The Old Testament, A Type of the New Before we get into God’s Wonderful Plan we want to note that the Old Testament contains the types, figures, shadows and patterns for the New Testament. It is necessary that these things be understood so that when we read about God’s Wonderful Plan, we will have an understanding why things are in the order they are. In Colossians 2:17, we are told of the Old Testament, “These are a shadow of the things to come, but the body that casts the shadow, belongs to Christ." Christ ended the Old Testament pattern of things. John 1:17, tells us, “The Teachings were given through Moses, but kindness (grace) and truth came into existence through Jesus Christ." Also Romans 10:4, says, “Christ is the fulfillment of Moses' Teachings so that everyone who has faith may receive God’s approval."
The tabernacle and the high priest were but examples of the true tabernacle, the church of Christ and the true high priest that is Jesus Christ that were to come. Note the words in Hebrews 8:4-5, “If he were on earth, he would not even be a priest. On earth other priests offer gifts by following the instructions that Moses gave. They serve at a place that is a pattern, a shadow, of what is in heaven. When Moses was about to make the tent (tabernacle), God warned him, ‘Be sure to make everything based on the plan I showed you on the mountain.” Throughout the Old Testament, there is a hidden relationship to the New Testament in that certain persons and events announce, and in some cases, prefigure relevant realities and the significance to the New Testament as God had intended. For example, we shall see how in the New Testament that truly new things are expressed, i.e., the faith of Christ, Jesus himself, the church, salvation, etc. Yet, they had been expressed in substance and action through types, prefigures, shadows and patterns in the Old Testament. In the gospels as we know them, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, Jesus is the fulfillment of the prophecy that not only prophesied his coming, but personified him in such Old Testament figures i.e. Joseph and Moses. Adam, however, was the anti-type of the Christ that was to come. |
They Live By Sight Not By Faith
Now in order to truly understand the pattern of the spiritual things of the New Testament, we must first see them by sight in the Old Testament. The Old Testament figures lived by sight. They saw with their own eyes, the power, glory and even the very existence of God. Faith had not come as yet. Note in Galatians 3:23, “We are kept under control by Moses’ laws until this faith came. We were under their control until this faith which was about to come would be revealed." verse 12a, “Laws have nothing to do with faith,…” Hebrews 4:2, “ For indeed the good news came to us just as to them; but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened. {Other ancient authorities read [it did not meet with faith in those who listened]} NRSV
When God spoke to them in prophecies, of things yet to come, of things not yet seen as manifested to them, some did have faith. A faith that announced the faith that was to come. Galatians 3:22, says, “But Scriptures state that the whole world is controlled by the power of sin. Therefore, a promise based on faith in Jesus Christ could be given to those who believe." The examples of faith that God provided for us were Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Rahab and others. We can see with the historical record the very acts of faith that were to take place in our time, this side of the cross. By looking into the Old Testament, the crystal ball if you will, we can very clearly see the spiritual personalities and events this side of the cross.
Many, but not all, of the Examples, Types, and Shadows Of The Events That Were To Come are listed as follows:
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Old Testament (Physical) New Testament (Spiritual)
God, as usual, the teacher of teachers, gave us many examples, types and shadows of the events which were to come or be fulfilled in the New Testament. John tells us, “Some of them wanted to arrest him (Jesus), but they couldn’t. When the temple guards returned, the chief priests and Pharisees asked them, ‘Why didn’t you bring Jesus?’” (John 7:44-45). He left us with many markings, tracks, steps in the Old Testament as well as in the New. We are to initiate the models for good, but reject the models for evil.
Jesus is our most perfect and revered example or model to please God. Why, because God loved him and was pleased with him (Matthew 3:17). He left us his footsteps. “God called you to endure suffering because Christ suffered for you. He left you an example so that you could follow in his footsteps” (1 Peter 2:21). Also, the apostles set the example of what a Christian should do, think, and reason. “Let Christ’s word with all its wisdom and richness live in you. Use psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to teach and instruct yourselves about God’s kindness (grace) . Sing to God in your hearts. Everything you say or do should be done in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Colossians 3:16-17). And those that followed the apostles also became examples or models for us today. “This way, you became a model for all the believers in the province of Macedonia and Greece. From you the Lord’s word has spread out not only through the province of Macedonia and Greece but also to people everywhere who have heard about how you welcomed us when we arrived” (1 Thessalonians 1:7-8). We as Christians are to be examples or role models to those that are without. “Don’t let anyone look down on you for being young. Instead, make your speech, behavior, love, faith, and purity an example for other believers” (1 Timothy 4:12).
