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Glory · The Word of God
The Old Testament is not a separate book about a different God; it is the first half of the one story that is about Jesus. Jesus Himself said the Scriptures testify of Him, and on the Emmaus road He opened the law, the prophets, and the psalms and explained the things concerning Himself. We find Christ in the Old Testament in its promises and prophecies, its types and patterns, its covenants and sacrifices, and its expectation of a coming King, all of which He came to fulfill.
https://glorystudy.com/questions/how-do-i-find-christ-in-the-old-testament · Scripture quoted from the World English Bible
Luke 24:13-32
As you read: Beginning from Moses and all the prophets, Jesus explained the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures, and their hearts burned.
13Behold, two of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was sixty stadia from Jerusalem.
14They talked with each other about all of these things which had happened.
15While they talked and questioned together, Jesus himself came near, and went with them.
16But their eyes were kept from recognizing him.
17He said to them, “What are you talking about as you walk, and are sad?”
18One of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who doesn’t know the things which have happened there in these days?”
19He said to them, “What things?” They said to him, “The things concerning Jesus, the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people;
20and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him.
21But we were hoping that it was he who would redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened.
22Also, certain women of our company amazed us, having arrived early at the tomb;
23and when they didn’t find his body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive.
24Some of us went to the tomb, and found it just like the women had said, but they didn’t see him.”
25He said to them, “Foolish men, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!
26Didn’t the Christ have to suffer these things and to enter into his glory?”
27Beginning from Moses and from all the prophets, he explained to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
28They drew near to the village, where they were going, and he acted like he would go further.
29They urged him, saying, “Stay with us, for it is almost evening, and the day is almost over.” He went in to stay with them.
30When he had sat down at the table with them, he took the bread and gave thanks. Breaking it, he gave to them.
31Their eyes were opened, and they recognized him, and he vanished out of their sight.
32They said one to another, “Weren’t our hearts burning within us, while he spoke to us along the way, and while he opened the Scriptures to us?”
John 5:36-40
As you read: Jesus tells those who search the Scriptures that they are the ones that testify about Him.
36But the testimony which I have is greater than that of John, for the works which the Father gave me to accomplish, the very works that I do, testify about me, that the Father has sent me.
37The Father himself, who sent me, has testified about me. You have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his form.
38You don’t have his word living in you; because you don’t believe him whom he sent.
39“You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and these are they which testify about me.
40Yet you will not come to me, that you may have life.
Matthew 5:17-20
As you read: Jesus did not come to destroy the Law or the Prophets but to fulfill them.
17“Don’t think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I didn’t come to destroy, but to fulfill.
18For most certainly, I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not even one smallest letteror one tiny pen stroke shall in any way pass away from the law, until all things are accomplished.
19Whoever, therefore, shall break one of these least commandments, and teach others to do so, shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven; but whoever shall do and teach them shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.
20For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, there is no way you will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.
1 Corinthians 10:1-13
As you read: Paul reads the wilderness history as pointing to Christ: the rock that followed them was Christ, and the exodus was a warning for us.
1Now I would not have you ignorant, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
2and were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
3and all ate the same spiritual food;
4and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of a spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ.
5However with most of them, God was not well pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
6Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.
7Neither be idolaters, as some of them were. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.”
8Neither let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them committed, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell.
9Neither let us test the Lord, as some of them tested, and perished by the serpents.
10Neither grumble, as some of them also grumbled, and perished by the destroyer.
11Now all these things happened to them by way of example, and they were written for our admonition, on whom the ends of the ages have come.
12Therefore let him who thinks he stands be careful that he doesn’t fall.
13No temptation has taken you except what is common to man. God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted above what you are able, but will with the temptation also make the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
1 Peter 1:10-12
As you read: The Spirit of Christ was in the prophets, predicting the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.
10Concerning this salvation, the prophets sought and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you,
11searching for who or what kind of time the Spirit of Christ, which was in them, pointed to, when he predicted the sufferings of Christ, and the glories that would follow them.
12To them it was revealed, that not to themselves, but to you, they ministered these things, which now have been announced to you through those who preached the Good News to you by the Holy Spirit sent out from heaven; which things angels desire to look into.
