#193. The Word Became Flesh: Finishing the Old Testament & Beginning the New Testament!! Congrats!!

You made it through the Old Testament! 🎉 After reading all 39 books of the Old Testament, tomorrow we begin the New Testament—and there is no better way to make that transition than by pausing to celebrate what God has revealed about Jesus Christ throughout His Word. In this special episode of The Dwelling Place Bible Podcast for Busy Moms, Stephanie Hickox celebrates the completion of the Old Testament portion of the chronological Bible reading plan and looks ahead to the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. John 1 reminds us that Jesus was not simply a man who appeared in history. “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” Jesus was with God in the beginning, He was God, and all things were created through Him. As we move from Malachi into the Gospels, we can look back and recognize that Jesus was present throughout the story of Scripture. The Old Testament continually points forward to the long-awaited Messiah. And tomorrow, we finally begin reading about Jesus’ earthly ministry in the New Testament! In This Episode, You’ll Discover Why completing the Old Testament is worth celebrating How Jesus is revealed throughout all 39 books of the Old Testament Why John begins his Gospel by pointing us all the way back to creation What it means that Jesus is the Word who became flesh A brief overview of the intertestamental period between Malachi and the birth of Jesus How Greek language and culture helped prepare the historical setting for the spread of the Gospel The Septuagint and why the Greek translation of the Old Testament mattered The Maccabean Revolt and the political changes leading up to Jesus' birth How synagogues, Pharisees, and Sadducees developed before the time of Christ Why the four Gospels are different from one another The unique emphasis and audience of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John How the Gospels reveal Jesus as fully God and fully man Why tomorrow's reading begins the New Testament—and introduces us to Jesus Jesus Throughout the Old Testament One of the beautiful things about completing a chronological Bible reading plan is being able to look back and see the unfolding story of redemption. From Genesis to Malachi, Scripture continually points us toward Christ. As the Name Above All Names poem reminds us: Genesis: Jesus is the ram at Abraham's altar. Exodus: Jesus is the Passover Lamb. Leviticus: He is the High Priest. Numbers: He is the cloud by day and pillar by night. Deuteronomy: He is our city of refuge. Joshua: He is the scarlet thread. Judges: He is our Judge. Ruth: He is our Kinsman Redeemer. 1 & 2 Samuel: He is the trusted Prophet. Kings & Chronicles: He is our reigning King. Ezra: He is the faithful scribe. Nehemiah: He is the rebuilder of what is broken. Esther: He is the faithful protector of His people. Job: He is our Redeemer who lives. Psalms: He is our Shepherd. Proverbs & Ecclesiastes: He is our Wisdom. Song of Solomon: He is the Bridegroom. Isaiah: He is the suffering Servant. Jeremiah & Lamentations: He is the weeping Prophet. Daniel: He is present in the fiery furnace. Hosea: He is the faithful love of God. Joel: He is the One who gives the Holy Spirit. Obadiah: He is our Savior. Jonah: He points us toward God's heart for the nations. Nahum: He is the righteous Judge. Habakkuk: He is the One we wait for in faith. Zephaniah: He is the Lord mighty to save. Haggai: He is the restorer. Zechariah: He is the fountain of cleansing. Malachi: He is the Sun of Righteousness who brings healing. As you look back over your own Bible reading, what stood out to you? Perhaps you saw Jesus as the God who sees you. Perhaps you saw His faithfulness, mercy, holiness, wisdom, justice, or patience in a new way. Take some time today to reflect on how God has changed your understanding of Him through His Word. From Malachi to Matthew: What Happened? After Malachi, there is a period of roughly four centuries without the prophetic books we find in Scripture. But God was not inactive. The intertestamental period was filled with political, cultural, and religious developments that shaped the world into which Jesus was born. During this time: The Persian Empire gave way to Greek rule. Alexander the Great spread Greek language and culture throughout the region. The Old Testament was translated into Greek in what became known as the Septuagint. Alexander's empire was divided among his generals after his death. The Seleucid and Ptolemaic kingdoms competed for control. Antiochus IV Epiphanes severely persecuted the Jewish people and desecrated the temple. The Maccabean Revolt eventually led to a period of Jewish