Before Christ appeared in the flesh, the world lived in spiritual darkness. Pagan nations worshipped false gods, human passions ruled, and truth was lost amid countless philosophies and idols.
Only one small people, Israel, preserved the memory of the one true God. Through the Old Testament, God was slowly preparing all of humanity to receive the fullness of truth revealed in Jesus Christ.
Orthodox Christianity teaches that the Old Testament is not a separate faith, but the divine foundation on which the Church was built. The law, the prophets, and the sacred history of Israel all point to the coming of the Savior.
The Darkness Before The Light
Before the revelation of Christ, the world was enslaved by ignorance and sin. The nations had lost the knowledge of their Creator. Saint Paul wrote:
“The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent”
Acts 17:30
The pagan world, though filled with philosophical brilliance, did not know the true God. Ancient people worshipped the sun, the moon, animals, and human passions. They made gods in their own image.
They honored the power of war, lust, and greed, and called them divine. The world was full of injustice and cruelty because it was full of falsehood.
Yet even among this darkness, the light of divine truth was not extinguished. The Old Testament people of God were the small flame in the night. They believed in one Lord, the Creator of heaven and earth. Their faith, their history, and their worship became the living preparation for the revelation of the Son of God.
God’s Covenant With Abraham
The story of salvation begins with Abraham. God chose him not because he was powerful, but because he was faithful.
“Go from your country and your kindred to the land that I will show you,” said the Lord, “and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed”
Genesis 12:1–3
This promise contained the seed of the Gospel. Through Abraham’s descendants, the world would receive the blessing of Christ.
The faith of Abraham became the model of obedience and trust. He believed without seeing, obeyed without questioning, and hoped without despair. As the Apostle Paul wrote:
“He did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God”
Romans 4:20
Abraham’s covenant marked the beginning of the people of God. Through him, a nation was formed that would keep alive the knowledge of the true Creator.
The Law As A Teacher
When Israel was freed from Egypt, God gave them the Law through Moses. The Law was not an end in itself but a teacher leading to Christ.
“The Law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith”
Galatians 3:24
The Law revealed God’s holiness and man’s sinfulness. It taught that the human heart could not save itself.
Every sacrifice, every commandment, every feast was a shadow pointing toward the coming Savior. The sacrifices of animals could not cleanse sin, but they foretold the true Sacrifice—the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29).
The Ten Commandments revealed divine order: love for God, respect for parents, purity, honesty, and mercy.
These were not merely moral instructions but glimpses of the life that Christ would later perfect. The Law created a moral and spiritual foundation, preparing the people to understand holiness and repentance.
The Prophets Who Announced Christ
The voice of the prophets was the heart of the Old Testament. Through them, God spoke to His people and revealed His plan for salvation. Isaiah foretold the Virgin Birth:
“Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call His name Emmanuel”
Isaiah 7:14
Micah named Bethlehem as the place of His birth (Micah 5:2).
Zechariah foresaw the entry of the humble King into Jerusalem riding on a donkey (Zechariah 9:9).
The prophets did not merely predict events; they revealed the spiritual meaning of history. They called Israel to repentance and purity of heart, teaching that true worship comes not from sacrifice alone, but from a humble and contrite spirit.
“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise”
Psalm 50:17
Their prophecies also revealed the suffering of the Messiah. Isaiah wrote:
“He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities”
Isaiah 53:5
These words were fulfilled on the Cross, when the Lord Jesus bore the sins of the world.
The Preparation Of The Nations
While Israel received divine revelation, the pagan nations were not forgotten. Even among them, God planted seeds of longing for truth.
The philosophers of Greece sought wisdom, the poets spoke of an unknown god, and the Romans yearned for justice and order. These were faint reflections of humanity’s search for the true Light.
When the fullness of time came, the world was united under the Roman Empire, a single language was spoken, and the spiritual hunger of mankind had reached its peak. The stage of history was ready. As Saint Paul wrote:
“When the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman”
Galatians 4:4
In this way, both Israel and the nations were prepared. Israel had the Law and the Prophets; the nations had philosophy and longing. Christ came to fulfill both the faith of Israel and the search of humanity.
The Role Of The Virgin Mary
The greatest fruit of Israel was the Virgin Mary. From her lineage came the Messiah according to the flesh. She was the pure flower that blossomed from the soil of Old Testament faith. Through generations of covenant, repentance, and prophecy, God prepared one woman who would freely accept His will.
When the Archangel Gabriel said, “Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you,” she answered:
“Behold the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word”
Luke 1:28, 38
Her obedience healed the disobedience of Eve. Through her, humanity gave its “yes” to God’s love.
Saint Gregory Palamas called her “the boundary between created and uncreated nature.”
