II. Foreshadows: Old Testament Figures Who Point to Jesus

 

Many faithful individuals in the Old Testament, through their actions and lives, prefigured and honored God by pointing forward to the coming Messiah.

 

Old Testament Parallels and Foreshadows of Christ in Chronological Order

· Abel, the Righteous Shepherd: Abel’s acceptable sacrifice of a firstborn from his flock (Genesis 4:4) and his death at the hands of his brother made him a prototype of the innocent, righteous sufferer. Hebrews explicitly states that the blood of Abel's sacrifice points to the "sprinkled blood [of Jesus] that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel" (Hebrews 12:24). Abel's blood cried out for vengeance, but Christ's blood cries out for mercy and forgiveness.

· Enoch's Translation, a Foreshadow of the Ascension: The account of Enoch, who "was no more, because God took him away" (Genesis 5:24), provides a powerful prefigurement of Christ's ascension. Enoch's miraculous translation honors God by demonstrating His power over death and points to Jesus, who was not merely taken up but actively "ascended" to heaven after His resurrection, securing eternal life for all who believe (Luke 24:50-51; Acts 1:9).

· Noah's Ark: Noah’s ark is a profound symbol of salvation. As the ark carried Noah and his family safely through the waters of God’s judgment, so Jesus Christ is the ultimate refuge for believers. The Apostle Peter explicitly calls baptism an "antitype" of Noah's ark, symbolizing how we are saved through Christ (1 Peter 3:20-21). Everyone who is "in Christ" is saved from the final judgment and brought into a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17).

· Melchizedek: The Eternal High Priest: This mysterious priest-king of Salem (Jerusalem) appears with bread and wine, having no beginning or end of days, making him a direct type of Christ's eternal priesthood (Genesis 14:18-20, Hebrews 7).

· Abraham & Isaac: Abraham was willing to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, on Mount Moriah—the very region where Jerusalem would be built—providing a powerful foreshadowing of the Father sacrificing His only Son (Genesis 22).

 

· Isaac and His Two Wives: Isaac’s marriage to both Leah and Rachel can be seen as a symbol of God's unfolding plan of redemption. The prophet Hosea also uses marriage to symbolize God's covenant relationship. This points toward the great mystery revealed in the New Testament: that Jesus Christ is the bridegroom of one unified bride—the Church—composed of both believing Jews and Gentiles (Ephesians 5:25-32, Revelation 19:7-9).

· Isaac's Blessing and the Line of Judah: While Isaac intended to bless his preferred son, Esau, God's sovereign plan ensured the blessing went to Jacob (Israel), through whom the Messiah would eventually come. This narrative highlights that God's choice is not based on human preference. The kingly line was later specifically established through Jacob's son, Judah (Genesis 49:10), demonstrating that God's promises are fulfilled according to His will, not human merit.

· Jacob's Ladder: Jacob dreamed of a ladder connecting heaven and earth, with angels ascending and descending (Genesis 28:12). Jesus declared, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man" (John 1:51). He is the true ladder—the only mediator between God and humanity (1 Timothy 2:5).

Rebekah's Intervention for Jacob: While a complex narrative involving deception, Rebekah’s actions to secure the blessing for Jacob (Genesis 27) demonstrate how God’s sovereign purpose often works through human means to fulfill His promises. This ultimately points to Christ, who, though sinless, bore the punishment for our deceitful hearts on the cross. Through His suffering, God’s eternal purpose to bless the nations through Abraham's seed was accomplished (Galatians 3:14).

· Jacob in Esau's Garments: The Robe of Righteousness: When Jacob wore Esau's clothing to receive the blessing (Genesis 27:15-27), he was covered in an identity that was not his own. This act symbolizes how believers are clothed in the righteousness of Christ. We, like Jacob, receive a blessing from the Father not based on our own merit, but because we are "found in him, not having a righteousness of my own... but that which is through faith in Christ" (Philippians 3:9).

· Jacob's Loss of Joseph: Jacob was forced to give up his beloved son Joseph, believing him to be dead—a sacrifice that caused him deep grief (Genesis 37:34-35). This painful event foreshadows the ultimate sacrifice of God the Father, who "gave his one and only Son" out of love for the world (John 3:16). Just as Joseph was later restored to Jacob for the salvation of his family, Jesus was raised to life for our justification (Romans 4:25).

