God is good all of the time
All of the time God is good |
DIVISION I.
SUB-DIVISION (A)
Christ's Preexistence Proved In the Old Testament
In this section we will study the scriptures that prove Christ's preexistence in the Old Testament. Why? Because it is important to see Christ as eternal. It's one of the characteristics of His deity.
"For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. And the government will rest on his shoulders. These will be his royal titles: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
(Isaiah 9:6)
God's provision
is always behind
God's call |
In "Truth For Today- Biblical Essays" Paul Mizzi had this to say about Christ's preexistence:
Old Testament Christology:
The Greek term "Christos" is purely equivalent to the Hebrew "Messiah," signifying "Anointed One."
The name of Jesus and His title are inseparable. Being thus denominated, Jesus, the Son of God, the Saviour of the world, is the first and principal object of the Old Testament prophecies; He is therein prefigured and promised; expected and desired by the patriarchs; the hope of the Gentiles; the glory, deliverance and consolation of Christians.
The name Jesus, or, as the Hebrews pronounce it, Jehoshua, or Joshua, signifies the Saviour, or the Lord the Saviour. The name applies, in the full force of its signification, to Jesus of Nazareth, who saves His people from sin, death and hell. He is called Christ, or anointed, because He is consecrated by God to His mediatorial office.
In the Old Testament Christ is revealed as the coming God-man, having a most excellent character, about whom all the Law, the Psalms and the Prophets speak, as He himself affirmed:
"Then Jesus quoted passages from the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining what all the Scriptures said about himself"
(Luke 24:27).
"But if you had believed Moses, you would have believed me because he wrote about me"
(John 5:46).
In a very real sense, the Old Testament is full of Christ, though oftentimes in a veiled form. But with the full light of the New Testament, by His appearing, then we can read the Old Testament and cannot but be impressed and edified as we see Him there depicted in all His richness. Though the Son was incarnated at least 4,000 years after the Fall, yet all of God's elect knew about Him, trusted in Him,
endured reproach for His sake:
"It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to be treated as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. He chose to share the oppression of God's people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin. He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of the Messiah than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to the great reward that God would give him"
(Hebrews 11:24-26).
looked forward for His day:
"Your ancestor Abraham rejoiced as he looked forward to my coming. He saw it and was glad"
(John 8:56).
and were justified by Him just as the New Testament saints are:
"Now this wonderful truth- that God declared him to be righteous- wasn't just for Abraham's benefit. It was for us, too, assuring us that God will also declare us to be righteous if we believe in God, who brought Jesus our Lord back from the dead. He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised from the dead to make us right with God"
(Romans 4:23-25).
God's people throughout the ages were dependent on the promised Messiah.
As the Westminster Confession puts it:
"Although the work of redemption was not actually wrought by Christ till after his incarnation, yet the virtue, efficacy, and benefits thereof, were communicated unto the elect in all ages successively from the beginning of the world, in and by those promises, types, and sacrifices, wherein he was revealed and signified to be the Seed of the woman, which should bruise the serpent's head, and the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world, being yesterday and to-day the same, and for ever"
(Chapter 8:VI).
A brief look at the various sections of the Old Testament will confirm how valid this affirmation is. The Son appears in numerous prophecies. All prophets before His incarnation were speaking on His behalf; Christ was speaking in and through them.
Before Christ actually clothed Himself with our nature, He made certain appearances Christophanies (theophanies) in visible form. For instance:
"Now go, lead the people to the place I told you about. Look! My Angel will lead the way before you!"
(Exodus 32:34).
The poetical books are replete with Christ in various ways and means. The Psalms, for instance, are only exhausted when seen as referring to Christ. Though not mentioned by name, His glorious person and work saturate the Songs of worship.
