The Great Reveal: Our Epic Journey Through Time, Space and Eternity

Grace Thoughts

The Great Reveal: Our Epic Journey Through Time, Space and Eternity – Part 32

Christians are on an Epic Journey through time, space and eternity with God. The purpose of this ongoing study is to explain the purpose of the journey and how we can best participate with Him.

As we saw in the last part of our study, the apostles of Jesus Christ referred to Old Testament Scripture hundreds of times in their letters. Many of the references were prophecies about God’s Anointed One, Mashiach (māšîaḥ – Messiah). The Apostle Paul, who wrote much of the New Testament, used the Old Testament Scriptures more than any other apostle. The Epistle to the Romans references more than 100 Old Testament Scriptures. We looked first at Paul’s Letter to the Romans and now move on to 1 and 2 Corinthians.

As you look at Paul’s use of the Old Testament, notice the context of Paul’s writings and the prophets’ writings. That helps us understand the reason Paul selected the quotes he did and how it would have impacted his original audience.

Paul to the Corinthians

But as it is written: ‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.’ 1 Corinthians 2:9

For since the beginning of the world Men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, Nor has the eye seen any God besides You, Who acts for the one who waits for Him. Isaiah 64:4

For ‘who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?’ But we have the mind of Christ. 1 Corinthians 2:16

Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord, Or as His counselor has taught Him? Isaiah 40:13

… and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. 1 Corinthians 10:4

Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink. Exodus 17:6

Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. 1 Corinthians 10:8-10

Now Israel remained in Acacia Grove, and the people began to commit harlotry with the women of Moab. Numbers 25:1

But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, And tested God in the desert. Psalms 106:14

So the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died. Numbers 21:6

And all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, ‘If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness! Numbers 14:2

Now the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land, who returned and made all the congregation complain against him by bringing a bad report of the land. Numbers 14:36

For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. 1 Corinthians 15:3-4

My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, And from the words of My groaning? Psalm 22:1

But I am a worm, and no man; A reproach of men, and despised by the people. All those who see Me ridicule Me; They shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, ‘He trusted in the Lord, let Him rescue Him; Let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him! Psalm 22:6-8

I am poured out like water, And all My bones are out of joint; My heart is like wax; It has melted within Me. My strength is dried up like a potsherd, And My tongue clings to My jaws; You have brought Me to the dust of death. Psalm 22:14-15

For dogs have surrounded Me; The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me. They pierced My hands and My feet; I can count all My bones. They look and stare at Me. They divide My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots. Psalm 22:16-18

He was taken from prison and from judgment, And who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; For the transgressions of My people He was stricken. And they made His grave with the wicked— But with the rich at His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was any deceit in His mouth. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. Isaiah 53:8-10

For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. Psalm 16:10

For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet … For ‘He has put all things under His feet.’ But when He says ‘all things are put under Him,‘ it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted. 1 Corinthians 15:25, 27

What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him? For You have made him a little lower than the angels, And You have crowned him with glory and honor. You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet. Psalm 8:4-6

The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool. Psalms 110:1

And so it is written, ‘The first man Adam became a living being.’ The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 1 Corinthians 15:45

And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. Genesis 2:7

So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’ ‘O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?’ 1 Corinthians 15:54-55

He will swallow up death forever, And the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces; The rebuke of His people He will take away from all the earth; For the Lord has spoken. Isaiah 25:8

I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death. O Death, I will be your plagues! O Grave, I will be your destruction! Pity is hidden from My eyes. Hosea 13:14

… unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away. 2 Corinthians 3:13

And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face. But whenever Moses went in before the Lord to speak with Him, he would take the veil off until he came out; and he would come out and speak to the children of Israel whatever he had been commanded. And whenever the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone, then Moses would put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with Him. Exodus 34:33-35

And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, ‘I believed and therefore I spoke,’ we also believe and therefore speak. 2 Corinthians 4:13

I believed, therefore I spoke, ‘I am greatly afflicted. Psalms 116:10

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17

Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:18-19

For He says: ‘In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you.’ Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 2 Corinthians 6:2

Thus says the Lord: ‘In an acceptable time I have heard You, And in the day of salvation I have helped You; I will preserve You and give You As a covenant to the people, To restore the earth, To cause them to inherit the desolate heritages. Isaiah 49:8

And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: ‘I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people. 2 Corinthians 6:16

I will dwell among the children of Israel and will be their God. Exodus 29:45

I will set My tabernacle among you, and My soul shall not abhor you. Leviticus 26:11

‘You shall be My people, And I will be your God.’ Jeremiah 30:22

At the same time,’ says the Lord, ‘I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be My people.’ Jeremiah 31:1

They shall be My people, and I will be their God. Jeremiah 32:38

My tabernacle also shall be with them; indeed I will be their God, and they shall be My people. Ezekiel 37:27

I will bring them back, And they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. They shall be My people And I will be their God, In truth and righteousness.’ Zechariah 8:8

Therefore ‘Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.’ ‘I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the Lord Almighty. 2 Corinthians 6:17-18

Depart! Depart! Go out from there, Touch no unclean thing; Go out from the midst of her, Be clean, You who bear the vessels of the Lord. Isaiah 52:11

But ‘he who glories, let him glory in the Lord.’ 2 Corinthians 10:17

You shall winnow them, the wind shall carry them away, And the whirlwind shall scatter them; You shall rejoice in the Lord, And glory in the Holy One of Israel. Isaiah 41:16

But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me, That I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight,’ says the Lord. Jeremiah 9:24

Next Time

We’ll look at more of Paul’s letters and their connection to Old Testament prophecies when our series on The Great Reveal continues.

[You can read more about the story of the Old Testament Prophecies in our book A History of Man’s Quest for Immorality.]

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The Great Reveal: Our Epic Journey Through Time, Space and Eternity – Part 32