THE KEY TO THE BIBLE, INSTRUCTOR - 4th SESSION
GET ACQUAINTED - Ask half the
group to relate the story of their conversion or tell about their
family/church background.
What insights did you bring to share?
Ps.118:19-24 "This is the day that
the Lord has made [specify, Christ's death and resurrection]; let us rejoice and be
glad in it."
Ps.118 is a call to give thanks
to the Lord for deliverance and victory.
V.1 & 29 bracket the
Psalm. Jesus quotes v.22-23 as referring to Himself (Mt.21:42). The crowd shouts
"Hosanna" (v.25-26) as
Jesus enters
1. Types, representations, images,
shadows, forshadowings, parallels, patterns, figures,
signs, and symbols depict, picture, outline, prefigure, point to, or render
some semblance or clue to the reality (ie., antitype,
Beg. at Mos. p.244-245). They are not themselves the reality and there
are more representations than those specifically identified as such in the
N.T. They serve to condition our
thinking and instill certain concepts so we will recognize the truth
when it is revealed. [see apdx.B] Thus the Old Testament is the
historical foreshadowing of the future reality.
It builds a conceptual framework that provides the categories
for comprehending the ways of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
For
examples of the New Testament (Gospel) interpretation of the Old Testament, look at
the following passages and list the promises given to Abram.
Gen.12:2-3, 7-8; 17:4-8 12:7,
"I will give this land to your descendant"
17:8, "I will give the
whole
How
are the promises expanded or clarified in the N.T.? Rom.4:13 "the promise to Abraham and his offspring,
that he would be the heir of the world"
Gal.3:16 "the promises were made to Abraham and his seed
(Christ)…"
The
promises as they applied to
Gal.3:29 "If you are
Christ's' then you are Abraham's seed, heirs according to promise." The NT discusses these promises in the context of
justification by faith where Abraham is a prototype [original model, example
of its kind]
for all believers who will inherit the world, not merely the
The historical narrative of
the Bible is not merely a succession of events from which we draw moral lessons
or a convenient cache out of which we extract principles or illustrations of
the Christian life. Biblical history
gives us a frame of reference to understand God’s purposes and spiritual nature of reality. The whole Bible presents itself as the
unfolding process of God's dealings with man and of His self-disclosure to
man. Revelation is progressive. The history of redemption is incomplete
without the New Testament, because the New Testament clarifies the typology and
transforms the Old Testament imagery by the Gospel. For example,
deliverance effected by a judge, king, or other means is a redemptive event (prefigures redemption).
The Old Testament progression of revelation toward fulfillment in the
New means that the whole Bible is properly understood only in light of the Christ of the Gospel.
Example of Typology of
a Redemptive Event
in
Contrast to Subjective (Allegorical) Interpretation:
Read Joshua 2:1-21;
6:22-25 and consider the following:
One line of interpretation focuses on the redness of Rahab's cord (2:18) as a type of the blood of
Christ. The focus and only connection are
merely the redness of each [false association]. But the conquest of
Identify
2 redemptive events from the Old Testament other than those mentioned
above. Notice that each is accompanied
by judgment. the ark and flood
the zeal
of Phinehas for the Lord's honor [in slaying an Israelite
openly cavorting with a Midianite] as Moab tries to seduce
Israel, "Phinehas
son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has
turned My anger away from the Israelites; for he was as zealous as I am for My
honor among them, so that in My zeal I did not put an end to them." (Num.25:10)
CHRISTOPHANIES
·
A
Theophany
is the manifestation of God to people in some visible form such as a pillar of
fire or cloud (Ex.13). A Christophany is a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ in a
human form. Christophanies
reveal significant truths about God and his purpose for his people. The most common appearances are identified as
"the Angel of the Lord." The
word translated "angel" literally means "messenger". This angel possesses divine attributes,
performs divine works, and is even referred to as "God," while at the
same time is distinct from God. Christophanies helped prepare the way for the incarnation
by creating a mindset that anticipated the visible manifestation of God in the
messianic work of prophet, priest and king.
