The concept of the Gospel, or "good news," is often associated with the New Testament and the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. However, the seeds of the Gospel are present throughout the Old Testament, foreshadowing the coming of the Messiah and the salvation He would bring. This entry explores how the Gospel was preached and anticipated in the Old Testament scriptures.

Protoevangelium

The first glimpse of the Gospel appears in Genesis 3:15, often referred to as the Protoevangelium, or "first gospel." After the fall of man, God pronounces a curse upon the serpent, saying, "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel." . This verse is seen as the first promise of a Redeemer who would defeat Satan, pointing to the ultimate victory of Christ over sin and death.

Covenant with Abraham

The Abrahamic Covenant further unfolds the Gospel message. In Genesis 12:3, God promises Abraham, "And all the families of the earth will be blessed through you." . This promise is reiterated in Genesis 22:18, "And through your offspring all nations of the earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice." . The Apostle Paul later interprets this as the Gospel being preached beforehand to Abraham (Galatians 3:8), indicating that the blessing to all nations would come through Jesus Christ, a descendant of Abraham.

The Sacrificial System

The sacrificial system established in the Mosaic Law also prefigures the Gospel. The sacrifices, particularly the Passover lamb, symbolize the atonement for sin and point to Jesus as the "Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). Leviticus 17:11 states, "For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul." . This foreshadows the ultimate sacrifice of Christ, whose blood would atone for the sins of humanity.

The Prophets

The prophets of the Old Testament also proclaimed the Gospel through their messages of hope and redemption. Isaiah 53 is a profound messianic prophecy describing the suffering servant who would bear the iniquities of many. Isaiah 53:5 states, "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." . This passage vividly portrays the sacrificial death of Christ and the healing it brings to believers.

The New Covenant

Jeremiah 31:31-34 introduces the concept of a New Covenant, which is central to the Gospel message. God promises, "I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah." . This covenant would involve the law being written on hearts and a personal relationship with God, fulfilled through Jesus Christ, as explained in Hebrews 8:8-12.

The Promise of a Messiah

Throughout the Old Testament, there is a consistent promise of a coming Messiah who would establish God's kingdom and bring salvation. Micah 5:2 prophesies the birthplace of the Messiah, "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come forth for Me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times." . This prophecy, among others, sets the stage for the arrival of Jesus, the fulfillment of the Gospel promise.

In summary, while the full revelation of the Gospel is found in the New Testament, its roots are deeply embedded in the Old Testament. Through promises, prophecies, and typologies, the Old Testament anticipates the coming of Christ and the salvation He would bring, demonstrating the continuity of God's redemptive plan throughout Scripture.Hebrews 4:2
For to us was the gospel preached, as well as to them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

The Books of the Old Testament as a Whole. 1 the Province of ...
... "Unto us," says the apostle, "was the gospel preached, as well ... a true rule of life;
and under it many ... The revelation of the Old Testament was not complete, like ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xviii the books of.htm

Faustus Argues that if the Apostles Born under the Old Covenant ...
... explains the relation of Jews and Gentiles alike to the Gospel. ... more may I, who was
not born under it, be ... For Christ was always preached in the olive tree, and ...
/.../faustus argues that if the.htm

Faustus Avows his Disbelief in the Old Testament and his Disregard ...
... he quotes a passage from the Gospel about man ... the time of the Old Testament, this,
under the disguise ... New Testament it is fully declared and publicly preached. ...
/.../faustus avows his disbelief in.htm

On the Sufficiency and Perfection of the Holy Scriptures In
... 9:16.) "The Scripture hath concluded all under sin." (Galatians ... 11:32.) "The Scripture,
foreseeing that God, &c., preached before the Gospel unto Abraham ...
/.../arminius/the works of james arminius vol 1/disputation 2 on the sufficiency.htm

Whether Men are Bound to Pay Tithes under a Necessity of Precept?
... Old Testament; for the people of the New Law are under greater obligations ... of receiving
his livelihood from those to whom he preached the Gospel, lest he ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether men are bound to 2.htm

The Gospel According to St. Luke
... Elisabeth as the mother of John the Baptist, the census {66} under Quirinius, and ...
The second is the statement that the Gospel "shall be preached in the ...
/.../pullan/the books of the new testament/chapter v the gospel according.htm

Evidences Internal and Experimental.
... seen; but were the Christians of this day required, under penalty of ... What the apostle
said of himself personally, the gospel which he preached can say ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xii evidences internal and.htm

The Corruption of Man, his Conversion to God, and the Manner ...
... God reveals to but a small number under the Old Testament; under the New ... them true
conversion, He not only cause the gospel to be externally preached to them ...
//christianbookshelf.org/anonymous/synod of dort/the corruption of man his.htm

The New Testament
... Whereas it was essential that the gospel should be preached first in ... Under many
differences of dialect and expression there is an internal unity such as ...
/.../pullan/the books of the new testament/chapter i the new testament.htm

Inseparable Connection Between the Old and the New Testament.
... very works described in the narrative now under consideration, namely ... God would justify
the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter viii inseparable connection between.htm

What is the Gospel of Peter? | GotQuestions.org

What does it mean to be gospel-centered? | GotQuestions.org

What is the Gospel of Judas? | GotQuestions.org

Gospel: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus