Thru-The-Bible Questions for the Week 1.15.2012

(1) Is Christ the theme of both the Old and New Testament?
Yes, Christ is the theme of both the Old and New Testament!  The Old Testament views Christ by way of anticipation; the New Testament views Him by way of realization.  The Old Testament is incomplete without the New  Testament.  The salvation prepared for in the Old Testament was provided by Christ in the News Testament.  What is commenced in the Old Testament is completed in Christ in the New Testament.  Christ was enfolded in the truth of the Old Testament but is unfolded in the truth of the New Testament.  The New is in the Old concealed, and the Old is in the New revealed.  What the Old Testament foreshadowed, the Christ of the New fulfilled.  Old Testament types become New Testament truths.  And the many Old Testament prophecies which foretold of Christ are fulfilled in the New.

(2)?If Christ is the theme of both the Old and New Testament, does this mean that Christ can be found in each of the sixty-six books of the Bible?
Yes, Christ can be seen walking through the entire Bible!  For example, Christ is the Seed of the woman in Genesis  (Genesis 3:15); He is the Passover Lamb in Exodus; the Atoning Sacrifice in Leviticus; the Smitten Rock in Numbers; and the Faithful Prophet in Deuteronomy.  He  is the Captain of the Lord’s Host in Joshua, the Divine Deliverer in Judges, the Kinsman Redeemer in Ruth; Anointed One in I Samuel; the Son of David in 2 Samuel; In I and II Kings Christ may be viewed as the coming King; I and II Chronicles as the Builder of the Temple.  Ezra represents Christ as the Restorer of the Temple, Nehemiah shows Him as the Restorer of the Nation and Esther portrays Him as the Preserver of the Nation.  Christ is also seen as the Living Redeemer in Job, as the Praise of Israel in Psalms, the Wisdom of God in Proverbs, the Great Teacher is Eccles, and Fairest of Ten Thousand in Songs of Solomon.  Christ is the Suffering Servant in Isaiah, the Maker of the New Covenant in Jeremiah, the Man of Sorrows in Lamentation, the Glory of God in Ezekiel and the coming Messiah  in Daniel.    He can be found in every book of the Bible!!

(3 ) What is a covenant?
A covenant is a solemn promises made to humanity by God, as revealed in Scripture.  God is the one who takes the initiative to make the covenant.  The covenant can be conditional or unconditional.  For example in an unconditional covenant God will do and nothing depends on man.  God made a covenant with Noah that He would not destroy the earth by water anymore is unconditional.  Man has to do nothing.  In a conditional covenant, God will do something if man does his part.  A conditional covenant can usually be identified by the words “if” and “then.”  One of the most known conditional covenant is found in 2 Chronicles 7:14 – if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

(4)In Genesis 22:1 it said that God tempted Abraham.  What is the difference in God tempting Abraham and Satan tempting Adam and Eve?
The word for “tempt” is the same word that is used for “test.”  The King James Version uses “tempted” while more modern translations correctly uses the word “test.”  Satan tempts us to destroy us, but God tests us to build us up.  James says in James 1:13-14  Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.  But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.
Adam and Eve were drawn away by their own desires, Abraham passed the “faith” test in demonstrating that he believed God would rise up Isaac and was willing to sacrifice him as God requested.

(5) How can non-Jews (Gentiles) say they are “the seed of Abraham?”
Who is the seed of Abraham?  What is their inheritance according to the promises? Who are the descendants of Abraham?  These questions sum up the entire bible in terms of God’s relationship with His people.  Abraham is called the “Father of Faith” and all who come to Christ through faith is considered an offspring of Abraham.  Paul says in Ephesians 3:6 “This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.”  He further says in Galatians 3:27-29 “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you areChrist’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”  InRomans 4:13 he states “It was not through law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through therighteousness that comes by faith.”  We are Abraham seed because we came through faith!

(6)  I heard someone say that Joseph was a “type of Christ.”  What exactly does that mean?  And are there other persons who can be said are a “type of Christ?”
The dictionary says that “type” means “a number of things or persons sharing a particular characteristic, or set of characteristics, that causes them to be regarded as a group.”  In other words they have some similarities.  Joseph had some similarities that remind you of Christ.
•Both were loved by their fathers but were hated by their brothers
•Both were born through miracles (Rachel was barren; Mary was a virgin)
•Both were sold for silver
•Both were betrayed by those close to them
•Both delivered men from death
The Ark that Noah built is a type of Christ in that:
•There was only one door to get in the ark; Jesus is the only door to the Father.
•The ark was the vessel of refuge; Jesus is the believer’s refuge
•The ark was the salvation of both Noah and his family; Jesus is the hope of salvation for all families
Isaac was a type of Christ:
•He was the only son of Abraham; Jesus was the only begotten Son of God
•He carried the wood on his back up the mountain; Jesus carried His carried on His back up to Calvary
•He rose from the altar (the place of sacrifice) and Jesus rose from the dead.