Types and Shadows of Christ

Adam was a type of Him who was to come. As the first Adam was the federal head of humanity, bringing sin and death to all his posterity, so Christ is the last Adam, the head of the new humanity, bringing righteousness and life. Adam was formed from the earth; Christ is the Lord from heaven. By the first Adam came death; by the last Adam came resurrection. The first man was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. What Adam lost, Christ restores—and more. In Adam all die; in Christ shall all be made alive.

Melchizedek, the mysterious king-priest of Salem, appears without genealogy, without beginning or end of days—made like unto the Son of God, abiding a priest continually. Abraham paid tithes to him, showing Melchizedek's superiority to the Levitical priesthood. Christ is a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek, not after the Levitical order of Aaron. This eternal priesthood is superior because it is not based on physical descent but on the power of an endless life. Christ is both King of righteousness and King of peace—the true Melchizedek.

Isaac, the son of promise, miraculously born to aged parents, pictures Christ in remarkable ways. Abraham offered up his only begotten son, figuratively receiving him back from the dead. Isaac willingly submitted to his father's will, carrying the wood for his own sacrifice up Mount Moriah. God provided a substitute—a ram caught in the thicket. The place was named Jehovah-jireh: 'In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.' Isaac's near-sacrifice foreshadows Christ, the beloved Son, willingly offered on that same mountain region, with no substitute provided—for He Himself was the substitute.

Joseph, beloved of his father, hated by his brethren, sold for silver, and exalted to save the world from famine, is one of the clearest types of Christ. His dreams prophesied his exaltation; his brothers rejected him; he was cast into a pit and sold to Gentiles. Yet through suffering he rose to glory at Pharaoh's right hand. He saved those who had rejected him, revealing himself to his brothers with tears and forgiveness. Joseph's life remarkably parallels Christ's rejection by Israel, His suffering, His exaltation, and His ultimate reconciliation with His people.

Moses was a type of Christ as prophet, mediator, and deliverer. God promised to raise up a Prophet like unto Moses from among the brethren. Like Christ, Moses was preserved from death as an infant, called out of Egypt, performed miraculous signs, mediated between God and man, and led God's people to deliverance. Yet Moses was but a servant in God's house; Christ is the Son over His own house. Moses brought the old covenant; Christ brings the new. Moses led Israel through the Red Sea; Christ leads His people through death to resurrection life.

David, the shepherd who became king, is a profound type of Christ. He was anointed but not yet enthroned, rejected by Saul, gathering a band of mighty men in the wilderness. David was both shepherd and warrior, musician and prophet. God promised David an everlasting kingdom—fulfilled in Christ, the Son of David, who sits on David's throne forever. David's suffering, rejection, and eventual triumph mirror Christ's path to glory. The sweet psalmist of Israel prophesied Christ's death and resurrection in his psalms.

The Passover lamb is one of the most explicit types of Christ. In Egypt, the lamb without blemish was slain, its blood applied to the doorposts, and the destroyer passed over those households. Israel was to eat the lamb with unleavened bread and bitter herbs, ready for departure. Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. His blood, applied by faith, causes God's judgment to pass over the believer. Not a bone of the Passover lamb was broken; neither were Christ's bones broken on the cross.

When fiery serpents plagued Israel in the wilderness, God commanded Moses to make a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. Everyone who was bitten and looked upon the bronze serpent lived. Jesus explicitly identified this as a type of His crucifixion: 'As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in him should not perish.' The serpent represents sin; bronze represents judgment. Christ became sin for us and bore God's judgment. All who look to Him in faith are saved.

When Israel hungered in the wilderness, God sent manna from heaven—bread appearing each morning with the dew. Jesus declared Himself the true bread from heaven, superior to the manna that Moses gave. The manna sustained physical life temporarily; Christ gives eternal life. Those who ate manna eventually died; those who eat of Christ live forever. The manna was gathered daily, picturing our daily dependence on Christ. The hidden manna is promised to overcomers. Christ is the bread of life—whoever comes to Him shall never hunger.

When Israel thirsted at Horeb, Moses struck the rock and water gushed forth. Paul explicitly identifies this rock as Christ: 'That Rock was Christ.' The rock was smitten once, and water flowed—Christ was struck once on the cross, and from His side flowed blood and water. The rock followed Israel through the wilderness, providing continuous water. Christ accompanies His people through their wilderness journey. Later, at Meribah, Moses struck the rock again instead of speaking to it, forfeiting entrance to Canaan. Christ need not be crucified again; we now approach Him by speaking—by prayer.

The entire tabernacle system points to Christ. 'The Word was made flesh and dwelt (tabernacled) among us.' Every piece of furniture, every measurement, every material speaks of Christ. The tabernacle was God's dwelling place among His people—Christ is Immanuel, God with us. The veil separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place; Christ's flesh was that veil, torn at His death to open access to God. The tabernacle was built according to the pattern shown Moses on the mount—the heavenly reality of which the earthly was but a shadow.

The Levitical high priest, robed in garments of glory and beauty, bearing the names of the tribes on his shoulders and breastplate, entering annually into the Most Holy Place with blood—all this pointed to Christ our great High Priest. He passed through the heavens into God's presence. He offered not the blood of bulls and goats but His own blood. He lives forever to make intercession for us. We have a High Priest who can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin. We may come boldly to the throne of grace.

The entire sacrificial system of the Old Testament was a shadow of the good things to come. The burnt offering pointed to Christ's total consecration. The sin offering pictured Christ bearing our sins. The trespass offering showed Christ paying for specific transgressions. The peace offering anticipated fellowship restored through Christ. Yet all these sacrifices could never take away sins—they were offered year after year, continually reminding of sin. Christ offered one sacrifice for sins forever, then sat down, His work complete. The blood of bulls and goats could not take away sins; the blood of Christ can.

Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, was the most solemn day in Israel's calendar. Only on this day could the high priest enter the Most Holy Place, and only with blood. Two goats were presented: one slain as a sin offering, its blood sprinkled on the mercy seat; the other, the scapegoat, had the sins of the people confessed over it and was sent into the wilderness, never to return. Christ fulfilled both: He died as our sin offering; He carried our sins far away, never to be remembered again. He entered once into the true Most Holy Place, having obtained eternal redemption.