To: The Global EKKlesia – One New Man (Ephesians 2: 15, 16)

One of the greatest joys in life is coming to know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Being born again starts a newness of life and purpose which are full of hope and expectation. This can occur at any time from childhood to senior citizen but no matter what the age, we all start at the beginning. As a child, we tend to be more teachable but the older we are the more baggage we bring to the cross and the more prone we are to resist starting at the ABC’s of bible reading, bible study and scripture memorization. Each disciple is to become a lifelong student of the Sacred Book, and the God that it reveals to the human family in all generations and to all people groups until time is changed back into eternity.

Bible study techniques, tools and timelines are available for every age group, skill level and outcome goal. One study method we will look at is the Text to Text approach. This refers to passages written in both the Old and the New Testaments that have a common thought, application, or a prophecy spoken and fulfilled.  As a rule of thumb, many Old Testament scriptures can be better understood when they are seen in a New Testament setting. To say it another way, the Old Testament is interpreted in the light revealed in the New. Often, Jesus or one of the New Testament writers would refer to the ancient writing and by doing so they gave them biblical validation.

The Text to Text web page will provide resource material to awaken your desire to “study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (II Timothy 2:15 KJV).

I hope that you will find these passages helpful, witty, weighty, and warrant your commitment to be the EKKlesia in your sphere of influence whether at home, at work, at play or at church.

Note: The text will be given but read the whole story, in order to answer the “who, what, when, where and why”.

Sample Search

1. Subject: The Crucifixion.
   
   Text: O.T. Numbers 21: 8, 9
   N.T. John 3: 14, 15
   . O.T. Context: Numbers Chapter 20.
   . Mariam, the sister of Moses dies.
   . The people complain of having no water.
   . God tells Moses to speak to the rock and it will give water.
   . Moses disobeyed God by striking the rock twice with his rod instead of speaking to it.
   . God declares that he and Aaron his brother, who is the High Priest, will not take the people into the Promised Land because of their sin.
   . Aaron dies in the mountain and his son Eleazar succeeds him as the High Priest.
   O.T. Context: Numbers Chapter 21.
   . They continue their journey but again the people grumble and complain to Moses.
   . God sends fiery serpents in the midst of them and many were bitten and died.
   . The people repent, and God instructs Moses to make a replica of the serpent, put it on a pole and raise it up.
   . All who were bitten would live if they looked upon the pole. They did so, and the plague was stopped.
   . Their journeys to the Promised Land then continue.
   N.T. Context: John Chapter 2.
   . Jesus does his first miracle by turning water into wine at a wedding.
   . He put the money changers out of the Temple.
   . The destruction of the Temple is discussed with the Jews.
   . Many became His followers.
   N. T. Context: John Chapter 3.
   . A Jewish Rabbi comes to Jesus and the Lord tells him about being born again in order to even see the Kingdom of God.
   . The puzzled Rabbi asks, how this can be done when a man is old?
   . In His answer Jesus says I have taught you earthly things and you do not believe, if I tell you heavenly things will you believe them?
   . Jesus tells him that He is from Heaven.
   . The comparison of himself and the serpent on a pole in Moses’s day speaks of His crucifixion on the cross.
   . Jesus and His disciples go on into Judea to continue in ministry.
   . John the Baptist closes the chapter proclaiming that belief in the Son of God brings everlasting life.
   N. T. Context: John Chapter 4.
   . The Lord meets the woman at the well in Samaria.
   . She becomes a follower of Jesus and goes to tell the people about a man that told her all the things she had did.
   . Many believed after hearing for themselves and said He is the Christ.
   . A child in another city was healed by the spoken word of Jesus. The father and his house believed on Him after this miracle, because his son was healed the same hour that Jesus said to him “Go thy way; thy son liveth”.
   
   Editor’s Note: Numbers chapters twenty and twenty- one show how frequent were the complaints of Israel to Moses. God judges them for this by sending poisonous snakes among them which brought them to repentance. Looking to the serpent on the pole would result in physical healing but looking to Jesus on the cross would result in spiritual healing or being born again. John three sixteen is the center piece of why Jesus came and why He died and rose again - it was to show God’s Love for all of humanity and that the sacrifice of His Son makes everlasting life available to all.
   
   With this example as your guide, you can now begin your own text to text study using the scriptures below. As you expand you Old and New Testament studies, numerous texts will be discovered.
   
   I pray that the Holy Spirit will guide you to know Him who is the Living Word, Jesus Christ the Son of God.
   
   
2. Subject: Christ forsaken.
   
   Text: O.T. Psalm 22: 1
   N.T. Matthew 27: 46
   
   
3. Subject: Two or three witnesses needed to establish the truth in a matter.
   Text: O.T. Deuteronomy 19:15
   N.T I Timothy 5:19
   
   
4. Subject: King David, a man after God’s own heart.
   Text: O.T. I Samuel 13:14
   N.T. Acts 13: 22
   
   
5. Subject: The Resurrection.
   Text: O.T. Psalm 16:10
   N.T. Acts 13: 35 – 37
   
   
6. Subject: Victory over death.
   Text: O.T. Isaiah 25: 8A
   N.T. 1 Corinthians 15: 54 – 57
   
   
7. Subject: God shall wipe away all tears.
   Text: O.T. Isaiah 25: 8B
   N.T. Revelation 7: 17; 21: 4
   
   
8. Subject: The meek shall inherit the earth.
   Text: O.T. Psalm 37: 11
   N.T. Matthew 5: 5
   
   
9. Subject: Do not add or subtract from the word of God.
   Text: O.T. Deuteronomy 4: 2
   N.T. Revelation 22: 18, 19
   
   
10. Subject: The things God has prepared for us is greater than anything we have seen or heard!
    Text: O.T. Isaiah 64: 4
    N.T. I Corinthians 2: 9

Shalom,
Coram Deo.
Edward Donalson Jr.
CEO The EKKlesia, Inc.