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February 12, 2024 | Daily Devotionals | February 12

One God, One Story

 

And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he [Jesus] explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.  Luke 24:27 (brackets mine)

 

I admit it. I get sucked into my wife’s Hallmark movies. The one’s with titles like Labradoodle Love Story or Rocky Mountain Romance. First I walk by and make fun of it. Then I kind of linger and pretty soon I’m sitting on the edge of the couch going, “Wait, why did she yell at that guy? Who’s that old woman?” My wife pauses the film and quietly gives me the look. I.e., “Don’t make fun of my movie and then expect me to explain the plot.”

 

We don’t flip a book and start reading half way through, or fast-forward a film and start watching 50 minutes in. So why do we do that with the Bible? 

 

I encourage every God’s man to read the Bible cover-to-cover at least once in his lifetime—if not several times. That’s because it’s fully God’s story, from Genesis to Revelation. A single story. God didn’t chop His story in two—our early church leaders did that. Sure, if you only read the New Testament you get to know the main characters and see how the Hero—Jesus—defeats the villain. But you miss the origin story. 

 

Psalm 22 predicts events on the Cross: “A pack of villains encircles me;
 they pierce my hands and my feet. They divide my clothes among them
 and cast lots for my garment” (Psalm 22:16, 18). The Old Testament is full of prophetic pictures of Jesus. And Jesus often quotes the Torah—the OT—to relate to His audience: Jews well-versed in the Word. His last words on the cross weren’t just a cry of anguish—they were a direct quote from Psalm 22:1: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” He was letting the Jews know who He was. With His last breath He was preaching to His people.

 

When we skip the Old Testament, we are skipping God’s origin story. Read the entire story—look for Jesus in each book. He’s there—pointing us forward to His coming glory and victory.

 

Father, thank You for giving us Your entire story in Your Word. Give me eyes to see Jesus throughout it.

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