Discovering Types Of Christ In The Old Testament

6.9.18

By Carolyn Graham


When most believers think about Jesus, they use as their reference the New Testament. This is, after all, where you find the Gospels recounting His life, teachings, death, and resurrection. Jesus on the other hand references the Old Testament repeatedly throughout His life. Rather than a physical recounting, the Bible's Old Testament gives us a glimpse into the different types of Christ as seen in shadows, prophecies, and pictures.

Some believe it starts with God's tree of life. When God was creating the Garden of Eden He placed the tree of life squarely in the middle. Many years later He would set His Son down in the middle of the Israelites, who were His chosen people. Revelations tells us that Jesus is the tree of life that bears twelve fruits, representing the apostles. The leaves on the tree are there to cure the nations.

Noah listened to God and built an Ark when everyone else thought he was crazy. He gathered the animals together, herded them onto the boat and shut the door. In this way he saved himself and the animal kingdom. Jesus saved man in much the same way. Noah knew the ark would shelter his flock from destruction. Believers know that Jesus will not let them perish.

Jacob dreamed he saw a ladder to heaven in the Old Testament. He saw angels using it to ascend and descend from heaven. Christians believe that Jesus is the gateway to heaven and God. We can only see angels and God through Him. Jesus is depicted as the Lamb of God in the New Testament.

Jesus describes Himself to the believers as their bread of Life. He says anyone who comes to Him will be fed. The children of Israel in the Old Testament had to wander on dry ground for 40 years. During that time, they didn't have anything but manna, bread, to keep them alive. The New Testament assures us that Jesus will feed us spiritually if we submit to Him and believe.

In one of the conversations Moses has with God, he is instructed to call the elders and travel to Horeb. He will see a rock there that he is to strike. Water will emanate from the rock and give the Israelites sustenance. Paul tells the same story with a twist in his 1st letter to his Corinthian followers. In it he refers to the rock as representing Jesus in a spiritual sense dispensing spiritual sustenance.

King David was forced to give the building of the temple over to his son, Solomon. The temple represents the dwelling place of God. If we repent we are allowed to enter. Jesus refers to Himself as the temple and tells His enemies if they destroy it, He will resurrect it in three days.

A lot of Christians have issues with the Old Testament. Jesus used it to teach His followers because that is what He read. The people of the Old Testament would have recognized the stories He told. Understanding Jesus completely must include the teachings He read.




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