Today’s 333 Devotional: “The Old Testament Gospel”

Too often we relegate the Old Testament to stories and illustrations not realizing the message of the gospel is found within its pages.

One such place is where no one would normally expect. Absalom murders his brother, Amnon, because he raped his sister Tamar. Afterwards he flees to Geshur to escape justice.

But Joab knew that King David’s heart was broken over the loss of both sons, and so he devised a way to get David to bring Absalom back. Using a shill, a wise woman from Takoa, Joab shows David that mercy should be extended to Absalom.

Here is where the gospel message is revealed. The woman states, “God does not take away a life; but He devises means, so that His banished ones are not expelled from Him.” (2 Samuel 14:14b)

When Adam sinned, we became dead to God, because our sin banished us from His presence.

“But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear.” (Isaiah 59:2)

In the pages of the Old Testament, we find the heart of God for our redemption, and how God devised a plan where we, His banished ones, are not expelled from His presence forever.

The plan was to send His Son, the Messiah, to pay the penalty price for our sin so that we, the expelled ones, could return and be forever in His presence. The plan was for our redemption.

“I will declare the decree: The Lord has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, today I have begotten You. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him’” (Psalm 2:7,12)

“But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5)