·
Read Gen.16:7-13; Gen.18; Gen.21:14-20. What things
do you see that only God can be and do (characterize divine perfections and
works)?
Multiply Hagar's descendents; called Him God,
LORD; heard Sarah's thoughts; Abraham appeals to His righteousness; called from
heaven; used the 1st
person
·
List some other designations or titles of Christ in the O.T.
Zech.3:8-10 My servant the branch; Ps.2:6-7 My son, king; Isa.52:13-15 My servant; Isa.53:11 the righteous one,
My servant; Ezek.34:23-24 David
·
List some of the N.T. designations of Christ pointing back to the
O.T.
Rev.22:16 “I am the
root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star”
THE OFFICES OF CHRIST
Since the fall of Man and his
consequent separation from God, mankind has needed a mediator between himself and God.
A mediator stands between 2
parties who are at odds as an intermediary to resolve the conflict, bring
reconciliation, and peace. In Old
Testament times there were three classes of public service that filled this
need - prophets, priests, and kings.
They were consecrated [definition? set apart to serve
God] to their offices by an anointing with oil (1Ki.19:16b; Ex.28:41; 1 Ki.1:34).
Since all human instruments come short and fail, God planned from the
beginning to provide the perfect Prophet, Priest, and King. This expectation among the Jews was the basis
for the idea of a coming Messiah. The
words "Messiah" (Hebrew) and "Christ" (Greek) mean anointed one.
Look up
the following verses and write your observations.
A. Prophet - The Old Testament prophets were
called to be channels of revelation.
They spoke to men in behalf of God.
The preeminent prophet was Moses, who mediated the covenant between God
and His people, the Israelites.
Dt.18:15-19 "the Lord your God will raise up a prophet like me [Moses] from your midst and
brethren, and you shall hear Him.
"I will put My words in his mouth, he shall speak all I command" {Acts 3:22-23 “…You shall listen to Him in whatever He tells you. And it shall be that every soul who does not
listen shall be destroyed…”} “[God says to hear His beloved Son, Jesus, at His baptism and
transfiguration] Jn.8:28
"I speak just as the Father taught me,"
Jn.17:8 "I have given them [people
the Father gave Jesus] the words You gave me."
Heb.1:1-2 "at various times and in different ways, God spoke to
the fathers through the prophets. In
these last days He has spoken to us by His Son."
B. Priest - Priests were the mediators
between God and men. After the
construction of the tabernacle they spoke to God on behalf of men through
sacrifices, offerings, and intercessory prayer.
1 Tim.2:4-5, God our savior desires all people to be saved and to come
to the knowledge of the truth. "For
there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man
Christ Jesus"
Heb.4:14-16 "Jesus is our great high priest"
Heb.6:20-7:3 "[Jesus] has become a high priest forever"
Heb.7:24-25 "He is able to save to the uttermost those who
draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for
them."
Heb.8:6 "[Christ] is mediator of a better covenant," (9:15)
"a new covenant so that those who are called may receive the promised
eternal inheritance [6:17, "inherit the promises"], since a death has occurred that redeems them from the
transgressions committed under the first covenant."
A. King - The role of the king was to act
in the name of God, ruling righteously for the welfare of the people. He was both protector and judge. In many ways King David's life typified that
of his greater Son, Jesus Christ. [see Chap.6 RPCD
http://pop.eradman.com/]
Lk.1:32-33 "He [Jesus] will be great and will be called the son of the highest, and
the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and He shall reign
over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom shall not end." {see "David" in Jer.30:9 & Hos.3:5} Eph.1:20-22 "He [the Father] put all things under His [Christ's] feet and gave Him as head over all things to the
church"
{Rev.19:16 "King of kings and Lord of lords"}
What
captured your attention in this lesson?
FURTHER STUDY - According to Plan by Graeme Goldsworthy
APDX B, Chap.2 of RPCD http://pop.eradman.com/
OLD TESTAMENT SHADOWS
WERE MYSTERIES
INTENDED
TO FORESHADOW REALITIES CLEARLY PICTURED IN OUR DAY
God has spoken and dealt with mankind
in such a way as to both hide and reveal unseen realities.