The terms “Old Testament” and “New Testament” should be used only to distinguish between the ministries the Lord has utilized to record His Words since “the beginning” as referenced in Genesis 1:1 and John 1:1-4,14. In Biblical reality the Godhead has produced one testament (witness–Mat. 24:14). John’s reference is the earliest statement relative to the actual beginning of recorded time. By the time the Genesis statement became reality the earth had been created and a universal war had been fought over control of it. The Genesis reference to “the beginning” is referring to the beginning of the RE-creation of the earth following the universal war between Lucifer and his angelic followers and God and His angels. Now back to the subject under consideration–the Genesis to Revelation continuum recorded and preserved in the form of the Holy Bible which God provides as His spiritual road map showing mankind how to spend eternity with Him. Let us resume our discussion of the ancient–modern connection which God provides for Truth seekers to study, believe and obey. The Father’s goal relative to His efforts is to offer every human being ever born the opportunity to spend eternity with Him in paradise. Read The Three Resurrections. Key word–Three.

Jesus would live for a time in Egypt: In Hosea 11:1 we are told that the coming One–a descendant of Israel (Jacob’s God-given name)–would, during His childhood, be called out of Egypt. For this to happen, He had to have been in Egypt which is historically proven in Matthew 2:13-15 where we are told that Joseph took Mary and Jesus into Egypt from whence they later departed.

A massacre of children would occur due to the birth of the Lord’s Christ: In Jeremiah 31:15 Israel was warned that those who would destroy their Messiah would kill many children in the hope of killing Him. In Matthew 2:16-18 is recorded where and why the prophesied massacre took place.

A messenger would come on the scene who would prepare the way of the Messiah: Isaiah 40:3-5 tells about the man who would be sent to announce the arrival of “the Lord.” This event was later recorded in Luke 3:3-6 relative to John the Baptist’s message to the people to “prepare the way of the Lord, to make His paths straight.”

The Messiah sent by God would be rejected by those to whom He came: Psalm 69:8, Isaiah 53:3 and Jeremiah 7:5 warned that the Lord’s Messenger would be rejected by His own people. The four Gospels record that this is exactly what happened.

The One Whom the Lord sent would be a prophet: In Deuteronomy 18:15 Moses proclaimed that the coming One would be a prophet sent by God, and that He would be a human being like Moses himself, not a supernatural being. It is true that Jesus had supernatural powers. Let it be known that those same powers are available for those who believe and obey the Father as did Jesus of Nazareth. In Acts 3:20-22 we find proof of this fact. In John 14:12 Jesus promises that same power to those who meet the conditions (the “fine print”) determined by the Father. Those conditions are summarized in First John 2:6 where we are commanded to “walk as He (Jesus) walked.”

The One who would later come to earth would be the Son of God: In Psalm 2:7 God Himself declared concerning Him: “You are My Son; this day I have begotten You.” In Matthew 3:16,17 God said about Jesus: “This is My Son, in Whom I am well pleased.”

God’s anointed One would bring light to Galilee: In Isaiah 9:1,2 it is written that a great light would be shed upon the people of Galilee who would be walking in the darkness of sin. Matthew 4:13-17 we find recorded that a great light had been sent by God into the land known as Galilee. Jesus was that light.

The One sent by God would speak to the people in parables: In Isaiah 6:9,10 and Psalm 78:2 it is written that this One would speak in ways that those who did not want to hear God’s Truth would not understand. In Matthew 13:10-15, 34,35 the apostles asked Jesus why He spoke to the “great multitudes” in parables. His explanation is clearly stated in verses 13-15. My experience has shown that nothing has changed. The church masses still hear only what they want to hear, which is what they have always heard. Jesus warned about this Truth in Revelation 12:9, saying: “Satan has deceived the whole world.” Note that He was referring to the world at the end of the age–the Laodicean era in which we are now living.

The Lord’s Messiah and man’s Savior would come to heal the broken hearted: In Isaiah 61:1,2 the prophet states that the Lord would come to heal those who mourn because of their sins. In Luke 4:18,19 we find Jesus making the same statement about Himself by reading the Isaiah 62 statement to those who had gathered in the Nazareth synagogue to hear God’s Word read aloud. For most people of that day, the synagogues were the only place where God’s Word was available. The vast majority of people were illiterate. Also, there were very few Bibles available in that they were laboriously printed by hand and were very expensive. Normally, the only sources of the Holy Scriptures available to normal people were the synagogues where the priests read them aloud to those who would gather for that purpose. Few individuals, if any, could afford a copy of what is called the “Old Testament,” which was the only Word of God available at that time. The New Testament would not come into existence for approximately 60 years.

The anointed One (“Christ”) would be a priest after the order of Melchizedek: In Psalm 110:4 we find these Words written about the One Who would come: “The Lord has sworn, and will not repent of His Words: “You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.” In Hebrews 5:5,6 the same Words are recorded as having been spoken by the Father. L.J.