Last week we read in Hebrews 8:5 there were many things in the Old Testament that were to be types and shadows, or figures and representations, of things in the New Covenant. We specifically started talking about types and shadows of the Incarnation, when the Word became flesh and dwelt among us in Emmanuel, God with us (Jesus). We first looked at Abel as an example of Christ in the OT. Today we will look at several more. Let’s get into God’s Word.
Isaac is another type of Christ. Isaac means “He laughs”. The Lord sits in the Heavens and laughs (Ps 2:4). Jesus was anointed with oil of gladness (joy) above all His fellows (Heb 1:8-9). Despite many films today depicting Jesus as always solemn and sorrowful; the fact is, He had more joy than anyone else. Isaac’s birth, like Jesus’, was supernatural. His mother, Sarah, was barren, and she was also past the age of childbearing. Nevertheless, our God is the God of the impossible. Never forget that.
Isaac was called the child of promise, or covenant child. Jesus was promised seed, the child of the New Covenant. Like Jesus, Isaac was persecuted by His brother according to the flesh (Gen 21:9). Isaac was called Abraham’s only child, like Jesus is called the only begotten of the Father (Gen 21:9). Isaac was also bound to wood as a sacrifice (Gen 22:9), like Jesus was bound to the cross as a sacrifice. The difference is, of course, that Isaac was set free, and the sheep was slain. With Jesus, however, He was slain, and the sheep are set free. Hallelujah!
Joseph was another type of Jesus. His birth was supernatural, in that his mother, Rachel, was barren, but God healed her. She bore Joseph, which means, “The Lord has added or increased”. What a description of Christ! Because of Jesus, heaven has been increased. The family of God has been added to by Jesus. The multitudes in heaven will be there because of Jesus (Heb 2:9-11, 1Jn 3:1-2, Gal 3:26, 2Cor 6:18, Rom 8:29-30).
Joseph, like Abel and Isaac, was betrayed and persecuted by his brother(s) - as Jesus was. He was sold as a slave, as Jesus was sold out by Judas for the price of a slave. He was unjustly condemned because of Potiphar’s wife, like Jesus was by the religious leaders. He was delivered from prison and promoted to glory, to sit at the right hand of Pharaoh and rule the kingdom of Egypt, as Jesus was delivered from Hell and promoted to the right hand of God the Father to rule the Kingdom of God.
Moses was another type of the incarnation. Moses means “drawn out or drawn forth.” As Moses was drawn out of the water, so Jesus put on flesh to be drawn forth from the Virgin’s womb, that He might draw mankind out of the kingdom of darkness, the horrible pit, and the miry clay (Col 1:13, Ps 40:2, Isa 51:1).
Moses miraculously escaped infanticide at his birth, just as Jesus did. Moses rejected Pharaoh’s house, to dwell with his people, just as Jesus came, not to dwell in king’s palaces, but to be with the lowly. Moses was called out of Egypt by God in the Exodus, just as Jesus was called out of Egypt after the danger had passed. Moses performed mighty signs and wonders, just as Jesus did. As Moses delivered the Hebrews from Egyptian bondage, so Jesus came to deliver mankind from the bondage of sin and Satan. Just as Moses interceded for his people in the wilderness; so Jesus forever lives to make intercession for the saints.
Samson, in some respects, was also a type of the incarnation. Samson means “sunlight, or like the sun.” Jesus is the Sun of Righteousness, and outshines the sun (Mal 4:1-2, Mt 17:2, Act 26:13, Rev 1:16, 21:23). Samson’s birth was supernatural. His mother, like Sarah, Rachel, Hannah, and Elisabeth, was also barren. An angel appeared to her, and announced she would conceive a son (Jud 13:3). Samson would be a Nazarite from birth. Though Jesus was not a Nazarite (although He was a Nazarene - or from Nazareth), yet the word Nazarite means “consecrated, devoted, separated, sanctified”. Jesus was certainly wholly devoted and consecrated to the Father’s will from birth - sinless and undefiled (Heb 7:26).
Samson was born to deliver his people from the bondage of the Philistines (Jud 13:5), and Jesus was born to save His people from the bondage of sin (Mt 1:21). Although Samson’s adult life did not at all imitate the life of Jesus, the end of their lives had something in common - they brought the house down in their death!
Samson was mocked by the wicked, as Jesus was before His death. As Samson’s arms were stretched out between two pillars, so Jesus’ arms were stretched out on the cross. When Samson died, He brought down the house of the wicked on top of them. In the same way, when Jesus died, He brought down the kingdom of darkness! He spoiled the strong man’s house! He delivered a knock out punch to Satan! He spoiled principalities and powers, making an open spectacle of them! What an awesome parallel!
I pray this two-part series on the OT types and shadows of the incarnation has given you a deeper understanding and appreciation for the miraculous, glorious, and blessed event we call Christmas. Jesus is what it is all about, and nothing else. Until next time, rejoice in The Lord!
More from Focus on Faith.