Recently I was asked if there are references to Jesus Christ in the Old Testament. Great question! I knew the answer was yes, but only after in depth exploring did I realize the vastness of Christ’s presence prior to His birth in Bethlehem. (See links below)
The best way to see Christ throughout the entire Bible is to take a step back and look at the big picture: before Creation — and after Jesus reigns in His eternal kingdom, and that short line in between we call time, where we are now. Remember that God has an enemy, Satan, who before the Creation led the angelic rebellion against Him and was banished from heaven, and is scheduled for eternity in hell. The battle in spiritual realms will continue until then.
Because God made man in His own image, man has been Satan’s main target…his way to continue his evil and try to get back at God. He is the Deceiver and Destroyer. Yet the triumph in it all is that none of that took God by surprise. Scripture says that from eternity, He has planned to be our Savior through Jesus the Christ, to make it possible for God to still be just and holy, yet also atone for our sins so we could be His children and with Him forever…in righteousness.
There is so much we may never understand, and that’s okay. Everything we need to know for now is in the scriptures. God wanted us to choose Him, and that’s why He gave us free will. He could have obliterated Satan and all evil at any time, but in His wisdom and GRACE this is how He has set things in motion. (Which by the way we are told absolutely amazes the angels!)
That is why we see references (clear, prophetic, symbolic, and appearances) to Christ from the Garden of Eden all the way through history and future events. As Jeshua (Jehovah is Salvation) Christ (Messiah), His death and resurrection is the pinnacle, the defining moment, when God defeated Satan, and made it possible for all who believe to be saved. The Old Testament looks forward to that momentous event, and the New Testament describes it and builds on it. And even in the last book (Revelation) we see scenes of amazing glory, light, holiness, angelic beings, God’s own people, peace and victory…all with God and the Lamb of God (Jeshua) on the throne.
In the meantime, Satan knows his time is limited and God is temporarily allowing him to wreak havoc. The irony is that God is still on the throne and His purposes will be fulfilled. We see many times where God has used evil for good. This is the journey of faith…God has said it, and done it, and we are free to believe or not.
There are only two choices. Only two destinations. And only one God and His Son Jesus Christ Who reach out to us in love and mercy. For those who receive Him, the best is yet to come. (I’ve read the last chapter!) 🙂
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The following are some helpful articles that go in depth with specific examples:
The Best Verse About Jesus From Each Old Testament Book
By Andy Deane
https://calvarychapel.com/posts/the-best-verse-about-jesus-from-each-old-testament-book/
7 Places We Find Jesus in the Old Testament
By Jeremy Bouma
https://zondervanacademic.com/blog/jesus-in-the-old-testament
Three Appearances of Christ in the Old Testament
By Clarence L. Haynes Jr.
https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/bible-study/examples-of-christophanies-in-the-old-testament.html
Ten Simple Ways To See Christ In The Old Testament
By Andy Deane
https://calvarychapel.com/posts/ten-simple-ways-to-see-christ-in-the-old-testament/
