament background, and he tells them and us that the Old Testament is to instruct us so that we might have hope.

1/ it is necessary for us to understand, of course, what is the Old Testament. It is not what the average person believes. It does not include the book of Genesis, although Genesis is the Word of God. And you cannot call Adam, Abel, Seth, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac or Jacob and Joseph Old Testament saints. They lived and died before the Old Testament. There was 2,500 years of human history when there was no Old Testament. So it is necessary for us to ascertain what is the Old Testament.

2/ Testament is the same word as Covenant or contract. 

Hebrews 8: 13  In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.

We are told that the Old Covenant, the Old Testament is the Law Covenant or Testament. Verse 9 tells us it started when God led the Children of Israel out of Egypt and gave them the Law Covenant, and it was made the Law Covenant old.Many folks have problems with this. Some talked to me last week and said there are covenants or testaments that God made before He made the Law Covenant, and they are much older. So why call this one old? I appreciate that people ask me questions like this—it helps me to clarify this. It is true there are covenants that are older, but they are not old—in other words they have not been made old—they are still in force. Let me give you some examples.

3/ The covenant God made in the Garden of Eden. 

Genesis 2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

It was a conditional covenant or testament or contract. And because this covenant was broken, man was to die. Man was to be dead in sin and then to die physically. And we still are born sinners, and we still die physically, for this covenant is not old.

4/ Then take the covenant, or testament, or contract that God made after the fall.

Genesis 3: 16 - 19 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

It is still in force.We are living by the sweat of our face. We still have to use the ground to bring forth food, so it is still in force, it is not old.

5/ Then we have the covenant made with Noah in Genesis 9. God promised no reoccurrence of the flood and He established human government, and if one was a murderer, he was to pay the death penalty—it is still in force today. It has not been nullified, it has not been made old.

6/ Then it is also necessary to see that the Old Testament, the Old Covenant was a religious program and is the only religious program God ever authorized. Satan has a religious program and it is one that men are following today—but God gave only one religious program to man, and it was the Old Testament, or the Old Covenant.

7/ The word, Christianity, does not appear in the Bible. And the word, Christian appears here times. Many people call Christianity, the religion of Jesus Christ, but that is not so—Christianity is not a religion, but a Person.

8/ Religion teaches works. For a definition of religion, we dare not go to the dictionary. We must go to the Word of God and study the Word itself. The word, religion, appears five times in the New Testament and not once in the Old. And the word, religious just two times. The basic word that is most used for religion is THRACE’—KOS and it means A CEREMONIAL SERVICE. Under law, God gave Israel a ceremonial service to perform—a religion. Israel was to obey and practice this ceremonial service—this religion.

9/ Paul called the Old Testament a religion. 

Acts 26: 5  Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

He said, I lived after our religion. The word here, is ceremonial service—I lived after our ceremonial service. Notice the word, lived. This is important when we speak of a ceremonial service.

10/ Galatians 1: 13  For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:

And here Paul calls the Old Testament the Jew’s religion. The Gentiles were never given a religion by God. Satan did what God never did—he has given the Gentiles a religion. The only people to ever have a religion are the Jews, and their religion is not old. It has been set aside. Religion was given to the Jews about 1494 BC when God gave the Law to Moses.

11/ Hebrews 9:10 Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.

Notice what the writer of Hebrews said. He is telling us that the Old Covenant of the Old Testament in Verse 9 Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;

It was a figure for the time then present. That could not make him that did the service perfect. The word, service, is the one I want you to see. The Old Covenant demands service. And then in Verse 10 he told us it was made up of meats and drinks, and divers which means many—washings. Washings is baptismos, which is baptisms. You will notice that the Jews had baptisms. Many folks will deny this—but this verse is clear. There is no question. And then, carnal, fleshly ordinances, imposed on them until the time of the reformation—the time of setting things right. So you can see, this is a religion—it is a service that is imposed upon the Jews.

12/ it was around 1900 BC when God justified Abraham, apart from works, or religion. He did not impose religion on Abraham or Isaac or Jacob or Joseph. God did not give Abraham, meats, drinks, carnal ordinances or baptisms, nor did He give it to Jacob or his twelve sons.

