Topical Bible: The Atonement: Foretold

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The concept of atonement, central to Christian theology, is deeply rooted in the Old Testament and is seen as a divine plan foretold by the prophets and foreshadowed through various types and symbols. The atonement refers to the reconciliation between God and humanity, achieved through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. This entry explores the prophetic and typological elements in the Old Testament that point to the atonement.

Prophetic Foretellings

1. Isaiah 53: Perhaps the most explicit prophecy concerning the atonement is found in Isaiah 53, often referred to as the "Suffering Servant" passage. Isaiah writes, "But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed" (Isaiah 53:5). This passage vividly describes the suffering and sacrificial role of the Messiah, who bears the sins of many, making intercession for transgressors.

2. Psalm 22: This psalm, attributed to David, is a poignant foreshadowing of the crucifixion. It begins with the words, "My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?" (Psalm 22:1), which Jesus Himself quotes on the cross. The psalm details the suffering and mockery endured by the psalmist, paralleling the experiences of Christ during His passion.

3. Zechariah 12:10: The prophet Zechariah speaks of a future time when the inhabitants of Jerusalem will look upon the one they have pierced and mourn for Him. "Then I will pour out on the house of David and on the residents of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on Me, the One they have pierced" (Zechariah 12:10). This prophecy is seen as a direct reference to the crucifixion and the recognition of Christ's atoning sacrifice.

Typological Foreshadowings

1. The Passover Lamb: The Passover event, as described in Exodus 12, serves as a powerful type of Christ's atoning work. The Israelites were instructed to sacrifice a lamb without blemish and apply its blood to their doorposts, sparing them from the judgment of the firstborn. This act prefigures Christ, the "Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29), whose blood delivers believers from the judgment of sin.

2. The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur): Leviticus 16 outlines the rituals of the Day of Atonement, where the high priest makes atonement for the sins of Israel. The scapegoat, which bears the sins of the people and is sent into the wilderness, symbolizes the removal of sin. This ritual points to Christ, our High Priest, who offers Himself as the ultimate sacrifice, entering the heavenly sanctuary once for all (Hebrews 9:11-12).

3. The Bronze Serpent: In Numbers 21, the Israelites are healed from venomous snake bites by looking at a bronze serpent lifted on a pole. Jesus refers to this event in John 3:14-15, saying, "Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life" . This typology illustrates the necessity of faith in Christ's atoning work for salvation.

Conclusion

The Old Testament is replete with prophecies and types that foreshadow the atonement accomplished by Jesus Christ. These elements underscore the continuity of God's redemptive plan and the fulfillment of His promises through the life, death, and resurrection of His Son.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Isaiah 53:4-6,8-12
Surely he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Daniel 9:24-27
Seventy weeks are determined on your people and on your holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Zechariah 13:1,7
In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.
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John 11:50,51
Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.
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Library

The Lamb of God, the Great Atonement
... The prophets foresaw His manifestation in the flesh, and foretold the happy ... use,
of sacrifices, had clearly pointed out the necessity of an atonement; but the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/newton/messiah vol 1/sermon xvi the lamb of.htm

In the Holy of Holies.
... in Dan.7:13; and the coming of the Lord to His temple, foretold by Malachi ... the service
in the heavenly, when the high priest on the day of atonement entered the ...
/.../white/the great controversy between christ and satan /24 in the holy of.htm

In the Holy of Holies
... in Daniel 7:13; and the coming of the Lord to His temple, foretold by Malachi ... service
in the heavenly, when the high priest on the Day of Atonement entered the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/the great controversy/chapter 24 in the holy.htm

Messiah Rising from the Dead
... evidently the Apostle's design to prove that the Psalmist foresaw and foretold the
resurrection ... He made a full atonement for sin; and though He had power over ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/newton/messiah vol 1/sermon xxv messiah rising from.htm

What is the Sanctuary?
... is a work of atonement for the removal of sin from the sanctuary. This is the service
which began when the 2300 days ended. At that time, as foretold by Daniel ...
/.../the great controversy between christ and satan /23 what is the sanctuary.htm

What is the Sanctuary?
... is a work of atonement for the removal of sin from the sanctuary. This is the service
which began when the 2300 days ended. At that time, as foretold by Daniel ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/the great controversy/chapter 23 what is the.htm

Thessalonica
... down through the centuries to the scenes of the Saviour's atonement, the prophet ...
The Saviour foretold in the Old Testament Scriptures was to offer Himself as a ...
/.../white/the acts of the apostles/lesson 22 thessalonica.htm

Salvation by Faith
... of his life, death, and resurrection; a recumbency upon him as our atonement and
our ... This is that great salvation foretold by the angel, before God brought his ...
/.../wesley/sermons on several occasions/sermon 1 salvation by faith.htm

On the Feast of the Nativity, iii.
... A Victim had to be offered for our atonement Who should be both a ... What the apostles
foretold, that the prophets announced: nor was that fulfilled too late ...
/.../leo/writings of leo the great/sermon xxiii on the feast.htm

The Lord Coming to his Temple
... to those who see that they must perish, without such an atonement as shall ... obstinately
rejected Him, and proceeded to fulfil, what was farther foretold of His ...
//christianbookshelf.org/newton/messiah vol 1/sermon iv the lord coming.htm