independence. Roman power eventually took control of Judea. Herod the Great ruled Judea when Jesus was born. Synagogues and religious leadership structures developed throughout the Jewish world. So although the prophetic voice had grown silent, God's purposes had not stopped. He was preparing the world for the arrival of the Messiah. Four Gospels. One Savior. Tomorrow, we begin the New Testament—and we begin with four accounts of the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are not four different Jesuses. They are four Gospel accounts that present Jesus from different perspectives and to different audiences. Matthew: Jesus the Messiah and King Matthew emphasizes Jesus as the promised Messiah and rightful King. He repeatedly connects Jesus' life to Old Testament prophecy and highlights His place in the line of David. Mark: Jesus the Servant Mark moves quickly and emphasizes Jesus' actions and ministry. Jesus is presented as the suffering Servant who came to serve and ultimately give His life for others. Luke: Jesus the Savior of All People Luke emphasizes Jesus as the Son of Man and highlights His mission to seek and save. His Gospel especially emphasizes that the good news of Jesus extends beyond the Jewish people to the nations. John: Jesus the Son of God John begins before Jesus' earthly ministry—even before creation: “In the beginning was the Word.” John's purpose is clearly stated in John 20:31: these things were written so that we might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing we might have life in His name. And tomorrow, we begin reading it. Bible Study for Busy Christian Moms If you've been following the chronological Bible reading plan, don't rush past this milestone. You just read 39 books of the Bible. You watched God's promises unfold. You saw Israel's faithfulness and rebellion. You encountered kings, prophets, judges, priests, exiles, restorations, suffering, judgment, mercy, and hope. And throughout it all, God was preparing the way for Jesus. As moms, we can sometimes feel pressure to simply get through the next chapter, the next task, or the next day. But God's Word invites us to slow down long enough to recognize the bigger story. We aren't simply teaching our children Bible stories. We're teaching them the story of God's redemptive work—and pointing them to Jesus. The goal of biblical parenting isn't merely to raise children who know Bible facts. We want our children to know the God revealed in Scripture, to recognize their need for Christ, and to understand that the whole Bible tells one unfolding story of redemption. So celebrate today. Then open your Bible tomorrow. The Old Testament pointed forward to Him. Now we get to walk with Jesus through the Gospels. Key Scriptures John 1:1–5 — Jesus, the Word, was with God and was God from the beginning. John 1:14 — “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” John 1:12–13 — Those who receive Christ and believe in His name become children of God. John 20:31 — The Gospels were written so that we might believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and have life in His name. Malachi 4:2 — The coming Messiah is described as the “sun of righteousness” who brings healing. A Prayer for the Beginning of the New Testament Heavenly Father, thank You for Your faithfulness. Thank You for the privilege of studying Your Word and for the 39 books of the Old Testament that reveal Your perfection, glory, patience, mercy, and faithfulness. Thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus Christ. As we begin the New Testament tomorrow, give us eyes that see, ears that hear, and hearts that are soft and receptive to what You want to teach us. Even if we've heard these stories many times before, reveal Yourself to us in fresh ways. Strengthen our faith and transform us through every moment we spend in Your Word. And Lord, let the peace of Christ become the foundation of our lives and something our children can see in us. May our study of Scripture not simply give us more information, but may it deepen our love for Jesus and strengthen us to raise children who know and love You. In Jesus' name, amen. Tomorrow: We Begin the New Testament! You made it through the Old Testament. Now the waiting is over. Tomorrow, we begin the New Testament and turn our attention to the long-awaited Messiah—Jesus Christ, the Word who became flesh and dwelt among us. If you've been following along with the Dwelling Place chronological Bible reading plan, don't miss the beginning of this next part of the journey. Open your Bible tomorrow. He's here.Resources Mentioned: Entrusted With a Child's Heart Full-Circle Discipline Resources Commentaries Most Referenced: Moody Commentary, MacArthur Commentary