Comparing Types Of Christ In Old And New Testament Books

By Carolyn Graham


Many Christians believe that the facts of Jesus are all contained in the New Testament. These are the books, after all, that describe how He lived, taught, died, and was resurrected. Jesus Himself refers repeatedly to Old Testament teachings when He is speaking to His believers. Old Testament references that Jesus takes for Himself are not physical but rather prophecies, pictures, and shadows that give allusions to the different types of Christ.

Some believe it starts with God's tree of life. When God was creating the Garden of Eden He placed the tree of life squarely in the middle. Many years later He would set His Son down in the middle of the Israelites, who were His chosen people. Revelations tells us that Jesus is the tree of life that bears twelve fruits, representing the apostles. The leaves on the tree are there to cure the nations.

The Ark was Noah's salvation. It saved him and his family from the flood. After all the animals had been herded onto the ship, Noah shut the doors. Jesus is salvation for man. Just as Noah knew the Ark would save the inhabitants from destruction, Christians know Jesus will not let them perish.

Jacob dreamed he saw a ladder to heaven in the Old Testament. He saw angels using it to ascend and descend from heaven. Christians believe that Jesus is the gateway to heaven and God. We can only see angels and God through Him. Jesus is depicted as the Lamb of God in the New Testament.

Jesus tells believers that He's the bread of Life. Anyone who hungers can come to Him. In Exodus, the Israelites wandered the desert for forty years. All that time they have only bread, or manna, to eat. Christians believe that Jesus will feed their spirits if they believe and come to Him.

In Exodus God tells Moses to take the elders and go to Horeb where he will find a rock. Moses is to strike the rock and water will come forth for the people to drink. Paul recounts to the Corinthians, in his first letter to them, the same story of Moses and the rock. This time though Paul refers to the water as spiritual drink and the rock as a spiritual representation of Jesus.

When God told King David that he would not be the one building the temple, the job was turned over to Solomon. This will become the house where God resides. Only those willing to repent will be allowed to enter. Jesus says that He is the temple and if His enemies attempt to destroy the temple, He will rebuilt it in three days.

A lot of Christians have issues with the Old Testament. Jesus used it to teach His followers because that is what He read. The people of the Old Testament would have recognized the stories He told. Understanding Jesus completely must include the teachings He read.




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