Many articles that have been written quote verses such as:
"Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we
might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a
schoolmaster." Galatians 3:24,25 "For whatsoever things were written
aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the
scriptures might have hope." Romans 15:4 "Search the scriptures; for
in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of
me." John 5:39
However, I think there is an often-overlooked reason for studying the Old Testament. The Old Testament writings richly describe God's attitudes, His likes and dislikes, and how man should show proper respect for God and His laws. As society drifts on an ever-changing moral sea, the Old Testament is the land--the bedrock of God that never changes. Modern-day evangelists speak of the New Testament and God's love and compassion and forgiveness and compare Him to the mean God in the Old Testament. God's attitude toward sin has not changed. When I revisit the Old Testament writings and study the consequences for sin, I shudder to realize how far removed, how desensitized, we've become, and how little respect we now show to God. Consider a few examples:
"And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had: and they brought them unto the valley of Achor. And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the LORD shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones. And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day. So the LORD turned from the fierceness of his anger. Wherefore the name of that place was called, The valley of Achor, unto this day." Joshua 7:24-26 Achan didn't commit armed robbery. He, his family, and all his possessions were destroyed because he took something that was rightfully God's.
"Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain." Exodus 20:7 An Israelite woman, whose husband was an Egyptian, had a son who blasphemed the Lord. What was to be done? "Bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp; and let all that heard him lay their hands upon his head, and let all the congregation stone him... Whosoever curseth his God shall bear his sin. And he that blasphemeth the name of the LORD, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him..." Leviticus 24:14-16 "And Moses spake to the children of Israel, that they should bring forth him that had cursed out of the camp, and stone him with stones. And the children of Israel did as the LORD commanded Moses." Leviticus 24:23 These men were angry and fighting. Most today would excuse the man's speech as a "slip of the tongue." God didn't! It breeds disrespect for God and for mankind who is made in God's image.
Finally, read Jeremiah 35. God uses these people as an example of obedience, blesses them for obeying, and condemns Israel for disobeying. Respect for one's word was important to God, and God honored those who upheld it. Compare that to those who rule our country and the polls that say a majority of students in our schools now believe lying is perfectly acceptable. Entrance into the kingdom of heaven will not be graded on a curve. The Old Testament writings are key to our understanding how God wants us to live and honor Him. The world changes and will continue to do so, but God is unchangeable, and the Old Testament clearly teaches that lesson if we will study it and learn it.