Summary of Series by Mike Winger How to Find Jesus in the Old Testament Archives - BibleThinker
Introduction
The New Testament often points out stories, metaphors, allegories and other elements throughout the Old Testament to directly point out parallelism and foreshadows being fulfilled in Jesus and the gospel. John 5:39. John 5:46, 1 Cor 5, Heb 10. When Jesus uses the same formula “As […] so also the son of man shall […] it’s a good sign there is a good foreshadow to go and look at.
· “The scriptures testify of me.” It would be one thing if there were only two similar stories that parallel his life but there's a ton of separate stories with many corresponding points in each. And that’s only in terms of foreshadows, He also fulfills the OT by living the perfect life and obeying every command from God.
· There is a spectrum of prophecies. Though some foreshadows are very strong and compelling, they are not included with the more direct prophecies which are covered elsewhere.
· Depending on how much time you have, this can work as good evidence for the unity of the bible, the mind behind it, and the legitimacy of Jesus. This was the primary way the Apostles witnessed to the Jews. Acts 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13.
· We can find more than what the NT points out but it should be done with caution, letting NT theology uncover more types, not our imagination and creativity of types dictating our theology. Catholics try to do this with Mariology. They should not lead to new theology or revelation but they might deepen current theology.
· All these stories fall short a little bit, they are meant to. Because they are simply shadows of something greater to come. And when you see a way in which the type falls short, don’t dismiss it, recognize God is showing our need for Jesus in the heart and mind of the people. Hebrews points out and repeats that Jesus is like all these types but better.
· God is so excited about the plan that he’s showing us in hundreds of different ways before it happens.
Skepticism
· It would seem unreasonable to dismiss the level of thought and planning, the symbolism and the vast quantity of intricate details as man-made. The only way one could confidently do this is by never looking too closely.
· Sceptics actually think these parallels occur with Jesus and pagan gods. Never really defending this though. And if they do happen to offer sources, check them because the parallels are fabrications and distortions to try and fit Jesus.
· And at the very least one cannot call the bible a work of fiction while also calling its authors ignorant bronze age, goat herders.
· To pull this off with sheer human effort, would have to be the greatest conspiracy of all time. How could they maintain such consistency and unity while many authors never living in the same place or time period?
· When you keep in mind historians grant much of the NT and Jesus’ life, this stuff is incredible.
· If you want to claim that the authors made this up, you’d need to defend this against the majority of historians. If you want to say the authors tweaked the details, you would need to defend this with more than just your bias.
· If you say ‘anyone could do that’, then do it! It couldn’t be done with Joseph Smith or Muhammed despite best efforts. It was so hard that Joseph Smith had to just write another chapter into Genesis.
· Some are just so vague they cannot possibly have been manipulated into a fiction after the fact. Its only after the reality comes (Jesus) that we can even look and recognize the foreshadow. Like easter eggs that you see the second time round. You don’t realize Bruce Willis was a ghost until the end, but when you go back you think “how did I not see that!”
Parallels
· Adam & Christ: Genesis 1 and 3. Romans 5. 1 Cor 6, 15. Eph 5.
This is where we get the word type for typology.
An inversion took place. Adam’s life was comprised of his commission and the fall.
Adam represented everyone. Now Christ represents everyone.
Sin entered through Adam but righteousness through Christ.
Death through Adam and life through Christ.
As Adam was to be fruitful and multiply this is exactly what Jesus did and what he commands his followers to do.
We are called the body of Christ, yet also the bride. Because Eve-Adam’s wife-was made from Adam.
Adam was put into a deep sleep so this could happen. Jesus had to die for it to happen to us.
The word for rib was more than that and he said bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh, a chunk came out of his side for her creation. Jesus also was pierced in his side where blood and water poured out. We were created by his wounds. Good example of a story sounding super weird on first glance but when examined, packed with meaning and significance.
Just as she was separate, they became one flesh once married, just as we will be with Christ in heaven at the wedding feast.
Thorns represent the curse of the fall throughout the bible, God cursed the ground with them and Jesus received a crown of thorns symbolizing him taking the curse on himself.
· Bronze Serpent: Num 21. John 3, 8, 12, 18. 2 kings 18. Mt 23. Luke 11.
Serpent was lifted up on a wooden pole and everyone who was bitten and sees it shall live.
Jesus was obviously lifted up on the wooden cross, and whoever looks to the cross and believes is saved.
The cross represents the sin of man and the law fulfilled
Mankind through Jesus and God through Jesus
The trees both of the knowledge of good and evil and also the tree of eternal life.
Mercy and justice
Forgiveness and punishment
Wrath and grace
The fall and redemption
Life and death.
· Joseph: Gen 37, 39-50. John 7:7. Col 1:13. Mt 3:17
He brings bad report of his brothers. Jesus says the world hates him because he testifies that its works are evil, hated without a cause.
