TYPES
OF CHRIST IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
A
Bible Study - Commentary by Jim Melough
Copyright
2001 James Melough
Isaac
Isaac is such a clear type
of Christ that scarcely anyone will have trouble recognizing him as such.
As the birth of Christ was
foretold, so was that of Isaac, see Ge 17:16, and as the birth of Christ was
miraculous (Mary was a virgin and therefore incapable of bearing a child), so was the
birth of Isaac: Sarah had not only always been barren, but in addition she was ninety
years old when Isaac was born.
In Ex 4:22 it is written,
“Israel is my son, even my firstborn,” so that Christ, as Man, was God’s
secondborn. Israel was His elder
brother. (It is to be noted
that Christ was God’s secondborn only as to His human birth.
In resurrection He is God’s firstborn, see Ro 8:29; Col 1:18; Heb 12:23).
Abraham’s firstborn was Ishmael, so that Isaac was his secondborn.
Isaac was hated and mocked
by Ishmael his elder brother, Ge 21:9, as was Christ by Israel His elder brother.
Isaac experienced symbolic
death and resurrection when he was bound to the altar, see Ge 22:1-12 and Heb
11:17-19. Christ actually died and rose
again.
Abraham sent his servant (a
type of the Holy Spirit) to find a bride for Isaac.
During this present dispensation God has sent His Servant the Holy Spirit to
find a bride for Christ. That bride was
of the same blood line as Isaac, see Ge 24:4; and those who comprise the Church, the
bride of Christ, are of His blood line, having become that through the new birth, as
it is written concerning them, “We (believers) are members of his body, of his
flesh, and of his bones,” Eph 5:30. See
also 1 Cor 12:12-13, 27.
At the end of her journey
from her country to his, Isaac came to meet Rebekah and welcome her into his home, Ge
24:63-67. The type will be fulfilled at
the rapture of the Church, for Christ will come to the air to meet us and welcome us
into His home, as it is written, “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven
with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the
dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught
up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we
ever be with the Lord,” 1 Th 4:16-17.