The key to the Old Testament is Christ, and Jesus gave it to us Himself. He said, 'You search the Scriptures... and these are they which testify about me.' On the road to Emmaus, 'beginning from Moses and from all the prophets, he explained to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.' And later He said that everything written in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms concerning Him must be fulfilled. Jesus is the subject the whole book has been waiting for.
““You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and these are they which testify about me.”John 5:39
“Beginning from Moses and from all the prophets, he explained to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.”Luke 24:27
“He said to them, “This is what I told you, while I was still with you, that all things which are written in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms, concerning me must be fulfilled.””Luke 24:44
Jesus said plainly, 'Don't think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I didn't come to destroy, but to fulfill.' Paul says that however many the promises of God are, 'in him is the Yes'; Peter announces that what God foretold through all the prophets, that the Christ should suffer, He has fulfilled. The Old Testament raises the expectation; Christ is the one who meets it, so that reading the promise without Him is reading a story without its ending.
““Don’t think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I didn’t come to destroy, but to fulfill.”Matthew 5:17
“For however many are the promises of God, in him is the “Yes.” Therefore also through him is the “Amen”, to the glory of God through us.”2 Corinthians 1:20
“But the things which God announced by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he thus fulfilled.”Acts 3:18
“He said to them, “This is what I told you, while I was still with you, that all things which are written in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms, concerning me must be fulfilled.””Luke 24:44
The Old Testament is thick with anticipations of Christ. Paul could read the wilderness and say, 'the rock was Christ,' and speak of the exodus as a warning pointing to ourselves. John saw in the Passover lamb the one who takes away the sin of the world. Hebrews says the law had 'a shadow of the good to come,' and Colossians calls the festivals and holy days a shadow, 'but the body is Christ's.' The sacrifices of the tabernacle, the lamb, the rock, the bread: each is a finger pointing to Christ.
“and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of a spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ.”1 Corinthians 10:4
“The next day, he saw Jesus coming to him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”John 1:29
“For the law, having a shadow of the good to come, not the very image of the things, can never with the same sacrifices year by year, which they offer continually, make perfect those who draw near.”Hebrews 10:1
“which are a shadow of the things to come; but the body is Christ’s.”Colossians 2:17
“Now I would not have you ignorant, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;”1 Corinthians 10:1
From the beginning, the Old Testament is a waiting room for Christ. It promises a son of David whose throne lasts forever, a child to be born whose name is Wonderful Counselor and Prince of Peace, a righteous Branch who will reign. And it portrays a Suffering Servant, pierced for our transgressions, whose cry the crucified Jesus took on His own lips: 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' Peter says the Spirit of Christ in the prophets predicted 'the sufferings of Christ, and the glories that would follow them.'
“The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.”Matthew 1:1
“He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father, David,”Luke 1:32
“Behold, the days come, says Yahweh, that I will raise to David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.”Jeremiah 23:5
“For to us a child is born. To us a son is given; and the government will be on his shoulders. His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”Isaiah 9:6
“But he was pierced for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. The punishment that brought our peace was on him; and by his wounds we are healed.”Isaiah 53:5
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?”Psalm 22:1
“searching for who or what kind of time the Spirit of Christ, which was in them, pointed to, when he predicted the sufferings of Christ, and the glories that would follow them.”1 Peter 1:11
To find Christ in the Old Testament, we read it with Him in view: asking of each part how it anticipates Him, how it promises Him, how it is fulfilled in Him, and how it prepares the way for the gospel. The veil is removed when we turn to the Lord, as Paul says; the same Scriptures that seemed hidden are opened when Christ is seen. Whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction. Read the Old Testament with Jesus on the page, and it becomes what it always was: the gospel before the cross.
“But their minds were hardened, for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains, because in Christ it passes away.”2 Corinthians 3:14
“But whenever one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.”2 Corinthians 3:16
“For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that through patience and through encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”Romans 15:4
“They said one to another, “Weren’t our hearts burning within us, while he spoke to us along the way, and while he opened the Scriptures to us?””Luke 24:32
“Beginning from Moses and from all the prophets, he explained to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.”Luke 24:27