Joseph is greatly loved by his father. Jesus “This is my son, in whom I am well pleased.”
Joseph was shepherd, Jesus called himself the good shepherd.
Unexpected and delayed birth. As well as being miraculous. Jesus much?
The older brother trying to mitigate the planned destruction, yet failing.
Claiming that he will rule over them, they will be his servants. Jesus’ brothers James and John start their epistles the same way: a servant of Christ.
Father sent him, to be treated harshly.
Throwing him into the pit was symbolic of death, and he came back even though everyone thought he was dead.
Sold for profit, by Judah/Judas.
Tempted by Potiphar’s wife, tempted by Satan in wilderness.
Then she frames him, taking the punishment for her crime, sentenced while innocent.
Put in charge of everything even after all the shameful things that have happened to him.
In prison with one lifted up in good way and one in bad (the dreams) and one is rescued and one condemned.
Gives credit to God for the gifts.
Exercises pharaoh’s authority as if it were his own.
At 30.
Saving and feeding all the people and surrounding lands.
The gentiles bowed to him before the Jews did.
He saved both however with the food.
Gave the bread for free even when they tried to pay.
Joseph being hated by his brothers the first time round, but on the second they accept him. Common for prophets.
Reveals true loving self when the person who sins against him repents and shows it.
“You sold me but God meant it for good so that many could be saved.”
Joseph died in hope. That his bones would be carried into the promised land. In Judaism the treatment of the bones was all about the resurrection. He died outside of the promise (died in Egypt) for the sake of others coming into the promise (because he was delivered into Egypt so he might one day deliver them),
· Moses: Exo 1. Acts 7.
In infancy Moses and Jesus are both in danger of legislated infanticide by gentile king.
Both saved by going into Egypt.
Both come back out of Egypt. Theme of going in and out of Egypt in bible, even Abraham followed this theme.
Moses felt compelled to visit the children of Israel-like Jesus.
Chose to identify with mistreated Israelites rather than his royalty. Moses was part of the royal family of pharaohs. And gave it up to be with the slaves. Ring a bell?
He saved an Israelite, supposing they’d see that God was giving them salvation by his hand.
Yet his own people rejected him.
Tried to bring unity to 2 fighting Israelites.
They plotted against him.
Second time he comes he is received.
He then goes out and makes a life with the gentiles.
Becomes shepherd.
Drives out bad shepherds. Jesus drives people out of temples
Gives drink to the flocks. Jesus says come I will give you water.
Moses gives the burden (the law), Jesus takes it.
Moses even says I will raise up a prophet like Moses that you should listen to.
Moses was an intercessor like Jesus.
He offers himself to be punished too.
Like with revelation, the Israelites need a seal of protection to deliver them from the plague/wrath in Exodus.
· David: Matthew ties David and Jesus together 9 times. Just as Jesus was the better prophet that Moses spoke of, Jesus was the great King that David was the foreshadow of. Jesus/messiah was to be the son of David.
A lot of psalms are imprecatory. The angry ‘God crush them’ psalms. They fit better in the mouth of Jesus than David.
In the Middle Ages, one popular rabbinical opinion was that in Psalm 22 David was speaking something that was about the Messiah. Rabbi Rashi.
God tells Samuel to go anoint one of Jesse’s sons but is afraid because of King Saul, God says take a heifer and sacrifice an animal to make it look like just a sacrifice. So while everyone thinks a simple sacrifice/death is taking place, a King is actually being anointed-Jesus much?
The Kingship goes to the lowly and despised. David was left out tending to sheep when this meeting was to take place among Jesse and his sons. Like the most famous guy in the country coming, invites you and specifically your sons, but you leave the youngest out doing work.
Samuel going to anoint a King but being in the dark about who it was is like 1 Pet 1 saying the prophets foresaw the sufferings of Christ but didn’t really understand it.
David had the Spirit rush upon him and stayed, like when Jesus was baptized.
David played music to Saul to help him with his spiritual issues, after Jesus’ anointing he goes and casts out demons.
Saul is the bad king, the people’s choice, and David is the good king, God’s choice. From that point forward all kings were compared to David. Perhaps Saul is some type of foreshadow to the antichrist as he is the people’s choice, rejected by God, causes problems for the people until they accept God’s chosen King.
David was Shepherd, Jesus was the Good Shepherd,
He went after a bear and lion to get his sheep back. Jesus says I am the shepherd and I lay down my life for my sheep.
Those he loves trying to kill him.
David was born in Bethlehem.
When armies get into a standoff situation where neither want to move forward and be in the low ground, they might send one of their strongest to challenge the other side’s strongest. This is what champion means, one between men. This sets the context very nicely, one man to represent all people and win the war. Goliath was theirs and David represented Israel-a lot like how Jesus represents the world.
