The Old and the New 

   “The New Testament lies hidden in the Old and the Old Testament is unveiled in the New.”  (St. Augustine) 

   I remember as a youngster around 12 or 13 my father telling me that the Old Testament is simply history, no longer needed.  According to him everything we need is in the New.  I’m not sure why he thought that, but he was certainly wrong.

   From the very beginning the New Testament is foretold in the Old Testament.  In Genesis, Adam was put into a deep sleep and his side was opened, and a rib removed. (Gen 2: 21 – 24).  On the cross, Jesus fell into the deep sleep of death, a Roman solder opened His side with a lance and blood and water flowed out (John 19: 31 – 34).  From the side of Adam came Eve, his bride; from the side of Jesus came the Church, His bride.

   In the books of Exodus and Joshua, we read of Israelites being led out of slavery in Egypt through the waters of the Red Sea. They would later pass through the waters of the Jordan River and were led to the promised land.  We pass through the waters of baptism out of slavery to sin and are led to the promised land of heaven.

   On Mount Moriah, Abraham was asked to sacrifice his only son, Isaac. (Gen 22: 1 – 14).  Many years later, on Mt, Moriah, now called Calvary, the Son of God would be sacrificed for the sins of all (Matt 27: 33 – 56).  God spared the son of Abraham yet did not spare His own Son who died for our sins.

   The more I study scripture the more I see the direct correlations of events in the Old and New Testament.  From the very beginning all was known, all was planned, and all was revealed in hidden ways.  All remains known and all will occur according to the will of God. 

You told us from the very beginning.

We need only to read to see Your plan.

Our salvation was ordained at the start.

In Your love, You will lead us home. 

Amen