Today in Talk 7, we are going to look at law and grace in the OT on wisdom and prophecy. In our last Talk, Talk 6, we explained how God's Law and Grace were expressed in the Law of Moses, and also in OT history.  Today, we shall look at how God's Law and Grace were expressed in the Wisdom Books (Job to Song of Solomon) and in the Prophetic Books, both the Major and Minor Prophets. Let us first look at OT wisdom.

The Heart of OT Wisdom was to know and to fear God and walk according to His Law.  We can see this in Proverbs 1:1-7 where it says — the fear of God is the beginning of all understanding. Then correspondingly, Psalm 111:10 says — the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. The fear of God refers to deep reverence, deep worship of God. It is not in a sense of paralysed fear. We come to relate with God in this basis where we live according to His Law. Therefore, the fear of God leads us to understand His Law and apply it in life.  This is the Way of Life that brings His blessings. This is the essential meaning of wisdom in the Bible — to know God’s way, to live by it because this is the kind of life that brings His presence and blessings into our lives.

The opposite of having wisdom is to be a fool. Being a fool means to live a life that ignores or contradicts God's Law.  This leads to His righteous anger and judgement. Psalm 119, the longest psalm, and the longest book in the Bible, focuses on the blessedness of knowing and living by God's Law. All the Wisdom Books express the highs and lows of human life — its pains, its struggles, its frustrations, its defeats, but also the greatest joy, the most sublime peace, glorious victories, the highest praise, the most jubilant thanksgiving. Through these all, it teaches that it is when one knows to walk with God and keep His ways that life finds the deepest meaning, the greatest satisfaction, and the most significant purpose. In other words, God's Grace is found by Obedience to His Law!

In the opposite side, disobedience brings trouble, corruption and death; even if it may sometimes seem that evildoers get away with it.  Because God's Law cannot be thwarted without judgement and penalty, and no one can escape God's justice. Or put it in another way, humanly speaking, we may not see every criminal penalised, we may not see every wrong doers punished, but Bible clearly says that no one escapes God’s justice. It is not depending on whether we can see it or not. It is only depending on God’s truth and justice. No one who does wrong — even if it seems as if to get away with it, will never escape the penalty of God. That is why disobedience is the path of the fool; obedience is the path of the wise.

It is fair to say that OT Wisdom is mainly about how to live this life we have on earth in a way that best pleases God.  This Way is the Way of Living by His Law. If we add the revelation and insights from the New Testament (NT) to this teaching, the NT points us not to the lasting values of this life, but rather points us to receiving an eternal life, even beyond this life. The OT wisdom is telling us how to live a life in the here and now that best ensures eternity with Christ. That is the guidance of OT wisdom — obedience to God’s law brings us to the best position to receive God’s grace.

OT Prophecies in the Major and Minor Prophets give us another major dimension to Law and Grace: Ezekiel chapter 8 to 10 is a typical passage in the OT that tells us the penalties of disobedience which shows: because the depth of sins of Israel, God was actually departing from Jerusalem.  Israel has failed to keep the Law of Moses. That is the verdict of OT prophecy. And thus it is subject to massive judgements and penalties. In spite of repeated warnings throughout its history, it has repeatedly returned to sin and idolatry, instead of walking in the path of obedience and through worship of one true God. Over time, it has grown in disobedience instead of obedience.

Therefore God brought an end to the nation – the united kingdom of Israel was split into two. We can see this in 1 Kings 11:9-13. And each kingdom, the North (Hosea 13; 2 Kings 17:6-18) and the South (Jeremiah 15:1-9; 2 Chronicles 36:15-21) in turn, were destroyed and exiled because of their sin. For the North kingdom, we can see in Hosea 13 and 2 Kings 17:6-18; and for the South, we can look at Jeremiah 15:1-9 and 2 Chronicles 36:15-21. Both North and South kingdom fell to destruction because of their sin. Yet, in spite of this most dismal failure, God's Grace endures to save it and bring it back from exile and to re-form the nation instead of being a scattered people in exile.  The Chapter that points us to this salvation and grace of God is Isaiah 62.

He will even extend His Kingdom to the Gentiles, to all humankind, to whoever would repent of sin and worship Him alone as Lord and God, by the Messiah whom He will send – this is Jesus Christ, His Divine Son and the Only Sinless Human Being. We find this in Isaiah 42:1-9,60 that God will extend His kingdom beyond Israel through Messiah to save all human beings who would repent of sin and worship Him as the one true God. Therefore the OT, especially through the Prophetic Books, points us to the coming of Jesus Christ.  God pronounced in the OT that He would send His Messiah to save us from our sin.  You can say this is His outward working of covenant with Moses that was also embedded in the Law. He will meet the requirements of the Law and yet His Coming to us is the supreme act of God's Grace for us all. The record of His Person, Life, Teaching, the significance of His Death & Resurrection, His Mission of Salvation, and the significance of all of these for all humankind form the New Testament.

In Summary, OT Wisdom teaches us that God's Grace is found by obeying the Law.  OT Prophecy tells us that God will save us by His Grace, even though we are condemned by the Law. In the Next Talk, we will move into the New Testament, beginning with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Let us pray, “Father we thank you for this quick overview of law and grace over the last few talks in terms of your OT revelation. As we proceed, continue to open our eyes to Your Law and grace in our lives, and in all human lives, even as now as we proceed to NT. May Your spirit continue to enlighten us and guide us, even transform us as we receive Your words. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.”