A common and spiritually deadly problem found in the end-time (31 A.D. to the present) church concerns the vital part that the Old Testament plays in the life of God’s end-time church. However, only a few of those known as “Christians” understand the significance of the Old Testament in their lives. The other 99% of professing Christendom are those whom Jesus describes in Matthew 7:13,14 and 22:14. These are they who claim oneness with the Biblical Gods (Father and Son), but refuse to obey the Ones with Whom they identify. These are they who enter God’s sheepfold (church) through the wide gate and walk the broad way provided by Satan. They summarily reject the Old Testament, with one exception of one chapter–Isaiah 53. Old Testament rejecters are quick to point to that chapter as “proof” of their supposed place in God’s family by having taken Jesus as their Savior while rejecting Him as their LORD. In other words, that which calls itself “the church” has twisted God’s Words to mean the exact opposite of what He has written through His prophets and apostles. Read about these people in the series titled Who Are God’s People? and “My People Who Are Called By My Name.” Key words–People and Called respectively.

In trying to alleviate this soul-destroying problem that runs rampant throughout professing Christendom, I will insert a few NEW TESTAMENT quotes written and spoken by those whom the church claims to believe. For example, in Ephesians 2:20 the Apostle Paul states that the New Testament Church was founded upon the teachings of BOTH THE PROPHETS AND THE APOSTLES. Then there is Galatians 3:6-8 where we are told that the One Who became Jesus of Nazareth (“the Scripture”/”the Word”) taught His Gospel to Abraham–the father of the Israelite nation whom God has SUPPOSEDLY rejected in favor of Gentiles. This is the same Gospel His New Testament apostles are teaching His New Testament Church today (1 Cor. 10:11).

Let’s be clear, Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today and forever (Jn. 14:6/ Mal. 3:6/ Heb. 13:8. Unless, as we are told from pulpit and podium, the Eden serpent was right when he told Eve that the Lord has lied to us. I will assume that he has not. In Second Timothy 2:15 Paul counsels the Apostle Timothy to study to show himself worthy of God’s trust. Study what? The New Testament would not exist for another 40 years. Paul was instructing the young evangelist to study the Scriptures His grandmother Lois studied and obeyed–THE OLD TESTAMENT (1:5). In 3:14-16 Paul tells him that all scripture (including the Old Testament) is inspired by God and to be used in his ministry.

When Paul was ministering in Berea he taught men who “searched THE SCRIPTURES daily to see if what he was telling them was of God.” They studied the Scriptures he was teaching them. What Scriptures did they study? THE OLD TESTAMENT–the only Scriptures in existence at that time. In Deuteronomy 18:15,18 we find Moses telling the Israelites that in the future God would send a prophet (Jesus) like him (Moses) to their descendants Who would teach them the same things he (Moses) was teaching them (the ancient Israelites)–TO OBEY THE LAW GOD HAD GIVEN THEM as recorded in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5.

In Isaiah 59:2 we are told that sin separates us from God. What is God’s definition of sin? “TO TRANSGRESS (BREAK) THE LAW IS SIN; FOR SIN IS THE TRANSGRESSION THE LAW (1 Jn. 3:4). First John is found in the NEW TESTAMENT. In Isaiah 42:21 the prophet foretold that the Messiah would come to earth to MAGNIFY THE LAW and RESTORE IT TO ITS HONORABLE STATUS. In Second Peter 1:21 the apostle tells us that “HOLY MEN OF OLD (God’s Old Testament prophets) spoke (and wrote) as they were moved upon by the Spirit of God.” In Matthew 4:4 Jesus tells us that we must LIVE BY (OBEY) EVERY WORD OF GOD. He made that statement some 60 years before the New Testament came into existence. So what is the WORD OF GOD by which we must live in order to receive salvation? THE OLD TESTAMENT AND THE NEW TESTAMENT.

In Romans 15:8 Paul tells the church that Jesus came to confirm the promises He had made to the church fathers. Who are the church’s spiritual fathers? THE OLD TESTAMENT FATHERS–ABRAHAM, ISAAC AND JACOB. Finally, let it be known that Paul calls God’s true church “the Israel of God” (Spiritual Israel) in Galatians 6:16. Here He is referring to the FEW who enter His strait (difficult) gate and walk His narrow (His way or the highway) way in order to join Him upon His return to earth. Read Matthew 7:13,14 and 22:14.

Hopefully, the above-written Truths will remove all doubt as to the importance of the Old Testament in the lives of modern-day salvation seekers. With the above-stated Biblical Truths in mind, let us turn to some Scriptures that tie Old Testament prophecies directly and specifically to what is happening on earth today. Notice that the word “IF” is THE DECIDING FACTOR relative to what God promises to do FOR or do TO mankind, depending on how man handles the “IF” mandate.

In Deuteronomy 11:1 the Lord, speaking through Moses, clearly states two factors: 1) man must obey His Law, and 2) His Law is eternal. It was not, as we are told, “nailed to the cross.” The sacrificial law was “added because of (Israel’s) transgressions” (Gal. 3:19) and would remain in effect “until Shiloh (the Messiah) comes” (Gen. 49:10). At the Last Supper Jesus announced that from that time forward, His blood, not animal blood, would be THE ONE AND ONLY sacrifice for man’s sins (Mat. 26:28). With that statement He proclaimed that the sacrificial law was dead. It was that law and everything that went along with it that was “nailed to the cross” (Gal. 2:14). GOD’S HOLY TEN COMMANDMENT LAW IS ETERNAL, INCLUDING COMMANDMENT #4 which, according to “the church,” man changed. God, we are told, okeyed the change once He realized that man was right.

In part 2 we will focus on specific prophecies that apply to the world in which we live today. It will seem as though the Holy Scriptures and today’s news headlines were written at the same time. God, who DECLARES the END from the BEGINNING (Isa. 46:10), has been warning us for thousands of years of what He would do to us if we did not obey His Law. What He wrote is history, the present and the future. We are living the fulfillment of ancient Biblical prophecy. What we are experiencing is merely “the beginning of sorrows.” Only those who are truly the Lord’s people will survive the beginning phase of His wrath and be taken to a place of safety before the arrival of the Great Tribulation. Read about the true saints’ safe place using the key word–Safety.

But be warned, there will be much social and religious turmoil before that time arrives. We are at the beginning of the beginning of sorrows at this time. Follow God’s command found in Second Corinthians 6:14-7:1 in order to be cared for and protected during the coming time of terror, death and destruction. If there is a true church in your area, unite with it. If not, keep reading this website, believe what you read and obey it. Doing so will cost you familially, socially and spiritually. The loss of family, friends and former churchmates will be hard, but nevertheless necessary. This is the “strait gate” by which His true saints must enter the true church. Trust me, the final outcome will be worth the sacrifice. Read Matthew chapter 10. What Jesus warns about there applies to every true believer. L.J.