CHRIST IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

By Jerelyn Pearson

 

One of my earliest memories of Bible study was when my mother or my Aunt Lovie read to me from the King James Bible. The specific scripture must have been Genesis 1:26-27 because according to family tales of my childhood, I often requested the story of how God made male and “remale”. It was a while before I understood why they thought this was so amusing.

Genesis 1:26-27
26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

Several years later at the age of 8, I decided to accept Christ as my Lord and Savior and to be baptized. My parents and Aunt Lovie were present when I walked to the front of the church to make public my profession of faith. Throughout my childhood and teens, I was active in Sunday School and Church where I received a good foundation for Christian living. I am grateful for that early beginning. Although my interest in and dedication to Bible study waxed and waned through my adult years, the Lord remained faithful to me. When I’ve strayed, he’s always drawn me back to the point that for the past 28 years, Bible study has been an integral part of my life. 

Gradually over time the Lord has helped me grow in knowledge, understanding, and hopefully wisdom. I’ve known and believed for a long time that the Bible is not only history, but it is His Story. More and more I am seeing Jesus revealed throughout the Bible. The New Testament makes His Story clear.  The Old Testament is more subtle because although the truth is there, much of it was not revealed until the appropriate time.  And much of it is not yet revealed. But with the Lord’s guidance we can see more and more of it each day.

For example in Genesis 1:26, which we just read, “God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.”

Apparently God wasn’t alone. Of course quite a bit of time passed between my wanting to hear the story of “Male and Remale” and my wondering who was with God in the beginning.

John 1:1-5
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

John 1:14
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

This passage in the New Testament makes it clear that Jesus Christ was with God in the beginning of the Old Testament. This is by far not the only time that Christ is revealed to have been represented throughout the Old Testament.

You may ask the question, why is it important to find Christ in the Old Testament? For one thing it is thrilling to discover clues to a great mystery and to understand a fuller meaning and significance of the scripture as the Lord opens the eyes of our understanding. Remember how the two disciples on the road to Emmaus responded to Jesus revelation of the meaning of Old testament prophesies?

Luke 24:32
And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?

Their hearts burned within them as Jesus revealed the prophesies.

Luke 24:27
And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

Jesus was well versed in scripture. We on the other hand may need to rely on center references as an effective aid to increase our understanding of the scriptures. A good place to begin searching for Christ in the Old Testament is the list of center reference scriptures attached to Luke 24:27. I encourage you to read these scriptures and be inspired to keep seeking Christ in the Old Testament. 

Another clear signal that alerts us to deeper understanding of prophesy is that many Old Testament prophesies are made explicitly clear in the New. For example, Hosea prophesied in Hosea 11:1.

Hosea 11:1
When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.

At this point the meaning of this prophesy was purposely not made clear. It is clarified in Matthew 2:13-15 where we find its fulfillment.

Matthew 2:13-15
13 And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.
14 When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:
15 And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.

Often while reading the New Testament you will find a phrase similar to “that it might be fulfilled” making it completely clear that a particular incident occurs as the fulfillment of a particular prophesy.

When we dig a little deeper into the Old Testament, we discover more detail regarding this prophesy. The center reference for Hosea 11:1 leads us to Exodus 4:22-23 giving more background information pointing to the prophesy, “Out of Egypt have I called my son.”

Exodus 4:22-23
22 And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:
23 And I say unto thee, Let my son go…

Here we see that the nation of Israel is referred to as “my son, even my firstborn” and again as “my son”. Isreal being called out of Egypt is an event pointing to the time when Christ will be called out of Egypt. Hosea’s statement is a prophesy pointing to the time when Christ will be called out of Egypt. So we see that both historical events and prophesies in the Old Testament are part of God’s plan to reveal his Son, Jesus Christ.

There are many other times in the New Testament where an event is explicitly said to be the fulfillment of a prophesy. When you find such an event I highly recommend taking the time to go to the Old Testament for additional revelation.    

So I’ll ask again, “Why is it important to seek Christ in the Old Testament?” In addition to the thrill of receiving revelation and greater understanding of scripture, there is an even more important benefit for seeking Christ in the Old Testament. 

We have been together as a church for several years. Think back to when we first met.  How well did we know each other then compared to now? At first we just knew about each other. We learned to recognize each other and call each other by name. Gradually over time we have shared experiences together as a group and as individuals.  We’ve worshiped together, played together, grieved together, shared good times and bad. I think it’s safe to say that by prayer and example we encourage each other to remain faithful to Christ in our daily living. During this process we have each revealed more of our nature to the other. Through time and shared experiences we know each other so much more deeply now than we did in the beginning.

When we seek Christ in the whole Bible exploring the depth of scripture, we begin to know more of who he is. As he reveals more of his nature to us, we can draw closer in our personal relationship with him and allow him to work through us in our day to day living.

 

---

Presented 15 September 2019 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana