Articles
Jesus In The Old Testament
Jesus is viewed by many as a New Testament character because He is first introduced by name in the gospel of Matthew (Matt 1:1). While it is a true statement that Jesus Christ is the focal point of the New Testament, it is also true to say that Jesus is portrayed throughout the Old Testament, and was born “under the law” (Gal 4:4).
In the book of Genesis Moses writes Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness;" (vs. 26). The word ”Us” used here denotes a plurality within the Godhead present at creation. When you read the first several verses of John which states “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.”
When you tie these 2 verses together it is clear to see that Jesus was present at the time of creation. The first prophetic message of God’s coming Savior was also in the book of Genesis. After Adam and Eve had sinned, Genesis 3 :15 states “And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel." This was fulfilled by the coming of Jesus Christ into the world and confirmed in Galatians 4 when Paul writes to the church (Gal 4:4-5) "But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons."
Genesis 3:15 is the first promise of God’s plan for the redemption of mankind after sin had been introduced into the world. It predicts the ultimate victory for humankind over Satan, sin, and death through God’s plan. God promises here that Christ would be born of a woman and would be “bruised” through the crucifixion, yet Christ would rise up and “crush” Satan and sin and the fear of death through the shedding of His blood and His resurrection from the dead. The apostle John wrote in 1 John 3:8 “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.”
The suffering of Christ is prophesied in Ps 22:14-18. The Psalms also pictures Jesus as a good shepherd and Jesus confirms this in John 10:14-15. The virgin birth of Jesus is prophesied in Isaiah 7:14, and Matthew 1:18-25 confirms it. The location of Jesus’ birth is foretold by Micah 5:2.
The theme of the Bible is God’s plan of redemption for mankind through His Son Jesus Christ. The Old Testament reveals to us God’s plan as it unfolds throughout the ages until the coming of Christ. Jesus is not only the focal point of the New Testament, He is also the focal point of the Old Testament, “for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4: 12.
