A Study of Hebrews

We are under a new law today. Our authority in religious matters comes from Christ and the New Testament. So, what value is the Old Testament?

It is said experience is the best teacher. What we learn through our own experience we value more than what we can seemingly learn by studying the experiences of others. However, experience can be a painful teacher.

Someone can tell you, “don’t touch that hot charcoal,” and you may or may not choose to touch it. But if you touch a hot charcoal you learn first-hand and exceptionally well why you don’t want to do that. As we mature we may decide that we’d rather learn from other’s experiences and let them pay the price.

The writer of Hebrews in chapter three chooses a psalm for our consideration that points us to a couple of events in the history of the fledgling Israelites at a time right after they have been freed from Egyptian slavery.

They start out with so much promise on their way to Canaan. They witnessed all the works of God that he did for them. Yet they doubted him, grew impatient and grumbled against God. They are only concerned with themselves and they never give their hearts to God. They move him to finally reject them and to swear an oath that they would never enter his rest.

Is there anything in their experience with God that we could learn from? Or is the OT obsolete and not worthy of our consideration?