The Old Testament Points to the New Testament

A concept that Christian students of the Holy Bible eventually learn is that of type and anti-type. In the biblical context, a type is a person, place, or institution in the Old Testament that points to a person, place, or institution in the New Testament. The New Testament fulfillment of the type is called an anti-type.

From the Jewish perspective, of course, the Old Testament stands by itself and does not find a fulfillment in the New. Christians, however, see many examples where the Old Testament foreshadows events and persons that appear in the New Testament. Here are a few of the more important ones.

The Old Testament Sacrificial System. An important element of the Old Testament Jewish worship system involves the sacrificing of animals and, during certain times, offering the blood of the animals as a way of covering over the sins of the individual or the nation. While the blood could cover over the sins and restrain the punishment of God toward the sinners, Christians have seen the Old Testament system pointing to the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ, a death that cleansed the sinner rather than simply covering over the sin. Leviticus and Numbers are helpful Old Testament books for information about the sacrificial system.

The Person of Joseph, the Son of Jacob (Israel). Joseph was the next to youngest son of Jacob (renamed Israel by God) and is often pointed to as a type or picture of Jesus Christ. Among the many parallels noted by biblical students are: (1) Joseph was the beloved son of his father, just as Jesus was the beloved son of God; (2) Joseph was hated by his brothers, just as Jesus was hated by his fellow Israelites; (3) Joseph was sold by his brothers, just as Jesus was sold by Judas to the priests; (4) Joseph suffered because of his brothers' actions, just as Jesus suffered because of the actions of his people; (5) Joseph was as good as dead in the eyes of his father, just as Jesus was literally dead; and (6) and Joseph was exalted to the second highest position in Egypt after his suffering, just as Jesus was exalted to the right hand of God after being raised from the dead. There are many other parallels, but these will serve to indicate the similarities between the two men and why Joseph is seen by Christians to be a type of Jesus Christ. The story of Joseph can be found in Genesis, chapters 37-50.

The Passover Lamb. In Exodus 12, while the Israelites are in Egypt as slaves, God sends an angel of death to kill the firstborn males of the land. While this action is aimed at the Egyptians, it could also affect any firstborn male, including Israelites. To avoid death, the Israelites are told to sacrifice a lamb and paint the doorjambs of their houses with the lamb's blood. Anyone inside those "painted" houses will be safe when the angel of death passes over the land. Jesus is seen as the Passover Lamb whose blood saves anyone who comes to him for salvation.

The Bronze Serpent in the Wilderness. In Numbers 21, the Israelites, while traveling in the desert, complain about their lot in life. God sends poisonous serpents among them and people begin to die. When the people confess their sinfulness and ask for help, God tells Moses, the leader of the Israelites, to make a bronze serpent and put it on a pole. Anyone who looks at it will be saved from death. In John 3:14 and 15, the connection of the bronze serpent with Jesus being lifted (on the cross) to save people is made by Jesus himself.

There are many other examples, but these will give you a basic understanding of type and anti-type and the connections that Christians see between the two parts of the Holy Bible. A study of the types and anti-types will help you appreciate the unity of the Bible.