Where do people usually begin reading the OT?

Neostarwcc

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I've read the NT at least 3 or 4 times but I have never read the OT all the way through. Honestly? I find it dry and boring. Most of it is just a collection of stories that happened to the Jews. There's nothing about Jesus or about salvation in there. But recently I've been thinking that the NT is getting kind of stale and I'd like to start reading the OT again.

But I don't really want to start at Genesis all over again (I've read Genesis at least 15 times anyway). So I'm wondering what parts of the OT are particularly good to read? I've heard good things about Psalms and Isaiah. Apprarently Isaiah has prophecies about Jesus in it. I know that Isaiah does talk about the New Heavens and the New Earth.

But I've read from Genesis to 2nd Samuel Chapter 11 I believe was where I left off but I don't really want to continue reading from 2nd Samuel I want to skip around with the interesting stuff before I get to the boring stuff.
 

Hammster

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There's nothing about Jesus or about salvation in there.
It’s all about Jesus.

And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. - Luke 24:27
 
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Dave-W

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Honestly? I find it dry and boring. Most of it is just a collection of stories that happened to the Jews. There's nothing about Jesus or about salvation in there.
Actually, many in the Messianic movement who reach out to traditional Jews ONLY have the gospel from the OT.

In the gospels our Lord told the Pharisees that Moses and the Prophets spoke of HIM. In 1 Corinthians, Paul said that the gospel was Christ crucified, buried and resurrected "according to the scriptures." The only scriptures in existence at that time was the OT.

It is all in there.
 
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Neostarwcc

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It’s all about Jesus.

And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. - Luke 24:27

True. But Jesus doesn't make a direct appearance in the OT because he didn't come to the Earth for the first time yet. But yes I've heard that Jesus is splattered all over the OT. I've even heard that Jesus was the God of the OT before.
 
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HTacianas

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I've read the NT at least 3 or 4 times but I have never read the OT all the way through. Honestly? I find it dry and boring. Most of it is just a collection of stories that happened to the Jews. There's nothing about Jesus or about salvation in there. But recently I've been thinking that the NT is getting kind of stale and I'd like to start reading the OT again.

But I don't really want to start at Genesis all over again (I've read Genesis at least 15 times anyway). So I'm wondering what parts of the OT are particularly good to read? I've heard good things about Psalms and Isaiah. Apprarently Isaiah has prophecies about Jesus in it. I know that Isaiah does talk about the New Heavens and the New Earth.

But I've read from Genesis to 2nd Samuel Chapter 11 I believe was where I left off but I don't really want to continue reading from 2nd Samuel I want to skip around with the interesting stuff before I get to the boring stuff.

In the beginning...ha! I had to say that.

Begin wherever you want to. Pick a book and start.
 
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Neostarwcc

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Actually, many in the Messianic movement who reach out to traditional Jews ONLY have the gospel from the OT.

In the gospels our Lord told the Pharisees that Moses and the Prophets spoke of HIM. In 1 Corinthians, Paul said that the gospel was Christ crucified, buried and resurrected "according to the scriptures." The only scriptures in existence at that time was the OT.

It is all in there.

I've heard that. There was a man raised in a Jewish family on YouTube that said that when he started believing in Jesus it was because of the OT. He had never started reading the New Testament yet. But I don't know where people get Jesus from the OT besides in Genesis where God says "Let US create mankind in our image" kind of proving the Trinity there. But then again I've only read like 10 books of the OT.
 
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Neostarwcc

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In the beginning...ha! I had to say that.

Begin wherever you want to. Pick a book and start.

Maybe ill start with Isaiah then. Since it apparently has so many prophecies about Jesus in it.
 
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Dave-W

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I've heard that. There was a man raised in a Jewish family on YouTube that said that when he started believing in Jesus it was because of the OT. He had never started reading the New Testament yet. But I don't know where people get Jesus from the OT besides in Genesis where God says "Let US create mankind in our image" kind of proving the Trinity there. But then again I've only read like 10 books of the OT.
It may take Jewish eyes to see Him in there. If you want to understand that I suggest going to First Fruits of Zion and looking at one of the Torah Club publications.
 