Proverbs, which at first glance seems to be a purely ethical book, refers to Christ also:
"The LORD formed me from the beginning, before he created anything else. I was appointed in ages past, at the very first, before the earth began. I was born before the oceans were created, before the springs bubbled forth their waters. Before the mountains and the hills were formed, I was born- before he had made the earth and fields and the first handfuls of soil. I was there when he established the heavens, when he drew the horizon on the oceans. I was there when he set the clouds above, when he established the deep fountains of the earth. I was there when he set the limits of the seas, so they would not spread beyond their boundaries. And when he marked off the earth's foundations, I was the architect at his side. I was his constant delight, rejoicing always in his presence. And how happy I was with what he created- his wide world and all the human family!"
(Proverbs 8:21-31).
"Wisdom (a name for Jesus Christ) has built her spacious house with seven pillars. She has prepared a great banquet, mixed the wines, and set the table. She has sent her servants to invite everyone to come. She calls out from the heights overlooking the city. "Come home with me," she urges the simple. To those without good judgment, she says, "Come, eat my food, and drink the wine I have mixed. Leave your foolish ways behind, and begin to live; learn how to be wise. Anyone who rebukes a mocker will get a smart retort. Anyone who rebukes the wicked will get hurt. So don't bother rebuking mockers; they will only hate you. But the wise, when rebuked, will love you all the more. Teach the wise, and they will be wiser. Teach the righteous, and they will learn more. Fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in understanding." Wisdom (from God) will multiply your days and add years to your life. If you become wise, you will be the one to benefit. If you scorn wisdom, you will be the one to suffer.
(Proverbs 9:1-12).
If we do not see the golden thread through all the Bible, marking out Christ, we read the Scripture without the key. The Canticle expresses His love for the Church and the response of the bride to the heavenly Bridegroom.
The prophets also saw His glory and spoke of Him:
"The Lord has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts- so their eyes cannot see, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them. Isaiah was referring to Jesus when he made this prediction, because he was given a vision of the Messiah's glory."
(John 12:40-41).
Isaiah reaches such poetic heights in speaking of Christ that he is commonly known as the Evangelical Prophet. He refers to the universal dominion of Christ, the fruits of His reign and His ultimate victory. He is said to establish His kingdom through voluntary suffering and death:
"Who has believed our message? To whom will the LORD reveal his saving power? My servant grew up in the LORD's presence like a tender green shoot, sprouting from a root in dry and sterile ground. There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him. He was despised and rejected- a man of sorrows, acquainted with bitterest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way when he went by. He was despised, and we did not care. Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God for his own sins! But he was wounded and crushed for our sins. He was beaten that we might have peace. He was whipped, and we were healed! All of us have strayed away like sheep. We have left God's paths to follow our own. Yet the LORD laid on him the guilt and sins of us all. He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent
before the shearers, he did not open his mouth. From prison and trial they led him away to his death. But who among the people realized that he was dying for their sins- that he was suffering their punishment? He had done no wrong, and he never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man's grave. But it was the LORD's good plan to crush him and fill him with grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have a multitude of children, many heirs. He will enjoy a long life, and the LORD's plan will prosper in his hands. When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of what he has experienced, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins. I will give him the honors of one who is mighty and great, because he exposed himself to death. He was counted among those who were sinners. He bore the sins of many and interceded for sinners."
(Isaiah Chapter 53).
In their own ways, the other prophets speak of the Christ, as Peter affirms that they do:
"Moses said, `The Lord your God will raise up a Prophet like me from among your own people. Listen carefully to everything he tells you.' Then Moses said, `Anyone who will not listen to that Prophet will be cut off from God's people and utterly destroyed.' "Starting with Samuel, every prophet spoke about what is happening today. You are the children of those prophets, and you are included in the covenant God promised to your ancestors. For God said to Abraham, `Through your descendants all the families on earth will be blessed.'"
(Acts 3:22-25).
Jeremiah presents Him as the Lord our Righteousness
"For the time is coming," says the LORD, "when I will place a righteous Branch on King David's throne. He will be a King who rules with wisdom. He will do what is just and right throughout the land. And this is his name: `The LORD Is Our Righteousness.' In that day Judah will be saved, and Israel will live in safety"
(Jeremiah 23:5-6).
and Ezekiel adapts and develops the theme as the Spirit addresses new circumstances. Christ is described magnificently in chapter 1, and later on as the Good Shepherd:
"And I will set one shepherd over them, even my servant David. He will feed them and be a shepherd to them. And I, the LORD, will be their God, and my servant David will be a prince among my people. I, the LORD, have spoken!"
