In last Sunday’s text, Jesus teaches two of his disciples on the road to Emmaus, “starting with Moses and all the prophets”, about how the Jewish scriptures, what we know as the Old Testament, testify to Him. Meaning, that Jesus told these disciples how the Bible points to his life, death, and resurrection on every page.

The Bible is about Jesus in a lot of different ways. In one sense, the Old Testament is an autobiography of Jesus as I mentioned in Sunday’s sermon. Jesus is also talked about in direct prophecy in the Old Testament as it predicts specific details about Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection. There are also more subtle ways that the Word of God to the Old Testament saints testifies to Jesus, in types, shadows, symbols and repetitive actions. Jesus is also a “greater than” character when it comes to many of the accomplishments of the “heroes” of the Old Testament Story.

As I prepared for Sunday’s sermon, I put together a list of texts and ideas that may have been part of what Jesus said to the two on the road to Emmaus. I hope this list will help you see Jesus in all the Scriptures and begin to build a habit of seeing him more regularly in your Bible reading. I would encourage you to turn to some of these passages and see Jesus for yourself, just like those disciples were taught to do. If there are passages I did not include, feel free to include them in the comments. We can grow and learn together.

Genesis:

• Jesus is the one who will ultimately multiply God’s people, fill the earth with the Glory of God, and subdue the earth for God’s glory. Genesis 3:28
• Jesus is the Seed of the Woman who will crush the serpent’s head. The whole story of Genesis is looking for that son who will finally succeed where Adam failed. Genesis 3:15
• Jesus is greater than Able, the innocent son who dies after making a suitable sacrifice in worship to God. Genesis 4
• Jesus is greater than Noah, the faithful servant who builds an ark for God’s people to weather the storms of this fallen world. Genesis 6-9
• Jesus is the blessing to the nations promised to Abraham. Genesis 12:3
• Jesus is a priest after the order of Melchizedek, prophet, priest, and King to whom we all pay tithes and worship. Genesis 14:17-24
• Jesus is the better Abraham who intercedes for a wicked people, not with prayers, but with his own life and blood. Genesis 18:22-32
• Jesus is a better Isaac, bearing the wood for his own sacrifice up the hill in obedience to the word and will of God. Genesis 22
• Jesus is the ram that God sent to spare the life of Isaac, He spared Abraham’s son but not His own for our redemption. Genesis 22
• Jesus is the fulfillment of Isaac’s promise to Jacob that all the nations would bow down to him and that all who curse him would be cursed and all who bless him would be blessed. Genesis 27:27-29
• Jesus is the ladder that Jacob sees connecting heaven and earth on which men and angels can be brought together in worship. Genesis 28:10-12
• Jesus is the one who wrestled with God to pay the price for our sin and give us a chance to change as Jacob did. Genesis 32:22-32
• Jesus is the better Joseph, hated for his righteousness yet saving his people while suffering unjustly. Genesis 37, 39-47
• Jesus is the fulfillment of the blessing to Judah, that the sceptre will not depart from Judah’s line, Jesus is the King of Kings. Genesis 49:10
• Jesus is the perfection of Joseph’s statement that God meant evil for God, the death of Christ is the greatest evil and our greatest good. Genesis 50:20

Exodus:

• Jesus is the better Moses, the child saved from death and born to set his people free and lead them into a land prepared for them. Exodus 2,12
• Jesus is the sign from heaven sent in power to convict the world of evil like the plagues were to Pharaoh. Exodus 7-11
• Jesus is the Passover Lamb, the spotless one who shed his own blood for the redemption and protection of his people from the power and sting of death. Exodus 12
• Jesus is the bread of life given to the world while we wander the wilderness of sin like the manna in the wilderness. Exodus 16
• Jesus is Water from the Rock. He endured being struck by sinful men so we could drink the waters of life. Exodus 17
• Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law of God, He is the Word made flesh, the only one who could keep the law and be a perfect offering to God. Exodus 20-23
• Jesus is the builder of a new and better tabernacle, a new place for God to dwell with his people, built through his own flesh. Exodus 25-27
• Jesus is a perfect High Priest. He is the one who sinlessly enters into the presence of God on behalf of his people to intercede for them. Exodus 28-29

Leviticus

• Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law of God, his cross is the sacrifice for sins, peace, worship, harvest, and consecration of his people.
• Jesus is the sin offering on the day of atonement, the innocent one is killed while the guilty one is set free. Leviticus 16
• Jesus is our Great High Priest who continues forever before God. Leviticus 16
• Jesus is the fulfillment of all the festivals of God’s calendar. He is the first fruit from the dead, He brings a new and glorious harvest for the kingdom of God from the nations, He is the new tabernacle, God with us, and one day the trumpet will sound for His coming. Leviticus 23-24
• Jesus inaugurates the Year of Jubilee, the Year of the Lord’s Favor; an eternal sabbath of rest for God’s people. Leviticus 25

Numbers:

• The people of God settled in a cross shape around the Ark of Covenant. In Christ, God’s people still live a cruciform life. Numbers 2
• Jesus put himself outside the camp for us to dwell with God. Numbers 5
• Jesus comes into enemy territory to accomplish the promises of God to bless and redeem his people. Numbers 13

Deuteronomy

• Jesus is a refuge for sinners to receive pardon and forgiveness without ignoring justice. Deuteronomy 4:41
• Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promise to love and bless his people because of his own character and power. Deuteronomy 7
• Jesus is the prophet like and better than Moses, who speaks the word of God to us. Deuteronomy 18:15
• Jesus is the cursed one who hangs on a tree so we could be blessed by God. Deuteronomy 22:22-23
• Jesus is the one we must follow and not ignore to receive the blessings of God, but Jesus not only is the object of our worship, but he also gives us the power to follow him. Deuteronomy 28-30

Joshua

• Jesus’ name is actually a form of Joshua. Jesus is a better Joshua who defeats the “kings” of Satan, sin, and death to secure for us a promised land.

