March 3

Typically, we see the past as giving meaning to the future. Hosea, however, corrects this widely accepted view. Rather, he asserts, that the past is awaiting fulfillment in the future. Jesus and his life is not given a greater meaning because it aligns with the prophecies; his life gives the past greater meaning. In fact, we must use this lens of the future to reevaluate how we interpret the past.In the articles’ words “it is like reading backwards.” For example, the Exodus is fulfilled by looking to what Christ promises for the future life of Israel. In other words, fulfillment is so much more than the past repeating itself or the words of the prophets being fulfilled. The Old Testament was awaiting this fulfillment: it was an open ended story that Christ then offers himself as a solution to. That is why when reading the opening of Luke and Matthew, we immediately see the elements of the Old Testament addressed. The most obvious is the addressing of kingship. Just as in the Old Testament, the Lord assured that he would rule with David and his dynasty hand in hand, this is giving more meaning through Christ. Jesus’ father, Joseph, is descended from the Davidic line. But God offers a more meaningful kingship now, one whose empire will last forever. Another element of the Old Testament is how the enemies of Israel will be destroyed yet the other nations will simultaneously become members of the cult. The gospel alludes to how Christ will deliver Israel from its enemies and put the top on the bottom and the bottom on top. The top is Israel’s enemies as non-Israelites are just those who act in a “non-Israelite” way such as being part of the ruling repressing class. However, although the Old Testament was vague on how the nations will be integrated into Israel, the gospel makes it clear: Israel will be a blessing to the nations through Jesus offering salvation to all. Lastly, in the Old Testament, the prophets say that God will give Israelites a new heart to follow the law always–again, how this will go about is ambiguous. However, Christ gives this prophecy meaning when the gospels allude to how Christ will free Israel able to serve God  with holiness and justice their whole lives. It will be written within them from Jesus, who rightly so, is born under the law.