"I assure you, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber! For a shepherd enters through the gate. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they recognize his voice. They won't follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don't recognize his voice." Those who heard Jesus use this illustration didn't understand what he meant, so he explained it to them. "I assure you, I am the gate for the sheep," he said. "All others who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them. Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. Wherever they go, they will find green pastures. The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life in all its fullness. "I
am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will leave the sheep because they aren't his and he isn't their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock. The hired hand runs away because he is merely hired and has no real concern for the sheep. "I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice; and there will be one flock with one shepherd."
(Ezekiel 34:23-24; with John 10:1-16).
Daniel's prophecy is filled with divine sovereignty. The Son of Man is none else but Jesus, who is given an everlasting kingdom of righteousness and holiness:
"I watched as thrones were put in place and the Ancient One sat down to judge. His clothing was as white as snow, his hair like whitest wool. He sat on a fiery throne with wheels of blazing fire, and a river of fire flowed from his presence. Millions of angels ministered to him, and a hundred million stood to attend him. Then the court began its session, and the books were opened. I continued to watch because I could hear the little horn's boastful speech. I kept watching until the fourth beast was killed and its body was destroyed by fire. As for the other three beasts, their authority was taken from them, but they were allowed to live for a while longer. As my vision continued that night, I saw someone who looked like a man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient One and was led into his presence. He was given authority, honor, and royal power over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him. His rule is eternal- it will never
end. His kingdom will never be destroyed."
(Daniel 7:9-14)
The minor prophets are certainly not lacking in their reference to Christ. Even Jonah, which is a pure historical account, is not devoid of its Christological character. For Jonah himself is a type of Christ:
"But Jesus replied, "Only an evil, faithless generation would ask for a miraculous sign; but the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, so I, the Son of Man, will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. The people of Nineveh will rise up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah. And now someone greater than Jonah is here- and you refuse to repent."
(Matthew 12:39-41).
Others, such as Micah, were privileged to give particular details about His coming, such as His birthplace:
"But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village in Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel will come from you, one whose origins are from the distant past"
(Micah 5:2).
With Zechariah comes a lot of Christological predictions. Jesus is variously described as:
1. The Source of His people's strength:
"On that day the LORD will defend the people of Jerusalem; the weakest among them will be as mighty as King David! And the royal descendants will be like God, like the angel of the LORD who goes before them!"
(Zechariah 12:8).
2. (Malak, Messenger) of Jehovah and God's Fellow:
"Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the family of David and on all the people of Jerusalem. They will look on me whom they have pierced and mourn for him as for an only son. They will grieve bitterly for him as for a firstborn son who has died."
"Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, the man who is my partner, says the LORD Almighty. Strike down the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn against the lambs."
(Zechariah 12:10; 13:7).
3. Rich in salvation:
"Rejoice greatly, O people of Zion! Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem! Look, your king is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet he is humble, riding on a donkey- even on a donkey's colt. I will remove the battle chariots from Israel and the warhorses from Jerusalem, and I will destroy all the weapons used in battle. Your king will bring peace to the nations. His realm will stretch from sea to sea and from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth"
(Zechariah 9:9-10).
4. High Priest and King:
"Then I received another message from the LORD: "Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah will bring gifts of silver and gold from the Jews exiled in Babylon. As soon as they arrive, meet them at the home of Josiah son of Zephaniah. Accept their gifts and make a crown from the silver and gold. Then put the crown on the head of Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Tell him that the LORD Almighty says: Here is the man called the Branch. He will branch out where he is and build the Temple of the LORD. He will build the LORD's Temple, and he will receive royal honor and will rule as king from his throne. He will also serve as priest from his throne, and there will be perfect harmony between the two. "The crown will be a memorial in the Temple of the LORD to honor those who gave it- Heldai, Tobijah, Jedaiah, and Josiah son of Zephaniah." Many will come from distant lands to rebuild the Temple of the LORD. And when this happens, you will know my messages have been from the LORD Almighty. All this will happen if you carefully obey the commands of the LORD your God."
