By “His story” I mean the story of Jesus Christ. The word “empirical” refers to knowledge gained by experience (as distinct from theory or study). Jews and Christians see the same scriptures in the Old Testament from different viewpoints.
Jews read the Bible as history with some prophecies not yet fulfilled). We view their history as containing prophecies that relate beyond them to Jesus Christ. The first Christians understood the texts empirically, that is, as fulfilled in Christ’s life, death and resurrection; and in the spiritual experiences of his Apostles: those “sent out”.
Psalm 22 is the most detailed of all Messianic psalms. In verse 22, David sings: “I will declare your name unto my brethren; in the midst of the congregation, I will praise you.” The NT Greek word translates “congregation” as “church”. No problem because both words define a gathering of people called to meet together with a purpose in mind.
A Jew might well ask by what authority the writer of the NT book The New Testament Book of Hebrews quotes the suffering figure in Psalm 22:22 as a prophetic reference to a song of praise in the church. The answer is that the Spirit of God, who inspired David’s prophecy, much later inspired the writer of Hebrews to attribute it to a song of praise by Jesus Christ in a future assembly, composed of both Jew and Gentile believers.
The word empirical is not to be confused with the word imperial, which would indicate to us that the history of the Old Testament was fulfilled in the narratives of the Gospels and Acts, and The Apostles’ Doctrine.
The empirical view, however, preserves the record of Jewish history and its wider fulfillment in Christian Faith and practice. What Jews view correctly as their history is to those who are Christians — whether they be by birth Jew or non-Jew — a view over an even greater way not just as history but as His Story.
Moreover, the things that happened in Israel’s history were pointers to Jesus. As Revelation 19:10 puts it: “The testimony of Jesus is “the spirit of prophecy” — the very essence of biblical prophecy. The “goings forth” of the Messiah “were from old, from everlasting”. Old Testament prophecies and “types” foretold the rule of Israel’s promised Messiah.
So, history is our story as well as the story of Israel, and what is yet to come will be fulfilled in the Lord’s return and his reign worldwide, and us with him. History records the Past. The Future is yet to be recorded. However, those who rule with Jesus will not record history, but under King Jesus will wrap up history and enter eternity! End of Story.