When reading through the Old Testament, it’s hard to see anything good happening at the surface.
Everything starts out wonderful and beautiful. But very quickly, creation spirals into chaos. Adam and Eve rebel against God. Cain murders Abel. The people of Shinar build a tower to declare their autonomy from all other gods.
The children of Israel prostitute with a golden calf in the desert.
King Saul dabbles with witchcraft and ignores God’s commands.
King Solomon marries women from all the surrounding nations, adopting their idol worship.
And the narrative gets worse and worse as the story goes on. Is there any hope?
I hope you’re catching on by now that the Bible does not attempt to give every detail about life; but rather, it tells us a story. It tells us the story of God and the kingdom he has formed. It tells us the story of humanity and our deep brokenness and need for his redemption.
Most importantly, it tells us the story of Jesus: the intersection of God and man.
Hidden throughout all these stories of depravity are signs of the Messiah to come.
God is pursuing his creation–not just by calling their name in the Garden or sending instructions for them to know how to best live. He’s pursuing all people by coming, personally, to show them who he is.
Let’s look at a few of these signs of Christ in the Old Testament.
The Passover Lamb
If you remember the story of the children of Israel in Egypt, they had ended up there because of famine in Mesopotamia.
Actually, the famine was all over. But Joseph had been sold into slavery to Egypt and earned recognition in Pharaoh’s rule by interpreting dreams. One of the dreams Joseph interpreted told of the coming famine. He was able to help Egypt save enough food so they would not be left without any during the drought. Joseph’s family ended up moving down to Egypt (after they learned he was the governor of Egypt).
This is how the children of Israel ended up in bondage.
After several generations, a new ruler of Egypt rose up who did not know Joseph. Because by this time the Israelite’s (Jacob’s family) had grown to be quite large, this ruler feared they would try taking over Egypt. So he enslaved them.
God delivering Israel from of slavery required a “Passover Lamb.”
After the plagues, which were God’s way of giving Pharaoh a chance to yield to him, God directed Moses to have the people kill a lamb, dip hyssop in its blood, and wipe the blood over the doorposts of their homes. This marked God’s people from the rest of the Egyptians, so when the Lord passed over the land of Egypt, no one in a home with the blood from the Passover lamb was killed.
In the same way, there is coming a judgment for all who refuse to yield to God’s design (2 Co. 5:10, Heb. 9:27).
Jesus Christ is our Passover lamb today (1 Co. 5:7). When we trust his sacrifice for us and allow him to be lord of our lives, we essentially wipe his blood on our doorposts. Because of Jesus, when the judgment comes, we will be “Passed-over.”
Forgiven, in other words.
The Temple Erected
If we’re not careful, we can assume that in the Old Testament God only invites the Israelite’s to walk with him, that the Messiah only means something to the Jews.
Embedded in the story of Israel, however, is the invitation from God to all peoples to know him and walk in his design.
Think of God’s covenant with Abraham: “in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen. 12:3).
Consider when God renewed this covenant with the whole nation of Israel: “all the people among whom you are shall see the work of the Lord…” (Ex. 34:10).
Even when Solomon dedicated the temple, we see God’s heart for all people to know him:
Likewise, when a foreigner, who is not of your people Israel, comes from a far country for your name’s sake (for they shall hear of your great name and your mighty hand, and of your outstretched arm), when he comes and prays toward this house, hear in heaven your dwelling place and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to you, in order that all the peoples of the earthy may know your name and fear you, as do your people Israel, and that they may know that this house that I have built is called by your name.
(1 Kings 8:41-43)
In this way we see whispers of Jesus, who is God’s expression of love for the world, given so anyone who believes would not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16).
Sacrifices and Priesthood
Throughout the Old Testament, we read about sacrifices and priests. Perhaps these elements, more than any, make it difficult for a twenty-first century Christian to see what’s going on because the concept of sacrifice is so foreign to us.
But as Hebrews tells us, sacrifices (and the priests that offer them) are integral to the narrative of the Old Testament story pointing us to Jesus:
For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshippers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sin? But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said,
“Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired,
but a body have you prepared for me;
in burnt offerings and sin offerings
you have taken no pleasure.
Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God,
as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’”When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He does away with the first in order to establish the second. And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.
And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying,
“This is the covenant that I will make with them
after those days, declares the Lord:
I will put my laws on their hearts,
and write them on their minds,”then he adds,
“I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.”
Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.
(Hebrews 10:1-18)
The Old Testament is a hard read—everything beautiful gets all but destroyed.
But the Old Testament isn’t the end of the story. God doesn’t just let his creation fall into chaos. He gives hope. He’s working redemption. The Messiah is coming.
And his coming is close.
Have you ever read the Old Testament looking for Jesus? How did it change the way you understood it all? You’re welcome to share in the comments below.