(Zechariah 6:9-15).
5. The Fountain (opened for sin and uncleanness):
"On that day a fountain will be opened for the dynasty of David and for the people of Jerusalem, a fountain to cleanse them from all their sins and defilement"
(Zechariah 13:1).
6. And as the One pierced by His own people:
"Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the family of David and on all the people of Jerusalem. They will look on me whom they have pierced and mourn for him as for an only son. They will grieve bitterly for him as for a firstborn son who has died"
(Zechariah 12:10).
Malachi predicts that the results of His coming will be world-wide acknowledgement of Him:
"But my name is honored by people of other nations from morning till night. All around the world they offer sweet incense and pure offerings in honor of my name. For my name is great among the nations," says the LORD Almighty."
(Malachi 1:11),
and great blessings for His people:
"Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do," says the LORD Almighty, "I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won't have enough room to take it in! Try it! Let me prove it to you! Your crops will be abundant, for I will guard them from insects and disease. Your grapes will not shrivel before they are ripe," says the LORD Almighty. "Then all nations will call you blessed, for your land will be such a delight," says the LORD Almighty"
(Malachi 3:10-12).
As the body without the spirit is dead, so the Old Testament is meaningless without Christ therein presented. He being the principal subject, the Old Testament is ever fresh and living because it presents us with the Living Word, who in the fullness of time was made of a woman:
"But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law"
(Galatians 4:4).
Christ in Genesis
Christ is in all the Scriptures. We may discover a relationship therefore between events (Creation, Fall, Flood, Babel Crisis) and characters (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph) in Genesis to our Lord Jesus Christ.
CREATION
Christ's relationship to creation is that of the firstborn (prototokos) over all of it
"Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before God made anything at all and is supreme over all creation"
Colossians 1:15).
In thus designating him, Paul is not intimating that the Son was the first created being. In the Old Testament, a firstborn son would be the principal heir of an estate:
"He must give the customary double portion to his oldest son, who represents the strength of his father's manhood and who owns the rights of the firstborn son, even though he is the son of the wife his father does not love"
(Deuteronomy 21:17).
Used of Christ, the term 'firstborn' means that He has such honour and dignity, not only that He was the oldest child in a family, but that Christ is especially loved by His Father:
"For he has rescued us from the one who rules in the kingdom of darkness, and he has brought us into the Kingdom of his dear Son."
(Colossians 1:13),
and all things were created in Him, by Him, and for Him:
"For it was in Him that all things were created, in heaven and on earth, things seen and things unseen, whether thrones, dominions, rulers, or authorities; All things were created and exist through Him (by His service, intervention) and in and for Him. (Amplified Bible). He existed before everything else began, and he holds all creation together"
(Colossians 1:16-17).
Christ is Creator and Sovereign and Owner of all things.
THE FALL
As soon as Adam apostasied from his Creator, the Son of God entered into his role as Mediator, or Second Adam. He was then promised as the seed of the woman that should eventually crush the serpent's head. As the Fall was decreed in God's wise and holy counsel, so Christ was predestined as the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. What was lost and forfeited in Adam, Christ will not only regain but elevate to an even higher status. Man, as creature, was made lower than the angels, but will be higher than the angels, in that the elect will sit with Christ on his throne.
Christ's relationship to the Fall is one of Restorer and Deliverer; and also that of Judge of all sinners.
THE FLOOD
The same Hebrew terms for 'ark' and 'pitch' (with which the ark was covered) are used in
Exodus 2:3 for the ark (of bulrushes) that protected Moses, whom God also used to bring forth a new humanity from a world under judgement.
The Lord uniquely specified the design for the building of the ark, the Exodus tabernacle and Solomon's temple. The ark preserved Noah's covenant family through chaotic waters; the latter structures would sustain the later covenant people among the chaotic nations. When the judgement of the global flood came, God preserved his creation in miniature. God's work here was a type of Christ's work of definite redemption:
"And they sang a new song with these words: "You are worthy to take the scroll and break its seals and open it. For you were killed, and your blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation"
(Revelation 5:9),
where Christ is said to have purchased some from 'every tribe and tongue and people and nation'.