The types of the Old Testament are for our examples also. “These things have become examples for us so that we won’t desire what is evil, as they did” (1 Corinthians 10:6). These things were referring to the things of their ancestors who left Egypt with Moses. See verses 1-5. They were to make an impression on us, to be our guides for faith, obedience and reverence toward God and his word. The word type, referring to the types of the Old Testament was meant to be a shadow of the representations of the real things that were to come. In the book of Hebrews, we are very clearly explained how that the things on the other side of the cross were a type or shadow of the real things. “Moses' Teachings with their yearly cycle of sacrifices are only a shadow of the good things in the future. They aren’t an exact likeness of those things. They can never make those who worship perfect” (Hebrews 10:1). The shadows have no substance, not being the real things. The reality of all those personalities and events of the Old Testament came to reality in the body of Jesus Christ. “He did this by erasing the charges that were brought against us by the written laws God had established. He took the charges away by nailing them to the cross. He stripped the rulers and authorities of their power and made a public spectacle of them as he celebrated his victory in Christ. Therefore, let no one judge you because of what you eat or drink or about the observance of annual holy days, New Moon Festivals, or weekly worship days (referring to the Sabbath day). These are a shadow of the things to come, but the body that casts the shadow belongs to Christ” (Colossians 2:14-17). Adam, for instance, personified Christ in the opposite. Adam sinned, Christ did not. Adam was flesh, but the Christ was the spiritual person. Adam was the figure opposite of Christ, Romans 5:14; 1 Corinthians 15:47; Acts 7:44; and Hebrews 8:2.
By these scriptures and many others, and by necessary inference, it becomes clearly obvious that the rituals and ceremonies of the Old Testament were only figures, shadows, and/or examples of the Spiritual things, which are the real things, which were to come and are eternal. “We don’t look for things that can be seen but for things that can’t be seen. Things that can be seen are only temporary. But things that can’t be seen last forever” (2 Corinthians 4:18). Yet, there definitely remains a similarity between the type of the old and the substance of the reality. While there are similarities, we must remember that there are differences. The differences are the antitypes. We should be careful not to go beyond the reasonable or the apparent; better yet to stay within the parallels brought out in the scriptures.
Evidently, all types are prophecies demonstrated at present time of the prophecy, in substance or materially. All types relate or describe the future. The animal sacrifices of the old, which pointed to or signaled Christ, were abolished as soon as Christ initiated the real or true thing. “The Teachings were given through Moses, but kindness (grace) and truth came into existence through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17). †
Now in order to truly understand the pattern of the spiritual things of the New Testament, we must first see them by sight in the Old Testament. The Old Testament figures lived by sight. They saw with their own eyes, the power, glory and even the very existence of God. Faith had not come as yet. Note in Galatians 3:23, “We are kept under control by Moses’ laws until this faith came. We were under their control until this faith which was about to come would be revealed." verse 12a, “Laws have nothing to do with faith,…” Hebrews 4:2, “ For indeed the good news came to us just as to them; but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened. {Other ancient authorities read [it did not meet with faith in those who listened]} NRSV
When God spoke to them in prophecies, of things yet to come, of things not yet seen as manifested to them, some did have faith. A faith that announced the faith that was to come. Galatians 3:22, says, “But Scriptures state that the whole world is controlled by the power of sin. Therefore, a promise based on faith in Jesus Christ could be given to those who believe." The examples of faith that God provided for us were Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Rahab and others. We can see with the historical record the very acts of faith that were to take place in our time, this side of the cross. By looking into the Old Testament, the crystal ball if you will, we can very clearly see the spiritual personalities and events this side of the cross.
Many, but not all, of the Examples, Types, and Shadows Of The Events That Were To Come are listed as follows:
===========================================================================
Old Testament (Physical) New Testament (Spiritual)
- Garden of Eden The church or Heaven
- Tree of Life The Life giver who was to come, Jesus Christ
- Adam (Flesh) Christ (Spiritual)
- Eve (Body of Flesh) Church (Spiritual) Body of Christ
- Sacrifices for Sins Christ Sacrificed for Our Sins
- Wickedness Condition of the World as it Approaches the Coming of Christ.
- Noah Christ the Savior
- Noah's Family Spiritual Family of God
- One Door To The Ark Christ is the only door to heaven
- One Window In The Ark The Word of God to Enlighten the Mind
- Flood The End of the Earth or Judgment Day
- Abraham God or Christ
- Isaac Christ
- Jacob & Esau Two kinds of People that were to live, Those For God and those for self.
