WHO SHOULD WE SEE MOST WHEN WE READ THE BIBLE?

When you open your Bible, who captures your attention the most?

Is it Moses the lawgiver? Elijah the miracle-working prophet? David the warrior-king?
Or perhaps your preaching often focuses on Old Testament heroes and their inspiring deeds?

While these individuals play important roles in redemptive history, none of them are the main subject of the Bible. The Bible is not primarily about people—it is about a Person: Jesus Christ.

If human characters dominate your Bible reading and preaching, there’s a possibility your spiritual understanding is still limited (cf. 2 Corinthians 3:14–16). The Scriptures were written not to glorify men, but to reveal the glory of the Son of God.

Let us consider what the risen Christ Himself said:

Luke 24:25–27 (ESV)
25 And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!
26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?”
27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

Notice: Jesus didn’t start with Moses or Elijah to honor them, but to explain how they were testifying about Him. The Law, the Prophets, and the Writings all point to Christ.

CHRIST: THE CENTRAL FIGURE OF SCRIPTURE

The unity of the Bible revolves around Jesus. From Genesis to Revelation, the storyline unfolds God’s plan of redemption in Christ. Let’s examine how various prophets testified of Him—not just indirectly, but prophetically and clearly.

✦ Moses (the Law) spoke of Christ:

Deuteronomy 18:15 (ESV)
“The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen.”

This is a Messianic prophecy. The “prophet like Moses” is fulfilled in Jesus (cf. Acts 3:22–23). Moses was a type; Jesus is the ultimate Prophet, Deliverer, and Mediator of a new covenant (Hebrews 3:1–6).

✦ Samuel spoke of Christ as the eternal priest:

1 Samuel 2:35 (ESV)
“And I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who shall do according to what is in my heart and in my mind.”

This looks forward to a greater priest than Eli’s sons—a priest who is eternal. Jesus is that High Priest (cf. Hebrews 7:23–28), who ministers in the true tabernacle.

✦ Isaiah prophesied the Incarnation and Deity of Christ:

Isaiah 9:6 (ESV)
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder… and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Jesus is not only the Son given, but also “Mighty God.” This is a clear assertion of Christ’s divinity and kingship.

✦ Micah foretold His birth in Bethlehem:

Micah 5:2 (ESV)
“But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah… from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.”

This verse affirms both Christ’s human origin (born in Bethlehem) and His eternal preexistence.

✦ David (Psalms) prophesied Christ’s suffering:

Psalm 22:18 (ESV)
“They divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.”

Fulfilled in: Matthew 27:35
“…they divided his garments among them by casting lots.”

Psalm 22 describes the crucifixion in astonishing detail—written 1,000 years before Christ.

✦ Hosea prophesied the calling of God’s Son:

Hosea 11:1 (ESV)
“When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.”

Fulfilled in: Matthew 2:15
“…that what was spoken by the prophet Hosea might be fulfilled, ‘Out of Egypt I called my son.’”

This shows how Israel’s story typologically points to Jesus—the true Israel.

✦ Jeremiah described the mourning in Bethlehem:

Jeremiah 31:15 (ESV)
“A voice is heard in Ramah… Rachel is weeping for her children.”

Fulfilled in: Matthew 2:18, in the slaughter of infants under Herod.

✦ Zechariah predicted the Triumphal Entry:

Zechariah 9:9 (ESV)
“Behold, your king is coming to you… humble and mounted on a donkey.”

Fulfilled in: Matthew 21:5, as Jesus entered Jerusalem.

✦ Daniel saw Christ exalted as the “Son of Man”:

Daniel 7:13–14 (ESV)
“And behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man… his dominion is an everlasting dominion.”

Jesus referred to this passage about Himself repeatedly (cf. Matthew 26:64).

✦ Malachi foresaw the coming of the Lord to His temple:

Malachi 3:1 (ESV)
“The Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple.”

Fulfilled when Jesus cleansed the temple (John 2:13–17).

✦ Jonah prefigured Jesus’ death and resurrection:

Matthew 12:40 (ESV)
“For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”

✦ Ezekiel promised the coming of the Spirit through Christ:

Ezekiel 36:26–27 speaks of a new heart and the Holy Spirit—fulfilled at Pentecost (Acts 2), made possible through Jesus.

✦ Amos foretold supernatural signs during the crucifixion:

Amos 8:9 (ESV)
“On that day… I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth.”

Fulfilled in: Matthew 27:45
“Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour.”

✦ Joel prophesied the outpouring of the Spirit:

Joel 2:28–32, fulfilled in Acts 2:16–21, after Jesus’ resurrection.

✦ Job longed for the Redeemer:

Job 19:25 (ESV)
“For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth.”

This is one of the clearest Old Testament affirmations of resurrection hope in Christ.

THEOLOGICAL CONCLUSION:

All the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings testify of Jesus Christ. He is the second Adam, the true Israel, the greater Moses, the perfect High Priest, the Davidic King, the suffering Servant, the glorious Son of Man, and the resurrected Lord.

John 5:39 (ESV)
“You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me.”

Until we see Christ as the central message of Scripture, we are reading the Bible incompletely.

Luke 24:44–45 (ESV)
“Then he said to them… everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled. Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.”

Ephesians 4:13 (ESV)
“…until we all attain… the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.”

WHAT NEXT?

Let your eyes be opened to see Christ in every page of Scripture. Preach Him. Follow Him. Share Him.

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Maranatha – The Lord is coming.

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