Scripture:  1 Peter 1:9-12

9obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

10Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, 11inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. 12It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.

Observations:  The Gospel of Jesus is connected to the Old Testament.  Peter, writes of the “prophets” and their desire to see into God’s salvation plans — to reveal Jesus Christ and bring us into the Kingdom of God.

The prophets of the Old Testament were not serving themselves, they were serving the church– the people– that Jesus would call to Himself through the Gospel when they wrote about the salvation that was to come through Christ.

The prophets prophesied about the grace that is ours through Jesus Christ.

Applications:  How to read the Old Testament?  Peter had the OT as his Scripture.  We get the benefit of the whole cannon — New Testament and Old Testament.  But how to read the Old Testament?  Why “should” we read the OT?

Peter gives us a clue:  the Old Testament is preparing people to recognize Jesus Christ and receive His grace.  Understanding who Jesus is and why Jesus suffered on the cross comes through the OT.  When the Apostles began to write about the life of Jesus they linked the history of Jesus to what they learned from the OT.  Not only that, Jesus Himself used the OT as the reference for teaching the Disciples why the Messiah must suffer.  (Luke 24:25-27)

The OT shows us what God is up to in the sufferings of Christ and then the glories Jesus had after the Crucifixion and Resurrection.  The OT provides us with confirmation about the identify of Jesus.  It also shows us why God has acted through the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus to bring salvation to us.

Prayer:  Thank you Heavenly Father for letting me experience today what the prophets longed to see and even angels long to know about.  Thank you for the salvation you have brought to us.  Through Jesus’ suffering and His glory you have forgiven my sin.  You have overwhelmed me with grace.  Thank you for your Holy Spirit who brings me into your family and makes the reality of salvation an experience I have today.  May I not neglect your Word… show me the glory of Jesus as I read it.  AMEN.