How does John 5:46 encourage us to see Jesus throughout the Old Testament? Key Verse John 5:46: “If you believed Moses, you would believe Me, because he wrote about Me.” Why This Statement Matters • Jesus treats Moses’ words as historically trustworthy and Spirit-inspired. • Faith in Moses logically leads to faith in Christ; the Testaments form one continuous revelation. • Every Old Testament passage invites us to look for the Messiah it anticipates. Snapshots of Christ in the Books of Moses • Promised Seed — Genesis 3:15: the victor who crushes the serpent. • Noah’s Ark — Genesis 6-8: one door of salvation, picturing John 10:9. • Isaac on Moriah — Genesis 22:8-14: a father offers his “only son,” yet God provides the lamb. • Joseph — Genesis 37-50: the rejected brother exalted to save many lives. • Passover Lamb — Exodus 12:1-13: flawless, slain, blood applied; judgment passes over (1 Corinthians 5:7). • Manna — Exodus 16:4-36: bread from heaven pointing to John 6:32-35. • Rock Struck — Exodus 17:6; Numbers 20:11: living water flows after the blow (1 Corinthians 10:4). • Tabernacle — Exodus 25-40: God dwelling with His people, fulfilled in John 1:14. • Bronze Serpent — Numbers 21:8-9: lifted up for healing, echoed in John 3:14-15. • Prophet Like Moses — Deuteronomy 18:15-19: the coming Mediator, affirmed in Acts 3:22-26. Beyond Moses: A Unified Witness • Psalm 22 — pierced hands and feet. • Psalm 110 — eternal Priest-King. • Isaiah 53 — suffering, substitutionary Servant. • Jeremiah 23:5-6 — righteous Branch. • Zechariah 12:10 — the One who is pierced. John 5:46 sets the pattern: all Scripture speaks of Christ. Reading the Old Testament With Jesus in View 1. Accept the historical truth of each passage. 2. Watch for promises, patterns, offices, and types that converge in Christ. 3. Let later revelation (Luke 24:27; Hebrews 10) illuminate earlier texts. 4. Trace covenant, kingdom, and atonement themes as one storyline. 5. Expect every page to prepare for or portray the Redeemer. Confidence for Today Because Moses wrote about Jesus, Genesis through Malachi forms a single, Spirit-breathed testimony to the Savior, assuring readers that the whole Bible proclaims one grand, unified message: God’s redemptive plan centered in His Son. |
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