10 Powerful Old Testament Passages That Changed My Worldview

"And Moses said to the people, 'Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today; for the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see no more. The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be still'."

This was what Moses told the Israelites shortly before they crossed the Red Sea, when they were in great panic, seeing that the Egyptians were pursuing them. Moses then passed this heart-warming message to the people. The Lord is able to deliver them from the hands of the Egyptians and that they shall see them no more. They only have to be still. The Egyptians in our lives today maybe sin, failure, delay, sicknesses and diseases, depression, oppression, among others, but the word of the Lord to us this very day is that we've got only to be still. Being still here is waiting upon the Lord for salvation with an intent mind. Remember, being still and doing nothing are two very different things.

"Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk, without money and without price."

This scripture is very deep. When I first read it, I didn't understand until one day when the Lord opened my eyes of understanding. The passage is a parable, comparing a man who is thirsty (not hungry) to the the act of seeking God. Someone who is thirsty cannot and will not relax until his thirst is quenched. And the Bible compares such a man to someone seeking the Lord's salvation. The Salvation of the Lord is a priceless offering, yet anyone can get it without money and without price, and the Bible says we must long for it like a man who is thirsty.

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you: I appointed you a prophet to the nation's."

This passage of scripture reveals and confirms that we are indeed made by God and for God. Even before we became a clot of blood in the womb He knew us. This is interesting. God has also appointed us to be workers in his vineyard. To proclaim His goodness to the nations of the earth. To worship and to serve him, for we are His and He is ours.

"He has made everything beautiful in its time..."

This passage challenges me to always look to God for everything, because at the proper time, He makes everything beautiful. Sometimes we wonder why we work so hard to acquire something at a particular time, yet we don't get it. It's only because we have not descern and know God's timing. Time is precious, even more than gold, so look to it as such and with all diligence.

"Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there's any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."

This is a Pslam of David. A famous one of course. David is letting us know that there are some hidden and secret sins that are unknown to us. In other words, we can sin and go wayward and think its normal. That's very dangerous. And so we must, at any point in time, ask God to search and know our hearts, try and know our thoughts, and reveal any wicked way in our lives. This has been my prayer over the years and I challenge you to do same.

"House and wealth are inherited from fathers, but a prudent wife is from the Lord."

Whoosh! How wonderful! The Bible tells us that as for wealth, they are inherited from fathers. Fathers work so hard and obtain these wealth during their lifetime, and when they are no more, their children will inherit it. But a good wife—a prudent one—is from the Lord. In other words, when you marry a woman whom you can confidently and proudly call 'bone of my bones,' she is an inheritance from God. Therefore as young people, we have to seek the face of God when choosing a life partner. Those who are already married but with lots of problems should also pray for God's intervention. This is very helpful and necessary.

"This book of the law should not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success."

Reading the word of God, meditating on it day and night and practicing it in our daily lives is the surest way to obtain true success. The word of God is a light and a lamp. The lamp helps to lighten up your immediate vicinity whilst the light shines on your path to leading greatness in the future. Psalm 1 also testifies to this fact. This passage always compels me to study the Bible, meditate on it and apply it in my daily life, for I am fully persuaded that it is what leads to true success.

"They rose early in the morning and worshipped before the Lord; then they went home at Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the Lord remembered her."

This was Hannah who has been praying in the temple; pouring her soul before the Lord for a son, because she was barren. In this verse, we see Hannah prayed before the Lord early in the morning. And the Bible says that the Lord remembered her. This is how powerful morning devotions can be. This passage admonishes challenges me to spend some time with God in prayer every morning. I hope you will also do same.

"And David said, 'The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the bear, will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine'."

In this chapter of the first book of Samuel, we see David eager to fight Goliath the Philistine, despite his age. What really moved me here was the testimony of David. I have learnt that when we testify about the small things God does to us in our closet to people, God will use it as a stepping stone to glory us in front of kings and the nations. David acknowledged what the Lord did for him while shepherding, and now he has defeated the most giant soldier of his time. That is the power of testimonies.

As all has been heard, the end of the matter is this: Fear God and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man."

The book of Ecclesiastes also known as the Preacher, was written by King Solomon, the wisest man ever to walk the earth. King Solomon has tasted literally everything on planet Earth (he even had 700 wives and 300 concubines in his lifetime), but at the end of it all he made this succinct conclusion in the last verses of Ecclesiastes 12. Man has no other duty than to fear God and to keep His commandments. For this is the only way one can make meaning out of life and at the end obtain eternal life.