Last night, me and my buds wrapped up a journey. Getting together once a week, we have spent 18 of the past 21 months doing, what we’ve called, an Old Testament “fly by.” The first nine months we “sampled” the historical books . . . getting a big picture sense of God’s workings among men and, in particular, with a chosen people, Israel . . . noting the prominent place of promise in God’s purposes . . . marveling at the rag-tag bunch of less-than-perfect people God determines to accomplish His purposes through. After a 3 month break, we then continued for the last 9 months on “touching down” on every other book in the Old Testament. From Moses’ writings on the sacrifices and feasts and, on the blessings and curses conditional upon the obedience of the people rescued from Egypt . . . to the wisdom literature — the story of Job, the song book of David, the proverbs and poetry of Solomon, and then to the prophets . . . lots and lots of prophets.

So why do it? Why would a bunch of non-Jewish guys sitting in Washington State in the 21st Century spend time considering the ancient texts and happenings of the descendants of Jacob? My reading in Ephesians 3 gives insight as to why . . .

When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.   (Ephesians 3:4-6 ESV)

Our interest in studying the history and heritage of Israel is because we have been grafted into that history and heritage through the promised Messiah, Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Our desire to comprehend more the incomprehensible God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is driven by the reality that He is our God . . . and we have have been graced into the body of His chosen people, into the riches of His special treasure. We have been made part of the mystery woven throughout the Old Testament, the mystery of how God would bless all nations through Abraham . . . of how David would have an heir to the throne forever . . . of how men with hearts of stone would be given hearts of flesh that they might know God. The mystery which is revealed in Christ Jesus . . . the fulfillment of the law . . . the once-for-all atoning sacrifice for all men’s sins . . . all the promises of God being “Yes” and “Amen” in Him. And, by God’s grace, we too are “in Him.”

And so, this eclectic group of men, sitting around the table Wednesday night after Wednesday night, desired to noodle through these ancient texts because we are “fellow heirs” . . . “members of the same body” . . . “partakers of the promise” . . . “in Christ Jesus” . . . “through the gospel.”

We who were once far off have been brought near by the blood of Jesus (Eph. 2:13) . . . and by the active agency of the Spirit working in us, we long to draw nearer. Being fellow heirs we want to understand something of our heritage and the promised inheritance. As members of the body we want to better know our exalted Head and the privileges and responsibilities associated with being part of the body. As partakers of the promise, we desire to know, more deeply, the Promise-Giver . . . to worship, more fully, the Promise-Fulfiller.

It’s been a great journey. Not because we have a few more facts to store in the old brain (and, for some of us, it is getting to be an old brain) . . . but because, through the illumination of our heaven-sent Teacher, we know Him a bit better . . . we love Him a bit more . . . the manifold, multifaceted wisdom of God is a bit clearer . . . by His grace, the work of conforming us to the image of His Son is a bit further along . . . and, the gospel becomes that much greater.

Looking forward to the fall brothers . . .