When David stepped on the scene, he looked deeper than ‘big guy, big army.’ “who is he that he should defy the army of the living God.” Noticed he doesn’t say Israel. He was worked up about them mocking his God. It was zeal for God, not dumb courage. David is concerned about Israel’s reproach. Jesus was concerned about our reproach. The rewards that were meant to come for taking down goliath went to Jesus, above reproach and greatly enriched, and a bride.
His brothers didn’t believe in him and accused him. They believed in him later on. Jesus…
Taunts David for coming to battle with a stick. Jesus defeated Satan with a couple of sticks. What looked like would be his own demise ended up being the enemy’s.
He comes in the name of Yahweh.
David provides the clear meaning of this. Its to show God isn’t going to save his people with the conventional method of swords and spears. An unexpected method of victory.
Killed him with a stone, already deliberate and clear connections to stones and Jesus. Jesus is the rock that was struck, in Daniel he’s the stone made without hands that comes and destroy the kingdoms of the world, and cornerstone.
Christ’s death was the stone that struck down goliath and his second coming is when he comes with a sword, like David beheading Goliath.
Caiaphas and Saul both send men out to bring back David and Jesus, both groups of men come back empty handed, and due to the words coming out of mouths. And both Caiaphas and Saul prophesy, so the rightful king is persecuted and rejected by the authority who’s supposed to be pointing to him but both more concerned about their own power and reputation.
David pretended to be mad among the gentiles. So…he was an offense to the Jews (Saul) and foolishness to gentiles.
Received by the gentiles while rejected by Jews.
Jews look at David like he’s working for gentiles but he is still helping Israel secretly, like Jesus “working for the gentiles” but also maintaining Israel and has a plan for them still, and some continually coming to Christ today.
David had multiple chances to kill Saul but kept saying now is not the right time. It was always completely within Jesus’ power to do whatever he wanted but it wasn’t the right time.
Terrible tragedies occurred to Israel upon rejecting David and Saul died just like when they rejected Jesus.
David regularly inquires of the Lord. Should I do this or that. Jesus does nothing of his own accord. Part of his humanity was living dependent upon the father for direction.
When David became king he was super zealous for the temple. Jesus has the same zeal overturning tables.
He designs temple but can’t build it. He becomes a type of the father and Solomon is type of Christ. David couldn’t because he was a man of war and had shed blood. Because Jesus died to build the temple that is us.
The father plans it the son fulfills it.
David has prayer for Solomon that works for Jesus. 1 Chr 29:19.
· Passover: Mt 26.
Jesus recreated the Passover ceremony in the finest details.
Death of every firstborn, Jesus was the firstborn that died.
Unlike all the other plagues, the 10th was coming for the Jews as well, because it represented mankind’s sin. It was only faith in the true God that prevented judgement.
They had to wipe blood on the top and sides of doors so could have easily been a cross.
Jesus calls himself the Door.
The blood of what animal? A Lamb. That’s why we call Jesus the Lamb.
The Lamb had to be male.
Chron 35:11 and Ezra 6 even though there’s many lambs and sacrifices, its written with the singular pronoun. Representing the one Lamb that is Christ. Rev 5.
Jesus died during Passover. Because he was the fulfillment ceremonial lamb.
Exodus 45 calls the Passover a sin offering (there are multiple types). Jesus was sin offering.
Eve sinned first but it was Adam’s sin that wrecked mankind because he represented it not her. Just as Jesus represents forgiveness of all sins and is why the lamb had to be male as well.
The lamb had to be in its prime of life, as was Jesus.
He came triumphantly on the donkey intentionally fulling psalm 118 and he knew everyone would know that. He chose to do this on the day the lamb is selected for the sacrifice.
This is to replicate the process of selecting a lamb. They would choose it and hold on to it for 4 days. This process involved inspecting the lamb for blemishes and issues. This was the same time that Jesus was tried and they tried to find fault in him.
They had to clear the leaven out of their house, and couldn’t be any in the meal. Also had to be eaten with bitter herbs because of the bitterness of slavery. At the same time theyd be clearing out the leaven in their house, Jeus was clearin gout the temple of money changers.
You’re not allowed to break the bones of the sacrificed lamb and wouldn’t you know it even though it was common in crucifixions for that to happen, it didn’t happen with Jesus…
The lamb had to be consumed. This is why Jesus was saying this is my flesh eat of it.
The whole animal had to be used, it had to be done a certain way. The whole body copped it just as Jesus was raised up on to the cross after a tremendous beating. It couldn’t be a beheading or anything that doesn’t represent his whole body.
The meal in OT had to be eaten quickly, partly because as soon as the Passover happens you gotta get out of Egypt. But with Jesus, it’s this world that we are passing from, we need to be ready to leave at a drop of a hat as well.
Nothing of the animal could remain until morning. He did not remain on the cross until morning like many crucifixion victims did.
