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  2. We must discover the redemptive-historical significance within the Old Testament.   (1) Salvation Begins with Faith in God's Covenant   Ordinary people view Christians through the same lens as Buddhism. Consequently, they assume that Christians are exemplary and morally praiseworthy. When Christians engage in wrongful behavior, people respond with cynicism, saying, "Those are the ones who call themselves Christians." While this is not entirely wrong, it is not entirely right either, as Christianity deals with the issue of sin against God, not with dictating how one should live in the world. Nevertheless, immoral Christians inevitably face criticism because ordinary people view them through the lens of moral ethics. Furthermore, there are many who scoff, asking, "You have to live a good life in this world to go to heaven; does it make sense to say that simply believing in Jesus leads to heaven?" However, it seems that people think this way regarding "li...

  (6) Regulations Concerning the Lampstand and the Showbread Leviticus 24:2-4 “ Command the children of Israel to bring to you pure olive oil, pressed to light the lamps continually. Aaron shall keep the lamps set before the LORD from evening until morning, outside the curtain of the ark of the covenant in the tabernacle. This is a perpetual ordinance for your generations. He shall keep the lamps on the pure lampstand before the LORD always. ” The first part, spanning verses 1 – 4, concerns the eternal ordinances regarding the lamps inside the tabernacle. The tabernacle was the place of God's presence. It was divided into the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place. In the Holy Place were the lampstand, the table of showbread, and the altar of incense, all made of pure gold; in the Most Holy Place, there was the Ark of the Covenant, upon which were the cherubim and the Mercy Seat. First, it was commanded that the lamp in the Holy Place must not be extinguished. In the Bible, oil sig...

(5) Regulations Concerning the Festivals   Leviticus 23:1-2 “ The Lord said to Moses, ‘ Speak to the children of Israel and say: These are My festivals, the festivals of the Lord which you are to proclaim as holy assemblies. ’” This is a passage recorded in the first year in the wilderness after the Exodus. Men were required to come to the temple three times a year. The major festivals of Israel are Passover, (Feast of Unleavened Bread, Feast of Firstfruits), Pentecost, the Feast of Trumpets, and (Day of Atonement, Feast of Tabernacles). Passover, Pentecost, and the Feast of Trumpets are observed as important festivals. The festivals of Israel are called “ Moed. ” The first reason Israel observed these festivals was to transmit their historical significance. Exodus 12:24-25 states that after the Passover ends, it becomes a future feast to be observed from generation to generation. "This is to be a statute for you and your descendants to keep forever; you shall keep this r...