Was The Bible Written to you or for You?

Was The Bible Written To You?
By Allen Brooks

When I ask the question, was the Bible written to you, most folks respond and say that it was written to them.
I would like to address that assumption from both the Old Testament and the New Testament.
Almost everyone agrees that the 39 books of the Old Testament from Genesis to Malachi were written only to the Israelites by Israelites. These Israelites were Moses, David, and the Prophets. The 613 laws of the Torah were for Israelites only. The Psalms and the major and minor prophetic books were also written to Israel because they contained the laws and prophecies that belong only to Israel. But, these folk also state that the Old Testament was written for us, especially when it comes to the Ten Commandments.
If the Old Testament was written to us, then we should be obeying its sayings.
Let us list some of its sayings:

We must have a high priest to offer sacrifices for our sins. Leviticus 16.
2. The High Priest will kill a goat of sin offering for the people.
And the man that committeth adultery with another man’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall be put to death. Leviticus 20.
4. Remember the Sabbath Day (Saturday) to keep it holy.
5. You shall not eat the flesh of pigs, it is unclean for you. Leviticus 11.
6. He that smitteth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death. Exodus 21
7. He that curseth his father or mother shall be surely put to death. Exodus 21
8. If thou lend money to the poor, thou shalt not charge him interest. Exodus 22
9. And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise. Exodus 23.
Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year: feast of unleaven bread, feast of harvest, and feast of firstfruits. Exodus 23.

Matthew 5:18, Jesus said, “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, not one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled”.



Now, I have a question, were the above laws written to you or to Israel? Were they written for you? What does “for you” mean verses “to you”? Wouldn’t for you mean that the Old Testament was written to the Jews, but for us today, to know what happened to Israel from their beginning up to the time of Jesus and to the end of Israel’s theocratic nation? Is it fair to say that the Old Testament is the New Testament concealed, and the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed?
What is the Old Testament (Covenant) about?
It is about God creating mankind and everything in it. It is about mankind’s fall (casting out of the presence of God), God’s plan for mankind’s redemption (being put back into God’s presence) through a chosen people and a chosen person (Jesus). It is about this Seed (Jesus) coming through the linage of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to redeem mankind.
It is about the virgin birth, life, death, resurrection, ascension, return, and kingship of God’s Son Jesus. It is about Jesus’ everlasting kingdom, of which there shall be no end. It is about the first and last days of covenant Israel as God’s chosen people from whom Jesus would be born.
I conclude that the Old Testament was written for us, but to Israel. It is the history of Israel and God’s relationship with them until the SEED would be born who would become the Savior of the world. It contains everything written in the New Testament and was quoted by Jesus and the Apostle’s during their lifetime and ministries. Every scripture these men preached came from the Old Testament!

Now let us move to the New Testament (Covenant) and determine if it was written to us or for us. Let assume first that it was written TO us.
Let us look at some passages:
Matthew 19:21-“Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.”
Matthew 28:19-“Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”
Matthew 10-“And as ye go, preach, saying the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils; freely ye have received, freely give. Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses. Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet saves; for the workman is worthy of his meat.” Why is everyone preaching the end of the world instead of the Kingdom of God?
Mark 6- “And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth two by two; and gave them power over unclean spirits; and commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse. But be shod with sandals; and not put on two coats.”
Luke 9- “Then he called his twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all devils; and to cure diseases and he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick. And he said unto them, take nothing for your journey, neither staves, nor scrip, neither bread, neither money; neither have two coats apiece.”

Mark 16- “And these signs shall follow them that believe: in my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues.”
They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.”
Acts 2:35-“Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remissions of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Most folks believe that one repents, receives the Holy Spirit, and then is baptized. So why is this scripture saying something different?

1 Corinthians 14:34-35-“Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the law. And if they will learn any thing; let them ask their husbands at home; for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.”
1 Corinthians 14:39-“Wherefore brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues.”
Would you not agree that if the New Testament was written TO us, then these scriptures pertain to us and that we should obey them? Sell all that we have and give to the poor, go preach the gospel and take nothing with us, women should keep silent in the church, we should heal the sick, cast out devils, and drink any deadly thing and it will not hurt us.
This would be true if these scriptures were written to us. And if they were, where is the evidence today of any of the activity listed in the above scriptures?
I make the assumption that the New Testament was written for us and not to us.
In the scriptures there are relevant audiences, contexts, and specific time frames for the events. There are beyond a doubt the use of personal pronouns that the texts belong to.
The errors of Bible students today, has caused so much confusion in different denominations and caused folks to be split over their orthodoxy.
When the New Testament scriptures are taken in context and in reference to all the Old Testament scriptures, one can easily see that the New Testament is the fulfillment of ALL promises God made in the Old Testament.
Matthew 5:18, Jesus said, “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, not one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled”.
So, are we under the law or are we under GRACE? If we are under GRACE, then ALL of the law (Genesis to Malachi) has passed.

Romans 15: 8, “Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision [Jews] for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers”. And that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy [hesed]; as it is written, “For this cause, I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.’[Psalms 18]

Galations 4-“For when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoptions of sons.”
Jeremiah 31-33-“Behold the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah. Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the days that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them saith the Lord. But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws in their inward parts, and write in in their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my people..I will forgive their iniquity, and I remember their sin no more.” The Bible is the history of God’s fulfillment of His promises to mankind through Israel and Jesus.