1728. The Blood of Christ in the Old Testament–Part I

The Blood of Christ in the Old Testament–Part I

"And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him" (Lev_1:4).

We do not propose to give this theme any finished analysis. It would take books instead of pages to do this, even if we were able so to do.

We do propose to examine Book after Book in the Old Testament Cannon, and pick out one or two Calvary shadowings in each Book.

1. The Cross begins in Genesis in beauteous type. God put Adam to sleep, opened his side and took forth a rib, and made a woman whom He presented to Adam for his wife. This type was fulfilled in Christ put to sleep upon the Cross, while from his side God formed His Bride, who shall yet be presented to Him in wondrous glory, at the marriage of the Lamb.

The Cross was seen again when God slew the beast of the field to find thereby a robe with which to clothe the naked, sinning man and his wife. The Cross was foreshadowed in the words: The seed of the woman "it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel."

The Cross was seen in Genesis in Abel's slain firstling from his flock; in Noah's deluge and the safely-resting ark, and in many other gracious signs and symbols.

2. The Cross was seen in Exodus in the Passover, with its lamb, the firstling of the flock; the lamb kept, the lamb killed at the going down of the sun; the sprinkling of the blood; the roasting of the carcase of the lamb and the eating thereof.

3. The Cross was set forth in Leviticus in the typical offerings.

There was the burnt-offering. The priest put his hand upon the head of the burnt-offering; and it was accepted for him, to make atonement for him (see Lev_1:4).

There was the meat-offering. This set forth Christ as the bread that came down from Heaven (see Lev_2:1-16). The fire and the beating of Lev_2:14 speak of the Calvary sufferings.

There was the peace-offering (see Lev_3:1-17). The offering was slain at the door of the Tabernacle; and the blood was sprinkled about the altar. All this speaks of peace through His Blood.

There was the sin-offering, described in Leviticus 4. The bullock was slain outside the camp, and the blood was sprinkled before the Lord, before the vail, and before the altar of incense. This offering set forth Christ crucified, our sin-bearer.

There was the trespass-offering (see Leviticus 5). This offering typified Christ atoning for sins or trespasses. He bore our sins in His own body on the tree.

4. The Cross was set forth in Numbers. There, in chapter 20, we have the smitten rock, while in chapter 21 we have the uplifted serpent. Both of these are types of the Christ of Calvary. Christ said: "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up" (Joh_3:14).

5. The Cross was plainly seen in Deuteronomy. The Book brings before us the wanderings of the Israelites. How God set His love upon them and chose them to be a special people unto Himself. How God called them out of Egypt, and went before them to pick out the place where they should pitch their camps. In all of this they were to be always mindful that their deliverance was by the blood of the Passover lamb. They were, according to chapter 16, to sacrifice the Passover at even, at the going down of the sun, a sacrifice that clearly anticipated the Cross of Christ and His substitutionary sacrifice.

6. The Cross is seen in Joshua. The stones in the river-bed in the fourth chapter told of the death and burial of the Lord; the scarlet cord of Rahab in the sixth chapter spoke of the security of the believer behind the Blood.

7. The Cross is not forgotten in Judges. Gideon was one of the chief judges, and Gideon builded his altar unto the Lord and called it Jehovah-shalom, The Lord send peace. Upon that altar was the burnt-sacrifice offered unto the Lord.

8. The Cross is found in Ruth in the Daysman, Boaz, who bought the inheritance and did the part of near kinsman for the daughter of Naomi.

9. The Books of Samuel record the story of the Cross in young David's meeting and vanquishing Goliath, the picture of Christ vanquishing satan, as he made a show of him openly and triumphed over him on the Cross.

10. The Kings tell of the Cross in Elijah and his repaired altars, and how when the bullocks were slain the Lord God answered by fire and proclaimed that He was God–another picture of Calvary's triumphant victory over all the false prophets of Baal.

11. Chronicles records the Cross in the breach on Uzza, and how the house of Obededom was blessed by the presence of the Ark which he sheltered. So we too are blessed when the mercy-seat, where the typical blood was sprinkled is found at our right hand.

12. In Ezra it was at the time of the evening sacrifice that Ezra prayed unto the Lord (see Ezr_9:5-15); it was at the dedication of the rebuilded walls that the priests offered great sacrifices and rejoiced (see Neh_12:27-43).

13. In Esther, the Cross is seen in the queen's standing without the gate of the house and accepted by the king, as he held forth his golden scepter. This is a picture of Christ Jesus our mediator accepted of God. Again Ahasuerus' giving honor to Mordecai, and pronouncing the doom of the wicked Haman is a type of Christ's exaltation and of satan's overthrow.

14. In Job we read: "I know that my REDEEMER liveth."

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR