How did people learn about Christ before the New Testament was written? The role of the Old Testament was to point people to Jesus. John 5:39 “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of ME [Jesus].” When Jesus walked with two disciples following his resurrection, He used the Old Testament to firm up their faith. Luke 24:27 “And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.” Below is a chart with suggested ways that each Old Testament book pointed to Jesus.
| Genesis | Creator by whom all things are made, Maker of Covenants with the patriarchs |
| Exodus | Rock in the wilderness and the Serpent on the pole |
| Leviticus | Great high priest the perfect sacrifice |
| Numbers | Lord of Hosts |
| Deuteronomy | The fulfiller of the law |
| Joshua | Joshua is Hebrew for Jesus, Captain of the Host, the scarlet thread in the window |
| Judges | The righteous judge |
| Ruth | The near kin who redeems |
| Samuel & Chronicles | King of Kings |
| Ezra & Nehemiah | Liberator from bondage |
| Esther | Salvation from condemnation |
| Job | Sovereign supervisor |
| Psalm | The theme of every anthem |
| Proverbs | Wisdom crying aloud |
| Ecclesiastes | Purpose of Life “…in the days of Solomon’s well-doing, |
| Song of Solomon | He was “the altogether lovely” One. |
| Isaiah | Child-King with a shoulder strong enough to bear the government and the name Emanuel, gathering within itself all the excellencies. |
| Jeremiah | “Branch of Righteousness, executes justice & righteousness in the land.” |
| Lamentations | The expected satisfaction of all sorrow. |
| Ezekiel | “Plant of renown,” giving shade and giving fragrance. |
| Daniel | The stone cut without hands, smiting the image, becoming a mountain, and filling the whole earth. |
| Hosea | The ideal of Israel, “growing as the lily,” “casting out His roots as Lebanon.” |
| Joel | The Hope of the people, and the Strength of the children of Israel |
| Amos | The Usherer in of his vision, of the “Plowman overtaking the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed” |
| Obadiah | The “Deliverance upon Mount Zion and holiness“ |
| Jonah | The Fulfillment of that of which he was but a sign. |
| Micah | He is the “turning again” to God |
| Nahum | He is the One seen upon the mountains publishing peace. |
| Habakkuk | He is the Anointed One of Whom was sung as “going forth for salvation.” |
| Zephaniah | He is the One Who brought to the people the pure language |
| Haggai | The true Zerubbabel, forever rebuilding the house of God |
| Zechariah | Himself the dawn of the day when “Holiness-shall be upon the bells of the horses,” |
| Malachi | He the “Refiner,” sitting over the fire, “the Sun of Righteousness” |
