Bible Study Bonus Notes - Jesus in the Old Testament
This is a bonus thought from the Bible Study last Wednesday night. If you missed the Bible Study you can watch it here.
The prophets of the Old Testament told of a Messiah to come. Jesus Christ fulfilled these prophecies proving Himself to be the promised Messiah. Yet, Jesus was present before his coming to earth as the Messiah. In fact, he even, by his own testimony, predated the very prophets who prophesied of Him. "Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, before Abraham was, I am." (John 8:58)
When the Son of God came to be born of a virgin His existence was not just beginning, neither was it the first time that the Son of God had been on earth. There were several sightings of God the Son on earth in the Old Testament.
THE VOICE OF GOD
"And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden." (Genesis 3:8)
John makes it very clear that Jesus is the Word of God, and that He was in the beginning with God. I believe then that when the voice of God came walking through the garden in the cool of the day that Scripture is referring to the Word of God, God the Son, who is walking in the garden seeking the first sinners in need of redemption. He then acts as their intercessor in condemning their aprons of fig leaves and giving them coats of skin to cover the shame of their sinful nakedness.
MELCHIZEDEK - KING OF SALEM
"And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God." (Genesis 14:18)
It was here as Melchizedek that Jesus came to set the order of priesthood through which He would return as our High Priest. Jesus could not come after the order of Aaron for they were sinners themselves. Therefore He needed to set a perfect order that would allow Him to come as a perfect High Priest. He did so after the order of Melchizedek, for He Himself was Melchizedek and was therefore qualified to set the perfect order of priesthood that was needed. Hebrews description of Melchizedek is " Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually." (Hebrews 7:3)
THE FOURTH MAN IN THE FIRE
"He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God." (Daniel 3:25)
When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were cast into the fiery furnace for refusing the king's command to bow before the image, I believe that God the Son came down to help them in their time of need. Even the pagan king could recognize that the fourth was like unto the Son of God.
These are not the only times that Jesus appeared in the Old Testament, but I believe these are three of the most notable times that He appeared before His birth.