Keep in mind the Passover was the last plague, the climax of all the judgements to finally lead to the deliverance of the people. Just as Jesus was.
Also, what was the deliverance from? Slavery. What does Jesus free us from? Slavery to sin.
Jesus dies at Passover and rises on the day of first fruits, makes sense since he was the firstfruit/first one to rise and everyone follows after him.
God set up the resurrection for the gospel to go out like lightning. Created these festivals and the Jews to gather from everywhere, this way they would all be around to watch Jesus die, and be around to see and hear the resurrected Jesus and his apostles, and then go back home spreading the message.
The high priest sacrifices twice, once for his own sins, now representing Jesus who is sinless to be able to go in again and sacrifice for everyone else.
Jews added traditions to these such as lighting the candles on the candelabra east to west so the east would burn the longest, and if the lot ofr God arose in the right hand, it meant they had God’s favor, it was in the left hand for forty years from 30ad to 70ad, meaning God was not accepting their day of atonement anymore, using their man made traditions to show them, the Talmud points this out in 70AD, the strip of crimson wool on the head of the scapegoat also didn’t turn white like meant to, and the westernmost lamp of the candelabra did not burn continually, for 40 years there was signs of Gods displeasure with Israel.
During water libation ceremony Jesus stood up and said who ever drinks from me…and calls himself the living water.
Because Jesus fulfilled Passover on Passover, and unleavened bread on the day of unleavened bread, and firstfruits on firstfruits, and Pentecost on Pentecost, is it possible that the feast of trumpets, day of atonement and feast of tabernacles/booths will also be fulfilled within a year? Trumpet judgements or the rapture, or signal a gathering of Israel as that’s what its goal was originally? Then there may be 10 days of atonement because of that or the second coming, or just recognizes Jesus for who he is, the day of atonement triggers the jubilee, 1 every 50 years. Which is about Jews inheriting their property/inheritance! Feast of tabs could be Israel being attacked by satan going into the wilderness and tabernacling/dwelling in tents again.
· Proverbs 30: Ascended and descended? Clearly Jesus but implying God. John 3:13.
Gathered the winds in his fist? Also jesus also implies God. Wrapped waters in garments? Again Jesus on the boat wind and water. Mark 4:41.
Who established the ends of the earth? John 1.
What is his name? Or his son’s name? wanting to know Gods name like this indicates something intimate, they know ABOUT God but not personally and intimately. This desire to know his name comes up with the angel of the lord in the OT, when Jacob wrestles with God he wanted to know the “man’s” name. judges 13
It paints the picture we are ignorant and helpless to know God, and making clear there isn’t a way for us, only for jesus to come along later and be that way.
· Abraham & Isaac: In Mike Winger's Evidence for the bible series and Is God a Moral Monster.
The first time love comes up in the bible is God saying take your only son whom you love.
· Typology in the 5 Sacrifices: Lev 1-7. There just had to be sacrifice in the OT to give a frame of reference for Jesus when he comes. Lot of overlap with Passover sacrifice details.
Jesus was the sacrifice, in fact he was 5.
The person had to slaughter the animal themselves because it was for their own sins. While there is disagreement, the truth is that both Gentiles (Romans) and Jews (Judas, pharisees) were responsible for Jesus’ death. Humanity killed him to atone for themselves.
Possible conjecture but when the poor people sacrificed birds, the plucking of their feathers could represent Christ setting aside his glory, and they didn’t destroy them they sat them on the ash pile, not getting burned, as if they are sitting there waiting for Christ to take them up again.
For the grain offering, it had to be good quality flour, representing the best that Christ was. Also calls himself bread multiple times.
Offered with oil-holy spirit,
and salt-related to grace Col 4:6. Couldn’t be with leaven, it has a decaying effect, salt has a preserving effect.
Also with frankincense, this only shows up with a gift to Jesus from wise men in Bethlehem-which means house of bread. So the wise men sacrificed their frankincense to the bread of life in the house of bread!
Grain offering the only one to be referred to as memorial. When Jesus offers his bread and wine body and blood, he said do this in remembrance.
Peace offering: Col 3:15
Sin offering: even if a grain offering is made in the case of extreme poverty, no oil or frankincense could be used because this wasn’t a sweet thing, it was painful and bitter.
Generally, when Jews touched blood, they were made unholy, but it says whatever touches the sin offering becomes holy. Interesting.
Its just planned out so well, the jews literally do not sacrifice anymore because they cant! The temple was destroyed! How blind do they have to be to not see Jesus fulfilled it, predicted the destruction and now as a result of rejecting they substitute good works in place of the sacrifices they cant do. Modern day Judaism would be unrecognizable to biblical jews. And theyre even waiting for a temple to be built so they can start doing it again. doesn’t it just make sense that God stopped them.
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