Sandra Richter on Why Christians Should Read the Old Testament

Internationally known for her work on Deuteronomy and the Deuteronomistic History, Dr. Richter brings the Old Testament to life by exploring the real people and real places from which it comes.
Richter is a graduate of Valley Forge University, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and earned her doctorate from the Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations Department of Harvard University in Hebrew Bible. A veteran of many years of leading student groups in archaeological excavation and historical geography classes in Israel, she has taught at Asbury Theological Seminary., Wesley Biblical Seminary and Wheaton College. She is recognized among the laity for her The Epic of Eden: A Christian Entry into the Old Testament and is currently working on a second in that series The Fifth Gospel: A Christian Entry into the Book of Isaiah (IVP Academic). Her current research involves a forthcoming commentary on Deuteronomy with Eerdmans. She is also the author of several adult Bible Curriculums with Seedbed and Harper Collins. Richter is a sought-after speaker in both academic and lay settings.

[@tenad10]

👏👏👏great questions and guest

[@Cuvoastoh6321]

Love to listen to your lectures, Dr. Richter. Thank you. I have to say that in reading the comments very few people actually read their Bible and those who do either have strangely worded versions, or do nothing more than light reading yet see themselves as knowledgeable. The scriptures are rich and complex, and they correlate, reading and "re-reading" is a lifelong endeavor. So much bible illiteracy made apparent by the remarks left by viewers of this piece.

[@qazyman]

It's only been in the last 25 years that Christians in general have had access to this type of information. It's so very important to spread this level of depth to the simple believers like myself.

[@garysweeten5196]

She is a gift of God.

[@SEL65545]

What an amazing discussion. It reminds me a verse in 2 Tim. 2:8 "Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descendant of David. This is my gospel."

[@willielee5253]

Clicking on Prof. Richter's site is a 💎 gem.

[@jreaves11]

Sandy, the vision of God which I find most adequate if not completely accurate is a picture of God in the OT involve the picture of a parent sometimes angry but constantly searching--mush like a heavenly Hound of Heaven--but always loving and seeking the best for the conscious creatures of planet Earth. That's limited but it's where I am presently. Great job by you guys--especially you Sandy.

[@user-ws6uc3dg3k]

The cultural gap is world wide. We don’t realise that those who wrote the Bible never knew that their words would be read thousands of years later by people in a very different world. Their culture was interwoven into their teaching, and we are arrogant to think that the messages are very simple. In order to grab the fullness of the God we serve is to take time to learn the culture of the time to get the gems

[@glarris1]

Where is the link??

[@Stupidityindex]

How is it possibly ethical to suggest the equivalent of a notion we all travel with one foot in a stranger's fantasyland, using fictional vocabulary: prophecy, prayer, etc. ? The religious are dismissed on first blush, lacking reason, standards, & standing. No one looks for a prophet in the real-world & nothing fails like prayers in a children's hospital. So how can this nonsense be distributed ethically? An improved deity would obviously be so well understood, if She existed, theologians would be a thing of fiction. The religious lack any standing for a vacuum of quality-control. The Jews have a joke: God made Mormons so Christians would know how Jews feel. As the crowds increased, Jesus said, This is a wicked generation. It asks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah, who was sacrificed overboard & the raging sea grew calm. The sign of Jonah is the superstitious working their way to a majority & good people dying. The problem the religious offer is a world upside-down, with testimony over evidence. The same thing goes for UFO/UAP. Instead of disclosure, the state prevails with the subject too dear for you to know of; by default, the national security state can hide in private industry, and you can just pay your tribute to those who know better.

[@tapuit1]

I do not believe there was ever a real garden of Eden. This is a story, not history. Jesus never claimed to be God. He said that the father was greater than him.

[@RachelWeeping]

The old testiment is the Bible. By comparison the NT is a joke. People dodge the OT, because God is harsh. News flash he still is. I believe the book of Numbers is an excellent portrayal of how God interacts with people.

[@qazyman]

I don't want this to be taken the wrong way, but I think it's important to point out that much of modern Christianity is an exercise in explaining why God will overlook our sin. From Adam to Christ, scriptures are a discussion of judgement. Maybe the resurrection, grace, the Word being written on our hearts, has changed things. Adam, and the Jewish people, both faced harsh judgement. I think Christians need a very strong argument on why we will be treated different, and I don't think we have one. I include myself in this as well.

[@glarris1]

Neither Adam nor the Israelites face harsh judgment for breaking their respective Covenants. Heck, Caine doesn’t even face harsh judgement and he murdered his brother.

[@qazyman]

@@glarris1 - Being removed from God's presence. 70ad. Seems pretty harsh. If you ask Hosea, he would say it's harsh. If you ask the Messiah. I think it seemed pretty harsh to him. You look at Jerusalem today. Seems pretty harsh. If you ask me? It seems pretty harsh. Picking up your cross and dying to self isn't fun. Just MHO.

[@SEL65545]

It seems like the "gospel" preached today by some (and gladly received) is that if we're in Christ, we're "off the hook" for our sin and don't need to take repentance seriously. I see nothing but harsh warnings throughout the OT and NT that without repentance, we most definitely should not be confident of our eternal salvation. By saying that I'm not saying Christians won't sin, nor am I suggesting anything outside the grace of God saves us, but if the disposition of one's heart is not toward faith AND obedience, I would question whether that person is converted or truly understands the gospel.@@qazyman

[@qazyman]

@@SEL65545 I think you make an excellent point.