Looking for Jesus in the Old Testament

By Dennis Dyson

Can you prove God exists? If you read the Bible in its entirety, you will know he does. Jesus is revealed to us throughout the New Testament, but God’s plan of salvation can also be found in the Old Testament. The Bible is a marvelous book containing many seemingly unconnected stories each exhibiting wonders of their own, but you will also find they also are woven into a cohesive whole pointing to one thing—Jesus. Every word from beginning to end is breathed by God so we can get to know him and his plan to bring us back into his loving arms. Every word—and I do mean every word—is about Jesus. In Looking for Jesus in the Old Testament, you will discover Jesus looking back at you from every page.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Sep 24, 2021
• ISBN: 9781662446481

Book preview

The Beginning

In the beginning seems to be the best place to start our discussion about finding Jesus in the Old Testament. The words in the beginning are found in two places in the Bible. The first, of course, is in Genesis 1:1 because it is the very beginning. The whole sentence reads, In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. This is a very important statement because it lets us know that there was a beginning and that God was there and God was in control. The beginning was not an accident. It didn’t just happen randomly; there was a plan with a purpose behind it. As we look at this first sentence, we cannot discern what is on the mind of God or what his purpose is. We need to read the rest of the sixty-six books to begin to understand the reasoning behind God’s plans, but there is power and intention behind this sentence. It fills me with awe and wonder. It makes me want to read more. How about you? Does it make you eager to find out what was on God’s mind?

The second place in which we find the words in the beginning is in the New Testament book of John 1:1–3. It reads, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made (John 1:1–3).

Here we learn that God was not alone. We learn that the Word was there with him. We might say, Who is this ‘Word’ that was with God in the beginning? To find out we need to read John 1:14–17, which will help us to understand. It says:

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John (the Baptist) testified concerning him. He cries out, saying, This is the one I spoke about when I said, He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me. Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ."

This is saying that the Word is another name for Jesus. That first sentence could have read, In the beginning was Jesus, and Jesus was with God, and Jesus was God.

This is an interesting name, the Word. Let us see if you remember your seventh-grade algebra.

If A = B and B = C, then A = C.

Got it? Now let us try that with the Word.

If Jesus = the Word of God, and we know that the Bible = the Word of God, then the Bible = Jesus.

The reason for going through all of these mental gymnastics is to show that the Bible is more important than just a book with a collection of stories and that some of the stories are about Jesus. What I am saying is that the Bible literally is Jesus. Every page, every word, has been penned by God; and when we read it, we are not only filling our minds with the knowledge of God but also absorbing the essence of Jesus, who is God. I hope this is making sense because it goes to the heart of why I put such great importance on reading the Bible. The more we read, the more God will become a part of our lives, a part of our being, and the more we can build our relationship with God and his Son, Jesus Christ. When we read the Bible, it is like having Jesus right there by our side. Imagine being able to hold a personal conversation with the God who created the universe. Isn’t this exciting?

Many people think that God and Jesus do not exist, that there could not be a heaven or hell because they have never heard or seen either of them. They also doubt because with all the great scientists and our modern technology in the world today God and heaven have escape detection. How could that happen? They also feel that the Bible is just a book; however, through its contents, God’s Word is made known to all who read it. If you wish to know God and have a personal, face-to-face relationship, reading the whole of the Bible is a very good way to do it. When you open the Bible, it doesn’t matter whether it is in the Old Testament or the New Testament. You will find Jesus looking back on you. Yes, the Word will be there helping you to increase your understanding and helping you grow in faith and righteousness. Try it. You’ll like it.

Let us see if we can find Jesus in Genesis. The first three verses read:

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

And God said, Let there be light, and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light day, and the darkness he called night. And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day. (Genesis 1:1–3)

Look carefully at these three verses. Can you find all three members of the Godhead described here? It is easy to find God the Father because he is mentioned right there in the first verse in the beginning God… I like obvious things! The Holy Spirit’s presence is also obvious, but I know in the past, I had skipped over the phrase that mentioned him, but he is mentioned overtly in the phrase the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. There he is as plain as day. The big question is can you see Jesus mentioned here? I will argue that the light mentioned in verse 3 is referring to Jesus. I must warn you that not everyone will agree with the way I look at this, and I could be wrong, but I will show you what I am thinking and let you make up your own mind. So to show that Jesus is in the Old Testament story of creation, we will go back to the New Testament book of John 1:1–11.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.

Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.

There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.

He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.

So in just a few sentences, John has called Jesus both the Word and the light. Remember, Jesus called himself the light of the world. When we read in Genesis, Let there be light, we usually think that it is referring to light from creation itself or the sun and other stars. But in John, when light is mentioned, it is referring to Jesus. I contend that the light mentioned in Genesis is also speaking of Jesus. Look at what John says, The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. Now in Genesis, it says, God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. These two statements are not exactly the same but they are very similar. In one God is separating the light from the darkness, and in the other the darkness has no understanding of the light. This is where you can decide whether or not to accept my contention that the light mentioned in the story of creation is referring to God the Son or just regular everyday light. I will stick to my belief that all three members of the Godhead are mentioned in the first three sentences of the Bible. In any event, we know that Jesus was with God in the very beginning and that he played a major role in creation.