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eleos1954

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I've read the NT at least 3 or 4 times but I have never read the OT all the way through. Honestly? I find it dry and boring. Most of it is just a collection of stories that happened to the Jews. There's nothing about Jesus or about salvation in there. But recently I've been thinking that the NT is getting kind of stale and I'd like to start reading the OT again.

But I don't really want to start at Genesis all over again (I've read Genesis at least 15 times anyway). So I'm wondering what parts of the OT are particularly good to read? I've heard good things about Psalms and Isaiah. Apprarently Isaiah has prophecies about Jesus in it. I know that Isaiah does talk about the New Heavens and the New Earth.

But I've read from Genesis to 2nd Samuel Chapter 11 I believe was where I left off but I don't really want to continue reading from 2nd Samuel I want to skip around with the interesting stuff before I get to the boring stuff.

Daniel would be a good one because it fits in nicely with the book of Revelation.

God Bless.
 
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Neostarwcc

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It may take Jewish eyes to see Him in there. If you want to understand that I suggest going to First Fruits of Zion and looking at one of the Torah Club publications.

Maybe. Because they can read Hebrew and everything. Apparently the Torah is a lot clearer in Hebrew from what ive heard. But doesn't Isaiah have like tons of prophecies about Jesus in it? I heard that it does.
 
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Neostarwcc

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Daniel would be a good one because it fits in nicely with the book of Revelation.

God Bless.

I think I've read parts of Daniel is that the book where a guy is fed to the lions and emerges unscathed and is later saved by the king of Persia? Or am I thinking if a different book?

Anyway yeah ill read Daniel after I read Isaiah.
 
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bekkilyn

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Maybe. Because they can read Hebrew and everything. Apparently the Torah is a lot clearer in Hebrew from what ive heard. But doesn't Isaiah have like tons of prophecies about Jesus in it? I heard that it does.

Jesus is all throughout the OT, but read Isaiah 53 to begin with and see who it reminds you of.
 
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Dave-W

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But doesn't Isaiah have like tons of prophecies about Jesus in it? I heard that it does.
Yes. The most obvious is chapters 52-53. It is SO obvious that some Orthodox Jewish theologians have said that it had to have been written AFTER the first century.
 
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Neostarwcc

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Jesus is all throughout the OT, but read Isaiah 53 to begin with and see who it reminds you of.

Finished reading. That does sound a lot like Jesus. Yeah I think ill start with Isaiah.
 
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Neostarwcc

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Yes. The most obvious is chapters 52-53. It is SO obvious that some Orthodox Jewish theologians have said that it had to have been written AFTER the first century.

But Isaiah was written before Christ came wasn't it? All of the OT was written before Christ and that's why Christ is not directly mentioned in it.
 
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Dave-W

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But Isaiah was written before Christ came wasn't it? All of the OT was written before Christ and that's why Christ is not directly mentioned in it.
Absolutely. And when the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in 1947, the manuscripts were carbon dated to about 200 bc. So it PROVES they were written before Christ.
 
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eleos1954

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I think I've read parts of Daniel is that the book where a guy is fed to the lions and emerges unscathed and is later saved by the king of Persia? Or am I thinking if a different book?

Anyway yeah ill read Daniel after I read Isaiah.

Isaiah is a great book as well. Since it sounds like you are more familiar with the NT .... following are the top 5 OT books that are most quoted in the NT .... not sure if you do or not, but use the concordance when studying ... helps a lot.
  1. Psalms (68 times)
  2. Isaiah (55)
  3. Deuteronomy (44)
  4. Genesis (35)
  5. Exodus (31)
May the Lord bless you through your studies. Amen
 
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Neostarwcc

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Absolutely. And when the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in 1947, the manuscripts were carbon dated to about 200 bc. So it PROVES they were written before Christ.

So the book of Isaiah was written around 200 BC? Or when was it written? Because Christ came in the early 1st century AD didn't he? Because they're saying that he died around 44 AD on Wikipedia.
 
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