Page 68 - Biblical Theology Textbook - masters

Section 10: Christ in the Old Testament Typology and Prophecy

10.1 Connect

In the Old Testament, things or people can represent later people or events. For example, the
ark of God stands for Jesus Christ who brings salvation, but we must be IN Christ. Abraham
offered up his son, Isaac as a sacrifice demonstrating his love for the Lord and God offered up
His son as a demonstration of His love for all men. These stories in the Old Testament point to
the reality of Christ in the New Testament, and we call them “types.”

When God placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, He told them that they could eat of every tree
in the Garden EXCEPT one. But as you know, they disobeyed God and sin entered the world. God had a
plan to redeem man from sin. In Genesis God promised to send a redeemer who would crush the head
of Satan. He established the sacrificial system to demonstrate to Israel how the God would ultimately
deal with sin. Throughout the Old Testament the prophets foretold of a coming Messiah who would not
only reign as king of Israel, but also offer Himself up as the final sacrifice. Isaiah foretold that He would
be crushed for our iniquities.

God uses “types” to help us understand spiritual concepts or truths.

Today, we are going to look at several types in the Old Testament and we will concentrate on how Christ
is revealed in the Old Testament. Let’s get started.

10.2 Objectives

1. Students should be able to identify events/feasts/people that represent the coming, work,
death, and crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

2. Students should be able to identify and analyze Scriptural passages where those
events/feasts/people are found and draft principles for application by us.

3. Students should be able to identify those passages from the Old Testament that discuss a particular
aspect of Jesus Christ which was fulfilled in the New Testament.

4. Students should be able to describe the importance of faith in the Old Testament as it is in the New
Testament as the basis of redemption.

5. Students should be able to evaluate principles that will encourage our growth into Christlikeness.

10.3 Christ in the Old Testament Typology and Prophecy.

John F. Walvoord notes that in its nature, typology is more subject to personal view of
the interpreter than commonplace exegesis. It is usually mixed with allegorical

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