The parallelism is seen principally in this: those who were in the ark were preserved (saved); those outside perished. The same happens to the human race throughout history: when the flood and tempest come and the winds beat and blow against each man's house, those who are in Christ will be saved, those without Christ will perish.
BABEL CRISIS
At Babel God confused the tongues of men and separated them, constraining them to fill the whole earth. Those ancient people wanted to make a "name" for themselves, with the connotation that they were ambitious for fame and progeny, and wanted to find significance and immortality in their own achievements.
But only God, through Christ gives an everlasting name:
"I assure you, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life"
(John 5:24),
as he does shortly afterwards in calling Abraham from the midst of idolatry and giving him promises:
"I will cause you to become the father of a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and I will make you a blessing to others"
(Genesis 12:2):
"I will make thy name great...". God grants significance and name to those who magnify
His name:
"When Seth grew up, he had a son and named him Enosh. It was during his lifetime that people first began to worship the LORD."
"After that, Abram traveled southward and set up camp in the hill country between Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar and worshiped the LORD"
(Genesis 4:26; and Genesis 12:8).
"Where is the one whose power divided the sea before them, when Moses lifted up his hand, establishing his reputation forever? Where is the one who led them through the bottom of the sea? They were like fine stallions racing through the desert, never stumbling. As with cattle going down into a peaceful valley, the Spirit of the LORD gave them rest. You led your people, LORD, and gained a magnificent reputation"
(Isaiah 63:12-14).
ABRAHAM
Jesus' relationship to the great patriarch is that of Lord and son. He is before him ("Before Abraham was, I am.") and after him, according to the flesh. Matthew's gospel opens by tracing Jesus' genealogy from Abraham onwards, and starts with the statement: "The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham."
Abraham's hope was centred in the promised Messiah: "He (Abraham) saw it (Messiah's day) and was glad..." Christ is Abraham's greater son, through whom all believers are blessed
"So you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have been made like him. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or female. For you are all Christians- you are one in Christ Jesus. And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and now all the promises God gave to him belong to you"
(Galatians 3:26-29).
ISAAC
Having already graciously committed himself to Abraham, God tested Abraham's obedience in commanding him to offer his son Isaac on the altar. Abraham displayed his full commitment to the Lord, symbolically receiving Isaac, the child of promise, back from death
"Later on God tested Abraham's faith and obedience. "Abraham!" God called. "Yes," he replied. "Here I am." "Take your son, your only son- yes, Isaac, whom you love so much- and go to the land of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will point out to you." The next morning Abraham got up early. He saddled his donkey and took two of his servants with him, along with his son Isaac. Then he chopped wood to build a fire for a burnt offering and set out for the place where God had told him to go. On the third day of the journey, Abraham saw the place in the distance. "Stay here with the donkey," Abraham told the young men. "The boy and I will travel a little farther. We will worship there, and then we will come right back." Abraham placed the wood for the burnt offering on Isaac's shoulders, while he himself carried the knife and the fire. As the two of them went on together, Isaac said, "Father?" "Yes, my son," Abraham replied. "We have the wood and the fire," said the boy, "but where is the lamb for the sacrifice?" "God will provide a lamb, my son," Abraham answered. And they both went on together. When they arrived at the place where God had told Abraham to go, he built an altar and placed the wood on it. Then he tied Isaac up and laid him on the altar over the wood. And Abraham took the knife and lifted it up to kill his son as a sacrifice to the LORD. At that moment the angel of the LORD shouted to him from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!" "Yes," he answered. "I'm listening." "Lay down the knife," the angel said. "Do not hurt the boy in any way, for now I know that you truly fear God. You have not withheld even your beloved son from me"
(Genesis 22:1-12).
