Christ the Messiah Promised in the Old Testament

As we go through the narrative of the Old Testament, we see this redemptive history showing up in many places. It is in fact a record of how God has worked out the Plan Redemption down through the ages of history, tracing the genealogy of the Savior all the way from Adam to Christ. (See Genesis 5, 1 Chronicles 1-9, Matthew 1:1-16). The Old Testament is filled with “types”, “shadows” and specific “Messianic Prophecies” of the Christ the Messiah. We see “types” (typical prophecies) or “shadows” of the Messiah in different stories of the Old Testament which reveal different aspects of the Gospel or the coming Messiah’s ministry. There are also many specific “Messianic Prophecies” of the Christ and His ministry in the Old Testament. According to the Old Testament, the coming Messiah would:

·         Be a descendant of Abraham (compare Gen. 22:18 with Gal. 3:16)

·         Be a descendant of Jacob (compare Num. 24:17 with Lk. 3:23, 34)

·         Be from the tribe of Judah (compare Gen. 49:10 with Lk. 3:23, 33)

·         Be from the family of Jesse (compare Is. 11:1 with Lk. 3:23, 32)

·         Be from the house of David (compare Jer. 23:5 with Lk. 3:23, 31)

·         Be born at Bethlehem (compare Micah 5:2 with Matt. 2:1)

·         Be the pre-existent one (compare Micah 5:2 with Col. 1:17)

·         Be the Lord (compare Psalm 110:1 with Matt. 22:43-45)

·         Be God with us (compare Isaiah 7:14 with Matt. 1:23)

·         Be a prophet (compare Deut. 18:18 with Matt. 21:11)

·         Be a priest (compare Psalm 110:4 with Heb. 3:1; 5-6)

·         Be a king (compare Psalm 2:6 with Matt. 27:37)

·         Be anointed by the Spirit (compare Is. 11:2 with Matt. 3:16, 17)

·         Be zealous for God (compare Ps. 69:9 with John 2:15, 16)

·         Have a forerunner (compare Is. 40:3; Mal. 3:1 with Matt. 3:1,2)

·         Begin His ministry in Galilee (compare Is. 9:1 with Matt. 4:12-17)

·         Have a ministry of miracles (compare Is. 35:5,6 with Matt. 9:35)

·         Bring healing and spiritual life (compare Is. 61:1-2 with Lk. 4:18).

·         Enter Jerusalem on a donkey (compare Zech. 9:9 with Lk. 19:35-37)

·         Be rejected by the Jews (compare Psalm 118:22 with 1 Pet. 2:7)

·         Be silent before His accusers (compare Is. 53:7 with Matt. 27:12)

·         Be wounded and bruised (compare Is. 53:5 with Matt. 27:26)

·         Be smitten and spit upon (compare Is. 50:6 with Matt. 26:67)

·         Be crucified with thieves (compare Is. 53:12 with Matt. 27:38)

·         Have His garments divided (compare Ps. 22:18 with John 19:23,24)

·         Have his side pierced (compare Zech. 12:10 with John 19:34)

·         Be buried in a rich man’s tomb (compare Is. 53:9 with Matt. 27:57ff)

·         Come before Jerusalem and the Temple were destroyed (compare Dan. 9:26 with Matt. 24:2)

Even Jesus Himself spoke of the fact that the Old Testament Scriptures bore witness to His coming.

John 5:39 – 39 “You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is these that bear witness of Me; NASB

Luke also describes how Jesus taught the disciples on the road to Emmaus from the Old Testament, including Moses and the Prophets, the “things concerning Himself.”

Luke 24:27 – 27 And beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures. NASB

The New Testament speaks in many places about the fact that the Old Testament pointed to Christ as the coming Redeemer and Savior.

Acts 4:10-12 –  10 let it be known to all of you, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead —  by this name this man stands here before you in good health. 11 “He is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, but which became the very corner stone. 12 “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved.” NASB

1 Corinthians 10:1- 4 – For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 3 and all ate the same spiritual food; 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ. NASB

Hebrews 5:5-6 – 5 So also Christ did not glorify Himself so as to become a high priest, but He who said to Him, “Thou art My Son, Today I have begotten Thee“; 6 just as He says also in another passage, “Thou art a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.“ NASB

So when we consider the storyline of the Old Testament, it is important that we see it as a unified whole, woven together with the New Testament and fulfilled in the ministry of Jesus Christ. He is the Old Testament Messiah who was promised by God to redeem His people and save them from death and suffering and usher in a Kingdom which shall never be shaken.

The Proto-Evangel

Throughout the Old Testament record, beginning at the fall of man in Genesis chapter 3, the promise of a coming Redeemer is woven into the biblical text. As soon as sin enters into the storyline, redemption becomes necessary as mankind is tragically separated from God by his sin and in a hopeless and desperate state. This was the fearful warning from God about eating from the tree….

Genesis 2:16-17 – 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; 17 but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die.” NASB

Upon temptation from that liar the cunning serpent, the woman and man were deceived and ate from the tree, and sin entered the world and all of the subsequent consequences and sufferings of mankind from that day followed.

Genesis 3:4-7 – 4 And the serpent said to the woman, “You surely shall not die! 5 “For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings. NASB

It was right at this point in the biblical record that God enters with a promise of redemption. The Gospel is first announced in Genesis 3:15 when God curses the serpent….

Genesis 3:15 – And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel.” NASB

This is referred to as the “Proto-Evangel” or the first announcement of the good news in the Bible. Here the woman’s “seed” is said to “bruise the head of the serpent.” This is actually a very profound thought as woman are not said to have “seed,” that is a male function. Many believe this is none other than a prophecy of the Virgin Birth of Christ! In any case here we have the temptation of man being avenged by Eve’s own child, and this we know for sure is carried out by Jesus Christ on the Cross.

This teaching is a part of a 9 month series called “The Savior, The Cross, and The Gospel” ….

See the Outline here….. http://www.abqhcf.com/lessons/2007/handouts/dz/The_Savior_The_Cross_and_The_Gospel_Brochure.pdf

This teaching can be heard on audio here:

http://www.abqhcf.com/sermons/2007/discovery/09-16-2007_SundaySchool.mp3

If you would like to know how to know Jesus Christ and be ransomed from your sins and receive eternal life…..click here

http://www.gty.org/Resources/Articles/2425

If you have comments or questions, please do respond to shaan@heavenslight.org