Old Testament Law Issues - Essay Example

One was oriented to the Old Testament law at a very young age through bible stories presented in picture format. One particularly enjoyed reading stories about Noah and the great flood, the creation of the world, as well as Moses and the Ten Commandments, among others. Aside from parents who were instrumental in introducing these stories from the Old Testament of the Holy Bible, school teachers have assisted in affirming Christian values and beliefs that use the bible as the theoretical framework for instilling proper conduct and behaviour, which are consistent with ethical and moral standards.

For instance, the story of Noah’s Ark and the flood was found in Genesis Chapters 6 to 9 (What Christians Want to Know, 2012). The presentation was through various forms: (1) by the stories being told personally by parents and older relatives (who were previously acquainted with the story from the bible); (2) through reading it from a pictured bible; and (3) through the lessons shared by teachers on Christian values. The manner of presentation ignited one’s interest in the Old Testament law, particularly in emphasizing that God is all-powerful and could make all things possible. The lesson learned from the story included realizing that man should avoid sin to prevent earning anger and ire from God; and more importantly, that good virtue leads to salvation.

In contemporary times, the story of Noah was made into a film through Evan Almighty (Tubbs, 2011). As emphasized, it “delivers thoughtful messages about having faith and trusting God, even when we don't see the whole plan; and about persevering, even when the task seems hopeless—particularly when serving God might open you up to ridicule and public embarrassment. We are also reminded that we are but stewards of God's wondrous creation” (Tubbs, 2011, par. 6).

Another remarkable story was Moses and the Ten Commandments. The same story was presented by others through the same formats, as abovementioned, and through an old film that was shown such as The Ten Commandments which starred Charlton Heston and Yul Brynner, among others (Nash Information Services, 2012). These presentations assisted in enforcing the need to obey and adhere to the Ten Commandments as noted in the bible. They have consistently formed one’s framework for treating others and for acknowledging the presence of a Divine Power and Supreme Being. One eventually realized that these commandments are effective guiding principles to ensure that one abides by the expected set of ethical behaviour to avoid conflicts or committing sin.

The personal challenges of reading other chapters and stories in the Old Testament is the intricate details and the voluminous names of characters that were disclosed therein. When the discourse was difficult to image or visualize, it thereby became more challenging to understand and comprehend; in conjunction with the figurative language used.