 

· Joseph: Joseph was betrayed by his brothers, suffered, and was exalted to a position of power to save not only Israel but the surrounding nations from death, just as Jesus was exalted to save the world (Genesis 50:20).

· Judah and Tamar: A Lineage of Grace: The story of Judah and Tamar (Genesis 38) is a powerful picture of redemption within a flawed family. Despite Judah's failure, Tamar's persistence ensured the continuation of his line. Significantly, both are mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:3), showing that Christ's own lineage includes sinners redeemed by grace. He came not for the righteous, but to save sinners.

· Pharaoh's Daughter and the Refuge in Egypt: The Egyptian princess who saved the infant Moses from the Nile (Exodus 2:5-6) symbolizes unexpected providence. This event directly parallels the Holy Family's flight to Egypt to escape Herod's massacre of the infants (Matthew 2:13-15). In both cases, God used the nation of Egypt—a place of former bondage—as a temporary refuge to protect the one who would become a deliverer, showing that His salvation extends even through unlikely means

· Moses: When Moses held up a bronze serpent on a pole, those who looked at it were saved from the venomous snakes, symbolizing Jesus being "lifted up" on the cross to save us from the bite of sin (Numbers 21:8-9, John 3:14-15).

· Joshua, the Captain of the Lord's Army: Joshua faithfully led the Israelites into the physical Promised Land, a temporary rest. This honors God by pointing forward to Jesus, who is revealed as the "captain of the Lord's host" (Joshua 5:14-15). Jesus leads His people into a true and eternal rest—not a piece of land, but salvation itself (Hebrews 4:8-10). He is the one who brings us into the ultimate promise of God's kingdom.

· Boaz as Kinsman-Redeemer: Boaz redeemed Ruth (a Gentile) and Naomi, restoring their inheritance. This beautifully points to Jesus, our Redeemer, who buys us back from slavery to sin and brings us into His family (Ruth 4).

· Naomi: From Bitterness to Redemption: Naomi's journey from bitterness ("Call me Mara") to restoration through her kinsman-redeemer, Boaz (Ruth 1:20, 4:14-17), serves as a beautiful allegory. Naomi represents the Church (or the soul), lost and hopeless in its own strength. Just as Naomi found life and hope through the redeemer Boaz (a type of Christ), the Church finds true life, hope, and restoration only in Jesus, our ultimate Kinsman-Redeemer.

· David: The shepherd-king David defeated the giant Goliath, prefiguring Jesus, the Son of David, who defeated the giant of sin and death (1 Samuel 17).

· Solomon's Wisdom vs. Christ's Government: When Solomon asked for wisdom to govern Israel (1 Kings 3:9), he was granted a measure of divine understanding. This points to the ultimate King, Jesus Christ, upon whose shoulders all government rests. He is called "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace," and of His kingdom and peace "there will be no end" (Isaiah 9:6-7). Solomon's wisdom was for a nation; Christ's wisdom is for the cosmos.

· The Queen of Sheba's Quest for Wisdom: The Queen of Sheba traveled a great distance to hear the wisdom of Solomon (1 Kings 10:1-13). Jesus Himself confirmed that this act honors God by pointing to a greater reality: it prefigures the Gentiles (non-Jews) coming from afar to listen to the wisdom of someone "greater than Solomon"—Jesus Christ Himself (Matthew 12:42). Her journey symbolizes the Church being drawn to Christ, the source of all wisdom and knowledge.

· Jonah: Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, which Jesus Himself identified as a sign of His own death and resurrection (Matthew 12:40).  

· Daniel in the Fiery Furnace: Daniel’s three friends were thrown into a blazing furnace for their unwavering faith. Yet, they were not alone; King Nebuchadnezzar saw a fourth figure "like a son of the gods" with them (Daniel 3:25). This miraculous deliverance points to Jesus, who Himself descended into the "fire" of death and Sheol. However, Christ did not merely survive; He conquered death and hell through His resurrection, ensuring that all who are in Him will be saved (Acts 2:31, 1 Peter 3:18-19). 

· Esther and Mordecai: This is an excellent example. Esther risked her life to intercede for her people before the king, a powerful picture of Jesus, our great High Priest, who intercedes for us before the Father (Hebrews 7:25). Mordecai's elevation from near-execution to a position of honor also reflects Christ's exaltation after His suffering.