In Luke 24, Jesus “interpreted for [the disciples on the road to Emmaus] the things concerning himself in all the Scriptures” (Lk 24:27), showing that the persistent theme throughout the pages of Scripture is Jesus . Spurgeon understood this, too, saying, “Wherever this Bible is opened there is a showing of Christ’s death. Why, the whole Book is full of it. There is a crimson line of atoning sacrifice running from Genesis to Revelation.”
In David King’s helpful book, Your Testament Sermon Needs to Get Saved, he provides us with six ways that we can identify this “crimson line of atoning sacrifice” as we read the Old Testament, to help us discern how Jesus fulfills the Old Testament and to read our Bible the way the Holy Spirit intended.
When you read from the Old Testament this year, consider each of these categories as you look to find Jesus in each text you read.
Prophetic Promise: This is the easiest way to see Jesus in the Old Testament. These are specific promises of a coming Savior. You can see this in passages such as Genesis 3:15; Psalm 22; Isaiah 53; 2 Samuel 7.
Moral Instruction: What do you do when you read all the countless laws in the Old Testament? Remember that Jesus kept every single one of them! Listen to what David King says: “When you read God’s ethical instructions to His people, you’re learning about Jesus. You’re learning how His mind and heart were formed. You’re learning what information He used to calculate His decisions. You’re learning how He understood sin and righteousness. You’re learning the background to everything He taught. Ethical instructions show us the shape of Jesus’ life.”
Fallen Humanity: This category is also easy to identify because it occurs so frequently. Every time you read about an act of faithlessness or disobedience or idolatry, remember that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. The cross and empty tomb are reminders that Jesus has overcome the Satan, sin, and the grave. And one day, he will remove all the devastating consequences of the Fall.
Typeology: A type is a person, event, or institution used by God to resemble and represent the person and work of Jesus. It is divine foreshadowing. Types are kind of like a sonogram. You’ve seen a sonogram; a sonogram is a fuzzy picture of your unborn child. You can see the child, but it’s not perfectly clear. The Old Testament types are like sonograms. They may be a bit fuzzy, but they’re pictures revealing Jesus to us. The Passover Lamb, The Promised Land, Sabbath Rest, Adam, Noah, Moses, David are all types pointing forward to help us see Jesus clearly.
Narrative Progression: In this category, we see how the story of redemption constantly moves toward Christ. The Book of Ruth is a perfect example of this. If the events of that story don’t end with Ruth having a child, then King David would never be born. And what’s worse than not having King David is not having the Son of David, the Messiah. The world won’t have a Savior if God’s plan of redemption doesn’t continue to unfold throughout the narrative of Scripture.
Theological Theme: Many Old Testament passages point to a particular theme, such as justice, wrath, mercy, forgiveness, love, or holiness. When the point of the passage is one of these themes, then reflect on how Jesus perfectly embodies these theological themes.
The bottom line is that, if you read your Old Testament in a way that is devoid of Jesus, you are reading it in a way that God did not intend. Don’t read the Old Testament in the same way that an unbelieving Jew or a Muslim would read the Old Testament. Instead, the Bible is Christian Scripture, and we must recognize that Jesus is the Bible’s theme. Let’s look for him this year as we read the Old Testament!