Pastor John,
I would like to get your thoughts on who constituted the Old Testament. Who was the 1st testator?
Thanks so much!
Steven R
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Hi Steven.
I assume you are referring to these verses from Hebrews 9:
- Now, where a testament is, the death of the testator must be confirmed.
- For a testament is in force after men are dead; it has no force at all while the testator is alive.
Of course, Jesus is the Testator of this New Testament. As to the first testament, there was no human testator; animals were used instead. The next few verses in Hebrews 9 refer to the ratification of the Old Testament (which took place in Exodus 24):
- Therefore, not even the first testament was instituted without blood.
- For when every commandment of the law had been spoken by Moses to all the people, he took the blood of bullocks and goats, along with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and he sprinkled both the book itself and all the people,
- saying, “This is the blood of the covenant that God has ordained for you.”
Here is the event from Exodus as Moses recorded it (Ex. 24:5-8):
- And he sent young men of the children of Israel, and they offered up young bulls for burnt offerings and slaughtered sacrifices for peace offerings to Jehovah.
- And Moses took half of the blood and put it into basins, and half of the blood he threw against the altar.
- And he took the book of the covenant and read it aloud in the ears of the people, and they said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do and we will obey.”
- And Moses took the blood and threw it on the people and said, “Behold! The blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you. . . .”
So, there was no “first testator”, since a number of animals were used in order to get all the blood Moses needed for sprinkling all that he had to sprinkle. No man would have had to die in order to initiate a covenant of death, as Paul might have described the Old Testament (cf. 2Cor. 3:7–11). One might argue that there were “first testators”, since many animals were slaughtered, but the Bible never refers to them as such.
I am very happy you wrote with a question, Steven. Hopefully, we will meet someday, either here or in the blessed place that God has prepared for those who love him.
Your Servant in Christ,
Pastor John