Many people believe that the Old Testament is irrelevant today. All that matters is the New Testament and the new covenant. However, if that was the truth the speakers in the New Testament wouldn’t have quoted the Old Testament over 200 times. It obviously was important to them to lay a foundation and to build upon that foundation.
This series will explore some of those 200 scriptures in a little more depth. My goal is to help you connect the Old and New Testaments together and to realize you can’t have one without the other. You must have foundation to stand on. Curious as to what New Testament verses quote the Old Testament, take a look at “The New Testament Quoting the Old Testament.” It list about 100 scriptures you can read at a glance.
2 Corinthians 10:17
So, let anyone who wants to boast, boast about Adonai.
Boast means “to speak with exaggeration and excessive pride, especially about oneself.” How many times have you boasted about yourself, what you have done and for who you have done it for? The world tells us to be proud of our accomplishments and tell everyone about them. The world tells us to tell others how great we are for what we have done.
However, this New Testament writer tells us to take the focus off of ourselves and put it where it really belongs – on the Lord God Almighty. He is the only one who deserves that much praise. Nothing else compares to Him so why boast in anything else.
Let’s be honest, if it wasn’t for God allowing us to wake up another day to do anything, we would cease to be. If it wasn’t for God giving us the understanding of certain disciplines or the opportunity to pursue them, we would be lost.
Now what should we boast in? Jeremiah has the answer to that question.
Jeremiah 9:23 (24)
“Instead, let the boaster boast about this: that he understands and knows me — that I am Adonai, practicing grace, justice and righteousness in the land; for in these things I take pleasure,” says Adonai.
We are to boast in knowing that Yah is a God who shows grace to those who need it. He practices justice and righteousness throughout the land. He doesn’t condemn a man to die because he made a mistake. He set up refuge cities for those kill someone by accident. He set laws in place for the widows so they don’t have to worry about going hungry.
He is a father to the fatherless, providing and sheltering them. He showed His people how to obtain blessings and how to avoid curses. He gave them a day of rest so they don’t have to toil consistently, thus wearing down their bodies and never having time for their families. He established when a man first gets married, he is forbidden to go to war the first year of their marriage. He allows them time to love one another and an opportunity to produce an heir to his estate.
These are just some of the things God does to show grace, justice and righteousness. He said He takes pleasure in the person who boast about Him and what He has, is, and will do in the land. Shouldn’t it be our aim to please the Father? I hope so.
Tell us 3 things you know that shows how good God is in your life. When has He shown you grace or justice in a situation? When has He shown you righteousness?
If you like this article, please share it.