How to Find Christ in the Old Testament
During our Sunday sermon series on Genesis, we are endeavoring to see two things about each passage:
First, what instruction God intends for us in the stories and laws written down long ago to a people far away.
The New Testament tells us that the Old Testament was written for our instruction so that is what Christians look for in the Old Testament. For example, Esau’s foolish exchange of his birthright for a bowl of red soup should instruct Christians about the foolishness of sexual immorality: we exchange our precious inheritance that we have in Christ for a momentary pleasure in fulfilling a carnal desire. Be instructed by the negative example of Esau! The Mosaic agricultural law is even meant not just for them but for our instruction. Did you know that we should pay pastors a decent salary and that Moses told us to do that? Where you ask? When he commanded the Hebrew children to not muzzle the ox as he plowed the field. These lessons are all New Testament ways to read the Old Testament.
Second, how that passage points us to Christ.
Jesus spoke to two of his disciples and told them that all of Scripture speaks about him. He rebuked the Pharisees for not seeing Him in Scripture when they read about manna from heaven or Abraham’s blessing of the nations. So, as an aide to Christian brothers, Sidney Greidanus, has outlined seven ways that we can look for Jesus Christ in every page of the Old Testament, both the stories of man and the revelations of God.
In order to help you read the Old Testament, here are the seven ways that our Dutch brother, Greidanus thinks are legitimate interpretive methods of the Old Testament in light of the New Testament’s revelation (I tend to agree, btw):
1. Redemptive-Historical Progression
As we see God redeem and save in biblical history we see that this is a smaller version of a greater salvation with a greater Savior.
Ex: God saved the Noah from the flood with the ark. Just like the ark, all who are in Christ will be saved from God’s wrath at the end of this age.
2. Promise Fullfillment
A promise that is given of salvation that cannot be completed by anyone but the eternal Messiah.
Ex: The first promise (Genesis 3:15) was that the Son of the Woman would crush the head of Satan, that the son of the woman would have ultimate victory. But which son of the woman? Time kept marching on as God revealed that it would be through the son of Abraham’s woman, Sarah and then the son of Isaac’s woman Rebekah, and then the son of Jacob’s woman Rachel that God would bless the nations. But none of their sons could fulfill this promise until the Messiah, the Son of the Woman, was born to Mary.
3. Typology
A person in the Old Testament that gives us a picture or an idea of the role that the Messiah will fulfill.
Ex: Paul said Adam was a type of the Messiah. How? He represented all human kind, all of his children. In Adam we are sinners and separated from God. In Christ, our greater representative, we can be justified and brought close to God.
Isaac, the obedient son who was willing to lay his life down at the request of his Father is a type of Christ who was willing to lay his life down at the command of God, the Father.
4. Analogy
These are extended parallels between what happened in the story of God’s people and Christ. Like Narnia or The Fellowship of the Rings.
Ex: Isaac’s love story with Rebekah is like the love story with Christ and the church in many ways. A believing wife (the church) was brought willingly to the Son of Promise (the Messiah) by a faithful servant (a Christian witness or maybe the Holy Spirit or both). This is a beautiful analogy with many parallels that can help us savor Christ more.
5. Themes
Ideas that begin in the Old Testament and find their completion in Christ and his Gospel.
Ex: The theme of God’s covenant that he initiates with his people and the sacrifice that seals the covenant. Christ is sent to bring the final and new covenant and seal it as the sacrifice.
6. New Testament References
Something explicitly shown to us in the New Testament about the meaning of an Old Testament thing and its connection to Christ.
Ex: John the Baptist said, “Behold the Lamb of God”. Every lamb sacrifice of the Old Testament then pointed to Jesus, the final Lamb of God.
7. Contrast
The errors and imperfections of heroes in the Old Testament (especially in the office of prophet, priest, and king) is to be a contrast to Christ, our perfect prophet, priest, and king
Ex: Jacob was the chosen son of promise. He was meant to bless the nations but instead he lied, cheated, and stole to get for himself. Jacob’s imperfection and sin shows us that he cannot be that final Savior. We were waiting for another.
Moses was a prophet but he disobeyed God’s prophecy when he struck the rock. Jesus, in contrast, would obey the Father up until death.
David was the greatest king of Israel but his lust for Bathsheba and unfaithfulness to his friend Uriah shows us that he is not the Great King we need. Jesus Christ was not dominated by sexual desire and beauty but lived a life of compete purity to be a eternal and good King.
Use this list next time you are reading the Old Testament. Which of the seven ways do you see Christ in the passage you are reading?