One way to enjoy reading through the Old Testament is to watch for hints or parallels with the New Testament. There are Christians who mistakenly think that the God of the OT, and the teachings of the OT are in conflict with the NT. However if we pay close attention we see that the OT is preparing us for the NT. God is the same, His truth is the same; He is only gradually revealing Himself and His ultimate design for humans (sometimes called progressive revelation).
If you are a long time church attender, you have probably heard a number of sermons on stewardship. Perhaps I was even the preacher. When we study stewardship we understand that it is more than simply giving money to the church. Rather we are called to be stewards, managers of all God gives to us. All we have belongs to Him, He asks us to manage our abilities, our opportunities, our gifts, our time and our money for Him. We usually teach and preach this from the New Testament.
But look at what God tells His people Israel in the OT as He prepares them for their move into the Promised Land, what we call Palestine.
The people of Israel were to remember that the land they farmed was only on loan to them. They were stewards, managers or tenant farmers. God was the owner. This is a forerunner of the NT. We who follow Christ sometimes mistakenly think we are owners, giving away some of what we own to the work of God, to people in need. Like Israel, we need to live with the perspective, God owns, I manage "my" resources for Him - both those I give and those I spend or use.
In the same chapter we read:
""For the people of Israel belong to me. They are my servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God." Lev. 25:55 (see also vs. 42)
In context, God recognizes that some people will be very poor managers of their resources. They may lose all that they own and finally have only themselves to sell so that they can stay alive. God allows them to sell themselves to someone else but puts in some significant safeguards. (Read the chapter to see what these are.) They must be treated well, no matter how deeply in debt, how poor, helpless and vulnerable they become. Why? Because, says God, ultimately these people belong to me.
These passages point toward the clear NT teaching that when we come to faith in Christ, we are owned by Him. All of our resources are really His resources. We are to manage these with care, remembering that all we are and have belongs to the One who Created and Redeemed us.
If you are a long time church attender, you have probably heard a number of sermons on stewardship. Perhaps I was even the preacher. When we study stewardship we understand that it is more than simply giving money to the church. Rather we are called to be stewards, managers of all God gives to us. All we have belongs to Him, He asks us to manage our abilities, our opportunities, our gifts, our time and our money for Him. We usually teach and preach this from the New Testament.
But look at what God tells His people Israel in the OT as He prepares them for their move into the Promised Land, what we call Palestine.
The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you reside in my land as foreigners and strangers." Leviticus 25:23 (NIV) Other translations use words like "foreigners and tenants or tenant farmers."
The people of Israel were to remember that the land they farmed was only on loan to them. They were stewards, managers or tenant farmers. God was the owner. This is a forerunner of the NT. We who follow Christ sometimes mistakenly think we are owners, giving away some of what we own to the work of God, to people in need. Like Israel, we need to live with the perspective, God owns, I manage "my" resources for Him - both those I give and those I spend or use.
In the same chapter we read:
""For the people of Israel belong to me. They are my servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God." Lev. 25:55 (see also vs. 42)
These passages point toward the clear NT teaching that when we come to faith in Christ, we are owned by Him. All of our resources are really His resources. We are to manage these with care, remembering that all we are and have belongs to the One who Created and Redeemed us.
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