In her womb, the uncreated Word of God took flesh. Thus, the entire history of Israel found its fulfillment in her humble acceptance.
The Fulfillment Of The Promise
When Christ was born, the promises made to Abraham and David were fulfilled. He was the seed through whom all nations would be blessed. He was the King whose throne would never end.
“The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light”
Isaiah 9:2
In Him, the symbols of the Old Testament found their true meaning:
- The Passover lamb prefigured the Crucifixion.
- The manna in the desert prefigured the Holy Eucharist.
- The Temple foreshadowed the living Temple of Christ’s Body, the Church.
Orthodox Christianity teaches that the New Testament does not replace the Old, but completes it. Both are one continuous revelation of God’s plan. The Law prepared the heart; grace completed it. What was veiled in figures became clear in Christ.
The Patience Of Divine Love
God’s preparation of the world for Christ reveals His patience and mercy. For centuries He guided humanity through the prophets, chastised them through trials, and comforted them with promises. He never forced faith but invited it through love.
The Psalmist wrote:
“The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love”
Psalm 102:8
Each step of Israel’s history—from Abraham to Moses, from David to the Exile—was a chapter in God’s gradual education of mankind.
Saint Irenaeus of Lyons compared this process to a father teaching his child to walk.
“God became man so that man can become god“
St. Athanasius of Alexandria
Christ As The Fulfillment Of History
In Christ, all the history of the Old Testament reaches its goal. He is the true Israel, the perfect obedience that Adam and Israel failed to offer. The Church sings, “The shadow of the Law passed when grace appeared.”
The events of the Old Testament are not mere historical records but signs of divine pedagogy:
- The flood of Noah shows purification
- the exodus from Egypt shows liberation from sin
- the crossing of the Red Sea prefigures baptism.
All creation and all history move toward Christ, in whom time and eternity meet.
The Difference Between Orthodox Christianity And The Modern World On The Old Testament
- The modern world often sees the Old Testament as outdated or cruel, but Orthodox Christianity sees it as divine preparation for salvation.
- The modern world rejects prophecy and mystery; Orthodox Christianity embraces them as real manifestations of God’s providence.
- The modern world views history as random; Orthodox Christianity sees it as guided by divine purpose.
- The modern world values moral autonomy; Orthodox Christianity values obedience to the will of God.
- The modern world separates the Old and New Testaments; Orthodox Christianity unites them as one continuous revelation.
- The modern world admires progress; Orthodox Christianity honors faithfulness.
- The modern world believes humanity improves itself; Orthodox Christianity believes God sanctifies humanity through grace.
- The modern world forgets divine promise; Orthodox Christianity lives in expectation of its fulfillment.
- The modern world reads Scripture as myth; Orthodox Christianity reads it as living truth.
The Old Testament And The Church Today
In every Divine Liturgy, the Orthodox Church still chants the psalms of David and reads the prophets. The Old Testament is not something forgotten but ever-present.
The Psalter is the daily prayer of the Church, the voice of the soul before Christ’s coming and after His Resurrection.
When Orthodox Christians hear the words, “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want” (Psalm 22:1), they know that this Shepherd is Christ Himself.
When they hear, “They pierced my hands and my feet” (Psalm 21:17), they recognize the prophecy of the Cross.
Every line of the Old Testament lives within the worship of the Church.
Learning From Israel’s Faith
The story of Israel teaches Orthodox Christians humility. The people of God fell many times but were never abandoned.
Their faith, though often weak, kept alive the hope of salvation. In our own lives, we repeat their journey: wandering, repenting, and returning to God.
Saint John Chrysostom wrote:
“All things that happened to them were written for our instruction.”
Through the Old Testament we learn patience, repentance, and hope.
The same God who guided Israel now guides His Church.
The End Of Expectation
The Old Testament ends with expectation. The last prophet, Malachi, says:
“Behold, I send My messenger, and he shall prepare the way before Me”
Malachi 3:1
The New Testament opens with that messenger—Saint John the Baptist—crying in the wilderness:
“Prepare the way of the Lord.”
This continuity is the heartbeat of Orthodox Christianity. The faith of the patriarchs and prophets becomes the faith of the apostles and saints.
The same God who spoke from the burning bush now speaks in the heart of every believer through His Spirit.
How To Explain This To Children
Parents can tell their children that long before Jesus was born, God was preparing the world for Him.
They can explain that people had forgotten the true God, but He chose a small people, the Israelites, to remember His name. Through them, He taught everyone how to love and obey Him.
They can say that the stories of Noah, Moses, and David are like a road leading to Jesus.
When Christ was born, everything that God had promised came true.
Children can learn that the same loving God who guided His people still guides them today through prayer, kindness, and faith.