“Is there Gospel in the Old Testament?” That question was asked last Sunday in our Bible Class. It’s a great question. The answer is “Yes,” which immeasurably increases devotional readings for your spiritual growth.
Jesus Himself inspired the Old Testament prophets about His Gospel ministry. 1 Peter 1:10-12: “About this salvation, the prophets who were prophesying about the grace to you, searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when He predicted the sufferings and the subsequent glories.”
Here’s an Old Testament prophecy with Gospel. When the Ethiopian eunuch was puzzled by Isaiah 53, he asked Philip, “‘About whom does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?’ Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture, he told him the good news about Jesus” (Acts 8:32-36). Read Isaiah 52:13-53:11. In light of the New Testament, we see it’s all about Jesus.
Same with Jacob’s Ladder in Genesis 28:10-17. In John 3:51, Jesus promised Nathanael, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” Jesus is Jacob’s Ladder. By His incarnation and ascension, He reaches from heaven to earth and earth to heaven. The angels ascend and descend around Jesus.
After the resurrection, Jesus told the Emmaus disciples that the Old Testament was all about Himself. “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:27).
Jesus stands over both testaments. In John 8:48-59, He was arguing with the Jews about how to interpret the Old Testament. He said, “Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” The Jews pushed back. You’re not old enough to have seen Abraham. Jesus: “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” Wow!
Countless more examples could be given. Maybe I will. When you hear and read the Old Testament, keep this rule in mind. “The New Testament is hidden in the Old, the Old is made clear by the New.”