But his religion has been made old—it is not for us. 

Notice, Colossians 2: 11- 12 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

Here Paul says the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, was taken out of the way. Therefore, no man is to judge us in meat or drink, because these things are merely shadows and they have passed away.

14/ Romans 15: 4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

Here Paul tells us how to use this Old Testament, this religion that was not given to us. It is for the purpose of instructing us that we might have hope. The Latin had a special word for a future that had no hope—it is the word, despair, which literally means without hope. But the Christian is to have hope—the Old Testament is to be used so that we will not be filled with despair.

15/ it is necessary to recognize the word, hope, is not the same hope of our modern civilization. You can ask a young man going to school—did you pass your math exam—and he wlll say, I certainly hope so. Another words, he is not certain—there is some doubt. A young girl who doesn’t have a boyfriend—no prospect of marriage at the time, buys a cedar chest, and she fills it with linens  for her future home—and what does she do? She calls it a hope chest. But this is not the understanding of the word in the Bible. It is a word of assurance. The Old Testament, is to bring us hope—assurance.

AMEN

7/18/1972 / 2 - OUR RELATIONSHIP TO THE OLD TESTAMENT / 3/21/2026

1 - THE PLACE OF THE OLD TESTAMENT IN THE LIFE OF THE BELIEVER

1 - THE PLACE OF THE OLD TESTAMENT IN THE LIFE OF THE BELIEVER

September 19, 1962

Henry F. Kulp

Romans 15: 4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

Paul is instructing the Gentiles in the church at Rome that the Old Testament is needful, and, of course, he is instructing us in the same thing in our day and age. You will notice, that he said the Old Testament was written for our hope. The word, hope, is not the hope of our modern civilization—a young man is asking how did you fare in your examination, and he crosses his fingers looks up with pain on his face, and says, I passed—I hope, I hope, I hope. This word, hope, is filled with uncertainty. He just hopes it will work out, but that is not this Bible word in this passage. There is no uncertainty in it at all.

1/ Then notice the road to hope is the road of learning. And that means instruction, and the result of this learning or instruction is that we are filled with hope. This is the day of learning—of instruction. But it has not helped the world or society. Man, with all his learning and education is all the more capable of vicious and terrible crimes. True education and true learning will have one real result, and Jesus Christ gives us an insight into this.

John 6: 45  It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.

Here He was the Living Bread that came down from Heaven. But they murmured against Him—that is the educated people of His day—the learned people. And He answered them, It is written the prophets, And they shall be taught of God. Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me. You will notice, the result of true education--it will lead to Jesus Christ.

2/ Education is, of course, a wonderful thing and desirable for everyone. But if it fails to bring you to Jesus Christ, it is valueless. Some time ago, I came across a cartoon in a magazine that showed two young fellows riding in the latest, fish-tailed, chrome-decked sports car. One fellow said to the other—“What’s the use of traveling in twice the comfort, and twice as fast, if we don’t know where we are going?” That is the exact condition of mankind, or society in our hour. Going twice as fast, twice as far, and it is learning many of the secrets of the universe, but where are they heading? Toward an atomic war? All natural man can see ahead is a cataclysmic episode for society. But true learning and education, leads one to Jesus Christ and gives the believer hope in the midst of the present despair. 

3/ Now let me show you how knowing the Old Testament will throw light upon the New Testament and take many truths presented in the New Testament, and make them far clearer and attach more meaning to these truths—it will bring them into focus.

4/ Last week we finished with the truth in Romans 4: 5 where it says, But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

This verse is clear and we realize that no one can work to get rid of sin. But when we recognize an Old testament truth, this verse becomes more in focus.

Leviticus 23: 28 And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the Lord your God.

For on the Day of Atonement, no one was permitted to work—if he did do any work, God said, I will destroy that one from among his people.

This very clearly shows us the folly, of offering to God human works. While under law in Leviticus 23 one was not permitted to work when sin was put away. In this age of grace, certainly it is folly to try to work for one’s salvation. So you see how the Old Testament Scripture helps and compliments the New Testament. There is a need to study and study.

