Interpreting the Old Testament through the lens of the promises
Once we recognize the centrality of the promises made to Abraham in the plan of God, it helps us to understand the main themes of the Old Testament. Abraham’s promises are a lens through which we can look at the Old Testament, and when we do that, we find these three promises drive the hopes of God and the predictions of the prophets.
Throughout the Old Testament, there is a constant prediction that the day will come when all of Israel is righteous (we could say saved)1, Israel inherits their land permanently in peace and safety2, and the Gentiles are worshipping the God of Israel.3 Throughout the Old Testament, we see the people’s deep longing for these promises and even their attempts to fulfill them in their own ability. We also read the impassioned oracles of the prophets who predict a day is coming when God will fulfill these great promises. These promises are repeated, developed, and reaffirmed throughout the Old Testament. They become one of the major unifying elements that binds together all the books of the Old Testament.
Though Abraham received these promises, he never experienced their fulfillment, and this creates the hope and promise of the resurrection. If God is going to be faithful to Abraham and Jacob, it means He must resurrect them from the dead at the point He brings their promises to fulfillment, so they can enjoy what they were promised. The hope of the resurrection is a key theme in the New Testament, but it’s important to recognize its beginning in the Old Testament. God intentionally sets up a scenario where, in order for Him to fulfill His words in the Old Testament, He must raise men from the dead, cleanse them from sin, and give them indestructible bodies.
As God’s redemptive plan in Scripture progresses, these promises are enlarged, and more is revealed about how they will be fulfilled. Once we understand these three promises are literal and are an intrinsic part of the redemptive story, then key themes of the Scripture begin to make sense.