This event then typifies the death and resurrection of Christ, for Abraham had received the promise that it was through Isaac that his seed shall be called. Abraham knew that God was obliged to keep his promise, and he knew that a dead Isaac could not continue the covenant line.
Hebrews 11:19 unveils Abraham's secret: he concluded that "God was able to raise (Isaac) up, even from the dead." In God's provision of the ram the sacrifice of Christ is also typified, who died instead of the elect so that they would live:
"Then Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught by its horns in a bush. So he took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering on the altar in place of his son. Abraham named the place "The LORD Will Provide." This name has now become a proverb: "On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided"
(Genesis 22:13,14).
"Instead of his son," signifies the substitutionary purpose of the sacrifice, and points forward to the sacrifice of Christ who died in our stead:
"For even I, the Son of Man, came here not to be served but to serve others, and to give my life as a ransom for many."
"He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing what is right."
"For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ."
(Mark 10:45; Titus 2:14; 2 Corinthians 5:21).
JACOB
In general, Abraham is the root of all promise, and the picture of the life of faith; Isaac is a type of the heavenly Man, who receives the bride Rebekkah (God's elect); and Jacob represents Israel as heir of the promises, by grace.
Though Jacob was heir of the promises, and valued God's blessing in a selfish manner, he sought it not by faith, but tried in an evil and mean way to obtain it; first in buying the birthright when his brother was at the point of death; and then, in obtaining the blessing from his father by lying and deceit; a blessing which would surely have been his in God's way if he had waited. Refer to
"But Jacob crossed his arms as he reached out to lay his hands on the boys' heads. So his right hand was on the head of Ephraim, the younger boy, and his left hand was on the head of Manasseh, the older. Then he blessed Joseph and said, "May God, the God before whom my grandfather Abraham and my father, Isaac, walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life, and the angel who has kept me from all harm- may he bless these boys. May they preserve my name and the names of my grandfather Abraham and my father, Isaac. And may they become a mighty nation." But Joseph was upset when he saw that his father had laid his right hand on Ephraim's head. So he lifted it to place it on Manasseh's head instead. "No, Father," he said, "this one over here is older. Put your right hand on his head." But his father refused. "I know what I'm doing, my son," he said. "Manasseh, too, will become a great people, but his younger brother will become even greater. His descendants
will become a multitude of nations!" So Jacob blessed the boys that day with this blessing: "The people of Israel will use your names to bless each other. They will say, `May God make you as
prosperous as Ephraim and Manasseh.' "In this way, Jacob put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh"
(Genesis 48:14-20).
Jacob being named Israel led to his descendants being called the children of Israel.
They are however frequently addressed as Jacob, or house of Jacob, as if they had not preserved the higher character involved in the name of Israel. In Jacob (and his seed) then, we see most pre-eminently the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, who for His (unmeriting) people tabernacled among them, so that the promises of God, in Him, might become yea and amen.
JOSEPH
In many respects Joseph is a striking type of the Lord Jesus. He was the beloved one of his father: this with the intimations given to him of his future position, destined for him by God in the midst of his family, stirred up the envy of his brethren and resulted in his being sold to the Gentiles: as the Lord was hated by His brethren the Jews, and sold by one of them. Joseph was accounted as dead. He was brought very low, being cast into prison, under a false accusation against him because he would not sin: his feet were "made fast in the stocks," and the iron entered his soul: in all these circumstances he was foreshadowing the Lord in his humiliation.
On the elevation of Joseph to power he was unknown to his brethren, as the Lord in exaltation is now to His brethren after the flesh. During this time he had a Gentile wife and children and became "fruitful": so while the Lord is rejected by the Jews, God is gathering from the nations a people for His name. Joseph rules over the Gentiles, as Christ is doing now.
Christ in the Psalms
Christ Himself affirmed that He is mentioned regularly in the Psalms of Israel:
"These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me."
(Luke 24:44).
He is in the Psalms:
a. As the Good Shepherd
Psalm 78:52: "But made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock. And he led them on safely, so that they feared not: but the sea overwhelmed their enemies."
b. As the Rock of Ages
Psalm 62:1-2: "Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved."
c. As our Light and Salvation
Psalm 27:1: "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?"
d. As the Bringer of Righteousness
Psalm 24:5: "He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation."