5/ When one diligently studies the Old Testament and he has tucked them away in his mind, then he studies the New Testament, he will find the New Testament truths become richer. Let me give you an illustration for what I mean. 

Acts 13: 11  And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.

This is about Bar-Jesus, the Jew who was blinded, you will suddenly realize the Bible has much to say about blindness. You will of course immediately think of John 9: 3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.

But you will automatically go back to the Old Testament, and think of two Jews who were blinded. And Acts 13 becomes clearer and nearer and dearer.

6/ The two Jews I think about are ones that you probably know all about.

II Kings 24: 19 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that Jehoiakim had done.

And here we read of the first Jew, Zedekiah. We read that at 21 years of age, he became king of God’s people, and he reigned 11 years. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord. His reign was an evil, wicked reign, and God sent Nebuchadnezzar against the holy city and Zedekiah, and he besieged it.

II Kings 25: 1 And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he, and all his host, against Jerusalem, and pitched against it, and they built forts against it round about.

He built forts around it. And a famine came into the holy city, and so the king and his people tried to flee, but the enemy caught up with the king, and caught the king, and right before his eyes, they slew his sons, and they put out the eyes of Zedekiah, bound him with fetters of brass and carried him to Babylon.

II Kings 25: 7 And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, an put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with fetters of brass, and carried him to Babylon.

He was physically blinded, and the nation was spiritually blinded, and put under the yoke of the Gentiles. This first blinded king is the start of the Times of the Gentiles, when the nation is under the heel of the Gentile oppressors. It was around 600 BC.

7/ Israel remained blind even then Christ was on earth.

Matthew 15: 14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.

Christ said of the leaders—they are blind leaders of the blind. Both the leaders and those that follow them shall fall into the ditch.

8/ Then I think of another blinded Jew—Judges 16:17 That he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There hath not come a razor upon mine head; for I have been a Nazarite unto God from my mother's womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man.

Here we read that Samson was different from other men—God made him different, he was born for a specific purpose, but the story of Samson is a story of compromise, dishonor, defeat and disgrace. He completely lost his testimony by sinning with the Gentiles.

Judges 14: 1 - 3  And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines. And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife. Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well.

He did that which was forbidden, he fell in love with a Gentile woman. His father said, Isn’t there a woman among my people that you have to take a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines. Here we have a key to the character and life of Samson, at the end of the 3rd verse, He said, Get her for me, for she pleases me well.

Samson was not interested in pleasing God, he was interested in pleasing himself, and what dishonor he brought upon himself. As you know, she shaved off his hair, which showed that he had broken the vow of the Nazarite He had put himself in a position where this could happen, and he lost his strength. He was no longer able to be used by God, he became a laughing sock before the Philistines.

Judges 16: 19 - 21  And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him. And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the Lord was departed from him. But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison house.

And then they put out his eyes, and they not only mocked him, but they mocked his God. He is a picture of the nation Israel.

Isaiah 1: 4 Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.

Ezekiel 36: 20  And when they entered unto the heathen, whither they went, they profaned my holy name, when they said to them, These are the people of the Lord, and are gone forth out of his land.

Here they profaned the Holy Name of God when they went among the Gentiles, and just as Samson was blinded, the nation was blinded.

9/ Judges 16: 22 Howbeit the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaven.

But the hair on Samson’s head began to grow again. Just as the hair of Israel will grow again, and the nation, will be delivered.

10/ Acts 13: 11  And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.

Romans 11: 25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

So, together, all this blinding of Jews shows us the program of God. The Old Testament does help to enrich the New Testament. The blindness of Zedekiah tells of the blinding of Israel and when the Times of the Gentiles, politically, began around 600 BC. The blindness of Bar-Jesus happened about 650 years later. It tells us of the blindness of Israel and when the Times of the Gentiles began spiritually.

AMEN

09/19/1962 / 1 - THE PLACE OF THE OLD TESTAMENT IN THE LIFE OF THE BELIEVER / 11/15/2025