Be Ye Doers. . . Of The Word!

Have you every heard someone use the term "Type of Christ," or possibly heard someone refer to Adam, or another Old Testament person, as a "Type of Christ?" The use of this term dates back to the time of the apostles, and refers to a person, place, event, etc. as being a type of Christ. The Greek word translated "type" actually means an example or a figure of the real thing. There are several persons and events in the Old Testament which foreshadow or point to Christ as the fulfillment of a spiritual truth. In this article I would like to discuss some of these in hopes that you will better understand this concept.

Why did God choose to use this form of revelation in His Word? As we know, God had a plan to save man from the very beginning. When Jesus was born, it was not an after thought on God's part. God knew that man would need a way by which he could receive salvation. From the very beginning, God's plan was for His Son to provide that means of salvation. Therefore, in His Word, God has also provided us with many occurrences where we can see an example in the Old Testament of what Christ is going to do for the world through His life, ministry, death, burial and resurrection.

An excellent example of the types of Christ which I am referring to is found in Hebrews 9:7 - 10:10. In this passage the Hebrew writer indicates that the tabernacle was a foreshadowing of the coming of Christ. He says of the tabernacle, "It was symbolic for the present time. . ." (Hebrews 9:9a) In other words, the tabernacle was symbolic of Christ coming as our High Priest to bring the more perfect tabernacle not made with hands. This passage goes on to compare the blood of Christ which was shed for our sins to the blood of the animals which were sacrificed for the sins of the Israelites. Likewise, the law of the Old Testament is a shadow of Christ. Whereas the law would show man that he was a sinner, Christ would make man perfect in the sight of God through His sacrifice and atonement for our sins.

Christ was made our High Priest by God the Father and is the mediator between man and the Father. God had appointed Aaron to be high priest over the Israelites. So Aaron's being high priest was an example or type of Christ which we can look to. Consider the following passage and notice the language and how it applies to Christ in a spiritual since, "And you shall put in the breastplate of judgement the Urim and the Thummim, and they shall be over Aaron's heart when he goes in before the Lord. So Aaron shall bear the judgement of the children of Israel over his heart before the Lord continually." (Exodus 28:30) As Aaron would bear the sins of the Israelites by putting on the "breastplate of judgement" and taking it into the tabernacle, so also Christ would bear the sins of the entire world on the cross. Aaron's being high priest was symbolic of Christ becoming our High Priest. Aaron bore the sins so that the Israelites could be forgiven for a period of time, Christ bore our sins so that we can be forgiven for eternity. (See also Zechariah 6:12-13 & Hebrews 5:1-14)

The sacrifices which were instituted by Moses under the direction of God is a striking example of the types of Christ which we are discussing. In the sacrifices, we see the elements of what Christ done for us by dying on the cross for our sins. The animals used in the sacrifices for sin in the Old Testament were to be without blemish, ". . . if the anointed priest sins, bringing quilt on the people, then let him offer to the Lord for his sin which he has sinned a young bull without blemish as a sin offering." (Leviticus 4:3) Just as the bull without blemish was the sacrifice for the sins of the priest in this passage, so also a sacrifice without blemish (or without sin) was necessary for man to be able to receive the remission of his sins for eternity. It was Christ who was that sacrifice without blemish or sin, "... how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without Spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" (Hebrews 9:14)

The use of young animals (lambs) is also an example of Christ. The young are innocent of any wrong doing. Have you ever noticed how people will make over babies and even little puppies and kittens. We love them don't we! Why? Because of their innocence and purity. It is this thought which comes to mind when we consider the lambs which were used as a sacrifice in the Old Testament, the thought of purity and innocence. Jesus Christ was the ultimate in innocence and purity for He was truly without sin and without blemish. This is the reason that the use of lambs in the Old Testament was a "type of Christ." Consider these passages, "... but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot." (1 Peter 1:19) "The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, ‘Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!'" (John 1:29) "And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth." (Revelation 5:6)

The manna which God had provided for the Israelites during their time in the wilderness is also a foreshadowing of Christ. The Israelites had no means by which to feed themselves for they were wandering (lost, so to speak) in the wilderness. Therefore, God provided them with the manna for food which met their physical need. In like manner, those who have sinned are also wandering or lost in a spiritual wilderness. God has also provided for the spiritual need through His Son, Jesus Christ. Christ is our spiritual "bread" and if we partake of this "bread of life" we will never hunger (spiritually) again. "Then Jesus said to them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.' Then they said to Him, ‘Lord, give us this bread always.' And Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.'"
(John 6:32-35)

The Tree of Life is also a foreshadowing of Christ, "And out of the ground the Lord God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil." (Genesis 2:9) God had provided the tree of life in the garden for Adam and Eve. Had they eaten of the tree of life, they would have lived forever. Whereas the tree of life in the garden would have provided eternal life physically, the Tree of Life which is Christ provides for eternal life spiritually.

There are several people in the Old Testament who are "types of Christ":

Adam was the means by which man would receive physical life. Adam was the father of mankind and therefore the giver of physical life. Christ is the "last Adam" in that He is also a giver of life – spiritual life. "Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come." (Romans 5:14) "And so it is written, ‘The first man Adam became a living being.' The last Adam became a life-giving spirit." (1 Corinthians 15:45) Also note that through the transgression of Adam, death reigned on earth. But through Christ death was conquered and now life reigns if we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior.

The first blood shed we see in mankind is when Cain killed Able. Able therefore represents the shedding of the blood of the righteous or innocent. In like manner the blood of Christ was shed and He too was righteous and innocent. "Now Cain talked with Able his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Able his brother and killed him." (Genesis 4:8) This shedding of innocent blood would not go unnoticed by God, the Scriptures tell us, "And He said, ‘What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood cries out to Me from the ground.'" (Genesis 4:10) The blood of Able was crying out to God that violence and death now reigns. But the blood of Christ also cried out to God, ". . . to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Able." (Hebrews 12:24) The blood of Christ now cries out that life through Him is now reigning.

The great prophet Moses was a foreshadowing of Christ, "For Moses truly said to the fathers, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you'" (Acts 3:22) The priest Malchizedek was also a foreshadowing of Christ, "For He testifies: ‘You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.'" (Hebrews 7:17) See also Hebrews 7:1-16 for a fuller explanation. King David was a foreshadowing of Christ as well, "And when He had removed him, He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do My will.' From this man's seed, according to the promise, God raised up for Israel a Savior; Jesus;. . ." (Acts 13:22-23) Jesus was also a man after God's heart and a man who would do God's will. But as Christ, He is our King forever. Therefore, we see in these three –Moses, Malchizedek and David – the foreshadowing of the three offices that Christ holds in the Kingdom of God: Prophet, Priest and King.

Isn't it a marvelous thing that God has provided us with many "pictures" of Christ in the Old Testament. Just another way that God has truly provided.

All Scriptures quoted are from the New King James Version unless otherwise noted.