Jesus as a Bridge

Sometimes when I read scripture from the Old Testament I feel a sense of disconnect.  I can actually visualize a large, physical distance between God and humankind.  I know that God and God's love are both as vast as the seas, but it seems as if there is a distance in the Old Testament between God and His people that is just as vast.

Communicating with God in the Old Testament is often done through prophets.  They are a sort of messenger or middle man that bring God's word to His people.  In the Old Testament, we also find that to speak with God and to be in His presence, people must be physically in His temple.

Then we have David's writings - the Psalms.  These are David's prayers and songs.  They are evidence of his relationship with God.  David goes directly to God in prayer.  We also have the wisdom texts (Proverbs, Song of Songs and Ecclesiastes), where we can see ideas and wrestling with what godly wisdom is, and how it is we are called to live.  We start to see individuals pursuing God directly, and wrestling with what God's character really is.

The Old Testament ends with the prophet Malachi speaking of the coming Messiah, and the Old Testament begins with Matthew, describing Jesus' genealogy.
 

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When I read from the Old Testament, I find this distant God.  A God who sends laws from afar.  Who sends His will through prophets - telling His people to run other people out of their homes and cities, to kill others and take over their land.  I am fearful and confused as I read some of these stories.  I struggle with whether the point of these stories is to take them literally, word for word or to peer in to a deeper, symbolic message.

Then I read the scriptures of the New Testament - and I find this God who has come near.  Who has limited Himself to live among the people that He loves and shows them how to live - how to fulfill the law.

The God of the Old Testament and the God of the New Testament are the same God.  God is constant.  We are limited and He knows that.  We were lost and falling away from Him, so He gave us His son, to be close to us.  To bring us back to Him.

Jesus is a bridge.  He is the fulfillment of the law.  Our sin and our brokenness has put distance between us and the God who loves us.   Jesus takes us by the hand and walks us across the bridge that brings us closer to God.

Jesus came so that we would know the God of the Old Testament - to know that He is still with us.  You can know everything about someone, but until you really get to know them - discover the character of their heart - you can't truly have a relationship with them.

Jesus brings us into a relationship with God.

A friend showed me this video a few days ago, and I think it is a great illustration of how Jesus brings us near to God.

~SP