From Psalms 22 and 69 we may point out many references to the sufferings of the Saviour:
Forsaken of God Psalms 22:1, Psalms 22:11
Not heard of God Psalms 22:2, Psalms 69:17
A reproach among men Psalms 22:6; bearing reproach for God Psalms 69:7, Psalms 69:9b
Despised of the people Psalms 22:6; shame-faced Psalms 69:7
Ridiculed and laughed at Psalms 22:7; Psalms 69:11, Psalms 69:12
His trust in God- mocked at Psalms 22:8
No help from anywhere or anyone Psalms 22:11; not pitied Psalms 69:20
Physical sufferings, Psalms 22:14, Psalms 22:16b, Psalms 69:3
Encompassed by evil men, Psalms 22:16, Psalms 69:19
Anguish of soul, Psalms 69:1, Psalms 69:20, Psalms 69:29
Overwhelmed with sorrow Psalms 69:2; weeping Psalms 69:10
Hated without reason Psalms 69:4
A stranger to His own brethren Psalms 69:8
Spoken against Psalms 69:12
Offered vinegar to drink Psalms 69:21
Smitten and wounded of God Psalms 69:26
Gracious attitudes are found in the hearts of the psalmists towards Christ:
1. The Psalmists expressed trust, a godly dependence, upon the Messiah they anticipated:
"The LORD is my shepherd; I have everything I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name."
"O LORD, I have come to you for protection; don't let me be put to shame. Rescue me, for you always do what is right."
(Psalm 23:1-3, and Psalm 31:1).
2. They also loved Him:
"I love you, LORD; you are my strength."
(Psalm 18:1),
and consequently praised Him:
"Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD, I tell myself."
"Praise the LORD, I tell myself; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name."
"He has not done this with any other nation; they do not know his laws. Praise the LORD!"
(Psalm 146:1, Psalm 103:1, Psalm 147:20).
3. They called upon Him, invoking His Name:
verse 3 "I will call on the LORD, who is worthy of praise, for he saves me from my enemies."
verse 6 "But in my distress I cried out to the LORD; yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry reached his ears."
"Give victory to our king, O LORD! Respond to our cry for help."
(Psalm 18:3,6, Psalm 20:9).
4. They rejoiced in Him, and found in Him all their good:
"Let the godly sing with joy to the LORD, for it is fitting to praise him."
"So rejoice in the LORD and be glad, all you who obey him! Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure!"
"The godly will rejoice in the LORD and find shelter in him. And those who do what is right will praise him."
"But let the godly rejoice. Let them be glad in God's presence. Let them be filled with joy."
"May all who are godly be happy in the LORD and praise his holy name!"
(Psalm 33:1, 32:11, 64:10, 68:3, 97:12).
5. They blessed Christ, and expressed their thanksgiving to Him:
"Praise the LORD, everything he has created, everywhere in his kingdom. As for me- I, too, will praise the LORD."
"Praise the LORD, I tell myself; O LORD my God, how great you are! You are robed with honor and with majesty..."
"Give thanks to the LORD and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done."
"Praise the LORD! Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Who can list the glorious miracles of the LORD? Who can ever praise him half enough?"
(Psalm 103:22, 104:1, 105:1, 106:1-2).
Different aspects of Christ's kingship are shown in the Psalms:
1. A glorious kingship, marked by brilliance, magnificence and excellence:
"Open up, ancient gates! Open up, ancient doors, and let the King of glory enter. Who is the King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, invincible in battle. Open up, ancient gates! Open up, ancient doors, and let the King of glory enter. Who is the King of glory? The LORD Almighty..."
(Psalm 24:7-10).
2. An effective kingship of judgement over His enemies:
"Serve the LORD with reverent fear, and rejoice with trembling. Submit to God's royal son, or he will become angry, and you will be destroyed in the midst of your pursuits- for his anger can flare up in an instant. But what joy for all who find protection in him!"