- Joseph and Some Events of His Life Prophesied Christ and Some Events in His Life
- Children of Israel Christians
- Children of Israel as Slaves in Egypt God's Creation Enslaved in the World and Under The Rule of Satan.
- Egypt and Pharaoh The World of Satan as King of the kingdoms of the earth.
- Moses as Liberator of God's People Christ as Savior of God's People (the Church) (the Nation of Israel)
- Houses With The Blood of the Lamb The Church Washed In The Blood of Christ
- The Last Plague - Death of the First Born The Judgment and The Eternal Death of the Natural Man.
- Moses frees Israel Escaping from Egypt Christ Leading The Obedient, Freeing from slavery and the Pharaoh. Under Satan in the World.
God, as usual, the teacher of teachers, gave us many examples, types and shadows of the events which were to come or be fulfilled in the New Testament. John tells us, “Some of them wanted to arrest him (Jesus), but they couldn’t. When the temple guards returned, the chief priests and Pharisees asked them, ‘Why didn’t you bring Jesus?’” (John 7:44-45). He left us with many markings, tracks, steps in the Old Testament as well as in the New. We are to initiate the models for good, but reject the models for evil.
Jesus is our most perfect and revered example or model to please God. Why, because God loved him and was pleased with him (Matthew 3:17). He left us his footsteps. “God called you to endure suffering because Christ suffered for you. He left you an example so that you could follow in his footsteps” (1 Peter 2:21). Also, the apostles set the example of what a Christian should do, think, and reason. “Let Christ’s word with all its wisdom and richness live in you. Use psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to teach and instruct yourselves about God’s kindness (grace) . Sing to God in your hearts. Everything you say or do should be done in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Colossians 3:16-17). And those that followed the apostles also became examples or models for us today. “This way, you became a model for all the believers in the province of Macedonia and Greece. From you the Lord’s word has spread out not only through the province of Macedonia and Greece but also to people everywhere who have heard about how you welcomed us when we arrived” (1 Thessalonians 1:7-8). We as Christians are to be examples or role models to those that are without. “Don’t let anyone look down on you for being young. Instead, make your speech, behavior, love, faith, and purity an example for other believers” (1 Timothy 4:12).
The types of the Old Testament are for our examples also. “These things have become examples for us so that we won’t desire what is evil, as they did” (1 Corinthians 10:6). These things were referring to the things of their ancestors who left Egypt with Moses. See verses 1-5. They were to make an impression on us, to be our guides for faith, obedience and reverence toward God and his word. The word type, referring to the types of the Old Testament was meant to be a shadow of the representations of the real things that were to come. In the book of Hebrews, we are very clearly explained how that the things on the other side of the cross were a type or shadow of the real things. “Moses' Teachings with their yearly cycle of sacrifices are only a shadow of the good things in the future. They aren’t an exact likeness of those things. They can never make those who worship perfect” (Hebrews 10:1). The shadows have no substance, not being the real things. The reality of all those personalities and events of the Old Testament came to reality in the body of Jesus Christ. “He did this by erasing the charges that were brought against us by the written laws God had established. He took the charges away by nailing them to the cross. He stripped the rulers and authorities of their power and made a public spectacle of them as he celebrated his victory in Christ. Therefore, let no one judge you because of what you eat or drink or about the observance of annual holy days, New Moon Festivals, or weekly worship days (referring to the Sabbath day). These are a shadow of the things to come, but the body that casts the shadow belongs to Christ” (Colossians 2:14-17). Adam, for instance, personified Christ in the opposite. Adam sinned, Christ did not. Adam was flesh, but the Christ was the spiritual person. Adam was the figure opposite of Christ, Romans 5:14; 1 Corinthians 15:47; Acts 7:44; and Hebrews 8:2.
By these scriptures and many others, and by necessary inference, it becomes clearly obvious that the rituals and ceremonies of the Old Testament were only figures, shadows, and/or examples of the Spiritual things, which are the real things, which were to come and are eternal. “We don’t look for things that can be seen but for things that can’t be seen. Things that can be seen are only temporary. But things that can’t be seen last forever” (2 Corinthians 4:18). Yet, there definitely remains a similarity between the type of the old and the substance of the reality. While there are similarities, we must remember that there are differences. The differences are the antitypes. We should be careful not to go beyond the reasonable or the apparent; better yet to stay within the parallels brought out in the scriptures.
Evidently, all types are prophecies demonstrated at present time of the prophecy, in substance or materially. All types relate or describe the future. The animal sacrifices of the old, which pointed to or signaled Christ, were abolished as soon as Christ initiated the real or true thing. “The Teachings were given through Moses, but kindness (grace) and truth came into existence through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17). †