Christ unveiled in the Old Testament

Believers, in the account of the life of Joseph (a picture of Christ in the Old Testament,) we see a story parallel to that of the Twelve Spies: the two who believed the Lord's report (Joshua and Caleb) and the Ten who did not believe.  Both stories point to the love of Christ for us and how our salvation (from death, hell, sickness, lack, the curse, whatever) is not earned by works or human effort but purchased with the blood of our Saviour Jesus Christ and freely given to all who believe.

Jacob had twelve sons. Ten sons were borne through Leah and the servant girls (Law.) Two sons were borne through Rachel whom Jacob loved. Micah 7:18 says of our Father in heaven- 

"...He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in mercy."

The root word for "mercy" here in Hebrew is "hesed" which means Grace. Our Abba Father delights in Grace and wants us all to be under Grace where sin will not have dominion over us and not under Law where sin has dominion.

Joseph's rejection, persecution and betrayal by his ten brothers is a type of Christ's rejection by God's chosen people (the Jews) when He came to them as a Man. Of course our Father in heaven loves us all and will unite the Jews with Christ just as the ten brothers were united with Joseph.

Joseph became the giver of bread (grain) in Egypt (land of Gentiles) when there was no bread in the land. Today, Christ is the Bread of Life for all non-Jews who believe.

Joseph's sojourn in Egypt and his marriage to an Egyptian woman is a type of we non-Jews becoming the bride of Christ. We (non-Jews) form the largest part of the church today.

Did you know that The Hebrew name "Rachel" means "Lamb" in English? Did you know that Rachel died from giving birth to Benjamin? This also is a picture of Christ the Lamb of God who gave His life to give birth to us, the Benjamin Generation; effortlessly blessed and cherished by our Saviour Jesus Christ and given life through His death.

Like the ten sons of Leah and the servant girls (Law) and the those (2) of Rachel (Grace,) we who are under Grace share the same Heavenly Father with those under Law but not the same mother. All that Benjamin had to do to be favoured over his step-brothers was to be borne of the same mother as Joseph and even this he didn't engineer by himself! Today, we who believe Christ, who are made righteous by His obedience and are favoured above others by Christ, not because of what we do but because Grace is our mother!

We see another typology in Paul's teaching on the story of Sarah and Hagar in Galatians 4:

24 "These two women serve as an illustration of God’s two covenants. The first woman, Hagar, represents Mount Sinai where people received the law that enslaved them. 25 And now Jerusalem is just like Mount Sinai in Arabia, because she and her children live in slavery to the law. 26 But the other woman, Sarah, represents the heavenly Jerusalem. She is the free woman, and she is our mother....

28 And you, dear brothers and sisters, are children of the promise, just like Isaac. 29 But you are now being persecuted by those who want you to keep the law, just as Ishmael, the child born by human effort, persecuted Isaac, the child born by the power of the Spirit."

Did you know that Ishmael started persecuting Isaac on the day he was weaned? See Genesis 21:

8 "The child grew and was weaned, and on the day Isaac was weaned Abraham held a great feast.9 But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking, and she said to Abraham, “Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac.”"

Remember Hebrews 5:13-

"For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe."

Ishmael had no problems with Isaac when Isaac was still taking milk at his mother's breast, ignorant of his position and inheritance in his father's house, much like how many in the church today are okay with you when you, like them, try to keep the Ten Commandments in order to get right with God and do all sorts of things to receive from Him who gives us all things freely with Christ (Romans 8:32)

But on the day that you are weaned from the milk of the word; when the Lord causes you to see and believe that you are made righteous by the "obedience of Christ" and not by your law-keeping or good works, and that our salvation in Christ, including our bodily redemption (Rapture) is a birthright that we have by virtue of our being borne of Grace (like Isaac through Sarah) and not of the Law (borne of human effort like Ishmael through Hagar;) on this day, Ishmael, typified by those who say you need to earn your salvation by doing good and keeping the law, start to persecute you and mock you!

Believers, this is what it means to be persecuted for righteousness' sake. See Christ's words to you in Matthew 5:10 - "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

The gospel is not about right doing. It is about right believing. It is about righteousness by faith and not righteousness by works. When the believing is right, right living will follow. Our Saviour Jesus Christ, our Shepherd, leads us on the path of righteousness, not the Law. The letter kills but the Spirit gives life and we are like Isaac "born by the power of the Spirit."

So much to say about our wonderful Jesus!

The Holy Spirit will teach you all things.

Believe Right and you will Live Right.