(Psalm 2:11-12).
3. A gracious kingship over his elect:
"For the LORD declares, "I have placed my chosen king on the throne in Jerusalem, my holy city."
"It is magnificent in elevation- the whole earth rejoices to see it! Mount Zion, the holy mountain, is the city of the great King!
"O Israel, rejoice in your Maker. O people of Jerusalem, exult in your King."
(Psalm 2:6, Psalm 48:2, Psalm 149:2).
4. An everlasting kingship of righteousness:
"Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever. Your royal power is expressed in justice. You love what is right and hate what is wrong.
Therefore God, your God, has anointed you, pouring out the oil of joy on you more than on anyone else."
(Psalm 45:6-7, Psalm 10:16).
5. A sovereign and supreme kingship over the universe, His created order:
"The LORD rules over the floodwaters. The LORD reigns as king forever."
verse 2 "For the LORD Most High is awesome. He is the great King of all the earth."
verse 7 "For God is the King over all the earth. Praise him with a psalm!"
(Psalm 29:10, Psalm 47:2 and 7).
as well as over the spiritual realm:
"For the LORD is a great God, the great King above all gods."
(Psalm 95:3).
Psalm 23
"There is no difficulty in ascertaining the person here intended; for the description agrees to no other than our Lord Jesus Christ, who is at one JEHOVAH and the SHEPHERD promised to the fathers" (J.M.Mason).
In Psalm 23, the best-known hymn of confidence in Christ, He is depicted by David's pen as the Lord who exercises care and goodness, the shepherd who abundantly provides for his own. The image of shepherd is inexhaustibly rich. The shepherd:
a. stays with his flock
"He will feed his flock like a shepherd. He will carry the lambs in his arms, holding them close to his heart. He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young."
"In all their suffering he also suffered, and he personally rescued them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them. He lifted them up and carried them through all the years. But they rebelled against him and grieved his Holy Spirit. That is why he became their enemy and fought against them. Then they remembered those days of old when Moses led his people out of Egypt. They cried out, "Where is the one who brought Israel through the sea, with Moses as their shepherd? Where is the one who sent his Holy Spirit to be among his people? Where is the one whose power divided the sea before them, when Moses lifted up his hand, establishing his reputation forever? "
(Isaiah 40:11, 63:9-12).
b. owns sheep who are totally dependent upon him for food and sustenance, as well as for water.
In the same way, and fulfilling this prophecy, Jesus is revealed as both
the Good Shepherd
"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep."
"I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me"
(John 10:11, 14).
as well as the Great Shepherd of the sheep
"And now, may the God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, equip you with all you need for doing his will. May he produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, all that is pleasing to him. Jesus is the great Shepherd of the sheep by an everlasting covenant, signed with his blood. To him be glory forever and ever. Amen"
(Hebrews 13:20-21),
who:
a. promises His continual presence with His people:
"Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
"For I am with you, and no one will harm you because many people here in this city belong to me."
"That night the Lord appeared to Paul and said,
"Be encouraged, Paul. Just as you have told the people about me here in Jerusalem, you must preach the Good News in Rome."
(Matthew 28:20; Acts 18:10, 23:11);
and
b. provides them with life and nourishment
"Jesus replied, "I am the bread of life. No one who comes to me will ever be hungry again. Those who believe in me will never thirst."
"So Jesus said again, "I assure you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you. But those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them at the last day. For my flesh is the true food, and my blood is the true drink. All who eat my flesh and drink my blood remain in me, and I in them. I live by the power of the living Father who sent me; in the same way, those who partake of me will live because of me. I am the true bread from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever and not die as your ancestors did, even though they ate the manna."
"On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, "If you are thirsty, come to me!"
(John 6:35, 53-58, 7:37).
David spoke about the Lord Himself (Adonai), the supreme and only God being his all-sufficient Master. That same title, Lord, is freely given to Jesus Christ, and thus marked out as the same One about whom David sang. David spoke with confidence about his future, in perfect fellowship with His Lord, forever: exactly what Christ promises His disciples
(John 14:1).