The creation is a fascinating and wonderful event. This is especially true because of the tool God used to accomplish it. God spoke, and it was so. This is literally saying that it was the Word of God that he used to bring everything into being. Remember, Jesus is the Word of God. God said it, and it was so. This is amazing. As men, when we wish to build something, we use tools such as hammers and shovels; for big projects, we might use backhoes or cranes. God, on the other hand, just used his voice. He spoke the Word, and everything was created. This reminds me of a little story. (It is said that God cannot lie. You see, if God said red was blue, it would be. You don’t need to laugh it is just a little joke.) However, there is one thing that God created differently—a more loving and caring way. We can find that story in Genesis 2:7. It says: The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

This produces, for me a fantastic picture in my mind. I can imagine God lovingly reaching down and picking up a lump of clay and carefully molding it into the form of a man. As he shaped the outer parts (arms, legs, head, etc.) he also knit together the inner parts (heart, lungs, bones, muscle, etc.). After he finished molding the clay, what did he have? He had a lump of clay! The lump looked like you and me, but that was all. He didn’t have the creature that would be the crowning jewel of his creation. However, at this point, God did a wonderful and awe-inspiring thing. He breathed his Spirit of life into the nostrils of this lump of clay. He didn’t just breathe life into a clay statue. He breathed his essence into all mankind, and he became a living thing lovingly created by God and for God. Wow! Genesis 1:27 says it this way, So God created man in his image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

When it says the image of God, it isn’t just saying that man would look like God. It is saying that man would have many of the attributes of God. Man would be able to reason. He would be able to know right from wrong, and most importantly, man would be able to choose to love and obey God. But along with that, he would also be able to reject God completely. God wants all of his creation to love him with all our hearts, but if he gave us no choice in the matter, if he commanded us to love him as if we were puppets, that would not be love. It would be a hollow and empty creation. Love is why God took so much care to mold men in his image and love is why God’s fingerprints are all over us.

After creating man and imbuing him with so much of himself, God blessed him and said, Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and birds of the air and every living creature that moves on the ground (Genesis 1:28).

God put the man, whom he loved, in charge of the world that he had created for him. Genesis 1:31 says, God saw all that he had made, and it was very good (Genesis 1:31).

Note that God didn’t say that his creation was good. No, he said it was very good. It is important to be aware of the perfection of creation because this is how God wanted men to live—not in the flawed and sinful world that exists today. God originally place man in a garden paradise in Eden. The garden of Eden was a perfect place with plenty of water and plenty of food. The climate must have been ideal; after all, Adam and Eve were living there without clothing. They had employment because God had given them a couple of jobs to accomplish. We often look at work as a chore and not something to be desired, but God has a job for each of us just like those he gifted to Adam. Genesis 2:15 and 19 reads:

The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.

Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and what ever the man called each living creature, that was its name.

God had given Adam two important jobs. The first was to take care of the garden. I don’t know all this entailed; however, God wanted men to stay busy doing useful work. The other job was to give names to all the animals. Notice that God didn’t tell Adam what names to give them; it was totally up to Adam. I understand why some of the animals were given the names they were given. As an example, the chickadee’s name is easy to explain. When they sit in the bushes outside my window, they say, Chick-a-dee-dee-dee, a very cheerful and pleasant sound. However, I do have a problem with the naming of the butterfly. It isn’t a fly, and it has absolutely nothing to do with butter. So I am on a crusade to rename them flutter-bys. Don’t you think that would be a better name because that is what they do—flutter by? Oh well, I am getting off course and being rather silly. As you can see, the important thing is that God did wish for men to work even in paradise.

Did you notice Jesus in this garden paradise? I think it must have been Jesus who brought the animals to Adam so he could give them their names. God (Jesus) was there! He was in Eden with Adam and Eve. If we skip ahead to Genesis 3:8–10, we will see another reference that indicates that God was often in the garden. It reads:

Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, Where are you?

He answered, I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.

Adam and Eve heard God walking in the garden. They recognized him from the sounds he made because they had heard them before. This is very important to me. I think it is just wonderful to know that Adam and Eve had a very personal face-to-face relationship with God. I am assuming that it was Jesus that visited them in the garden. I say this because Jesus is God and he is the one member of the Trinity that is in the form of a man. In any case, how cool is it that God would visit them and be there so they build a lasting and loving relationship? I long for the day when I can walk and talk with Jesus face-to-face. How about you? Do you long for that day?

Here we are. We have read two chapters of the Bible, and everything is perfect. Adam and Eve are living in paradise, and Jesus is visiting them there. I don’t know how long they lived there, but it could have been a very long time. However, in chapter 3 of Genesis, things are about to change and not for the better. Why do you think that God had given instructions not to eat the fruit of just one tree, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil? Remember, the one thing God wished for more than anything else from the man he so lovingly created was to be loved in return. True love and obedience can only be shown if there is a way to reject that love and to disobey. I feel that this had something to do with God’s placing this one obnoxious tree right in the middle of the garden.

After living in Eden for some time, Eve comes in contact with the serpent, and the serpent has a plan to disrupt the harmony that exists between God and man. The serpent tempts Eve. Now, the Bible doesn’t say how many times the devil had tried to tempt Adam and