Judges

• Jesus is a better judge who leaves no power left in the hands of the enemy, our victory is secure. Jesus is braver than Gideon, stronger than Sampson, and wiser than Jephthah.

Ruth

• Jesus is the Kingsman redeemer who purchases his lost family back from the clutches of sin and death. Ruth 4

1-2 Samuel

• Jesus is the King from among his own brothers who is better than Saul. 1 Samuel 16
• Jesus is the answer to God’s promise to David that he will always and forever have a son on the throne of Israel. 2 Samuel 7:12-17

1-2 Kings

• Jesus is the perfect king. He does not exploit his people or fail in his leadership. He will bring the peace of Solomon’s reign to the whole world.
• Jesus is the miracle-worker-prophet greater than Elijah, healing and feeding his people to show God’s favour. 1 Kings 17-19

1-2 Chronicles

• Jesus is the chief of the tribe of Judah. 1 Chron. 5:2

Ezra-Nehemiah

• Jesus rebuilds the temple of God for the final time, in his body and in his Church.

Esther:

• Jesus is a better Mordecai who lives righteously, is hated for it, and leads others in righteousness.

Job

• Jesus is the redeemer who lives. (Job 19:25-27)

Psalms:

• Son of God: Psalm 2
• Resurrected: Psalm 16
• Despised and crucified: Psalm 22
• Hated without cause: Psalm 69
• Seated at the right hand of God: Psalm 110
• In the line of Melchizedek: Psalm 110
• Rejected by the Jews: Psalm 118

Proverbs

• Jesus is the wisdom of God through whom he made the world. Proverbs 8

Ecclesiastes:

• At the right time, Jesus died for the ungodly. Jesus is the timing of God and he is the “season” of redemption appointed for His people. Ecclesiastes 3

Song of Solomon

• Jesus is the bridegroom who adores and rescues his bride the Church.

Isaiah

• Jesus is Emmanuel, born of a virgin. Isaiah 7
• Jesus is the son who is born in Isaiah 9
• Jesus is the righteous branch. Isaiah 11
• Jesus covers the nations and swallows up death forever. Isaiah 25
• Jesus is the righteous king. Isaiah 32
• Jesus is YAHWEH coming to his people. Isaiah 40
• Jesus is the chosen servant who is filled with the spirit of God. Isaiah 42
• Jesus brings Jacob back to God. Isaiah 49
• Jesus is the one who is wounded for us. Isaiah 52
• Jesus is the suffering servant. Isaiah 53
• Jesus is salvation to foreigners. Isaiah 56
• Jesus brings the year of the Lord’s favour. Isaiah 61
• Jesus rends the heavens and comes down to be with us. Isaiah 64

Jeremiah

• Jesus is the righteous branch. Jeremiah 23
• Jesus is the blood that inaugurates the new covenant of God’s law in our hearts. Jeremiah 31
• Jesus suffers for speaking God’s word like Jerimiah. Jeremiah 38
• Jesus will one day execute perfect judgement on the nations. Jeremiah 46-51

Lamentations:

• Jesus is the answer to prayer to restore God’s people. Lamentations 5:21

Ezekiel

• Jesus is the one with the appearance of the glory of the Lord. Ezekiel 1:26-28
• Jesus is the one shepherd after David’s line who will lead them. Ezekiel 34:23-24

Daniel

• Jesus stands in the furnace with his Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Daniel 3
• Jesus is the Son of Man coming down from God with power and judgement. Daniel 7

Hosea:

• Jesus is the groom who takes an unfaithful wife as his own to redeem her. Hosea 1-3

Joel:

• Jesus brings the day when God’s Spirit is poured out on all flesh and on the mountain of Calvary God provided salvation for his people. Joel 2:28-32

Amos:

• On the day of Jesus’ death, God darkened the earth at noon. Amos 8:9
• Jesus is the booth of David that will be lifted up and gather Israel and the nations to himself. Amos 9:11-12

Obadiah

• Jesus is the King of the Kingdom that God is building. Obadiah 21

Jonah

• Jesus will spend 3 days in the belly of the earth as Jonah spent 3 days in the belly of the fish to be a message of repentance to the nations. Jonah 1:17

Micah

• Jesus is the ruler that will be born in Bethlehem and will give rest, leadership, majesty, security, and peace. Micah 5:2-5

Nahum

• Jesus is the Avenger who will bring the judgement of God on that day.

Habakkuk

• Jesus gives the faith that the righteous must live by. Habakkuk 2:4
• Jesus is a greater Habakkuk as our intercessor who pleads with God for us.

Zephaniah

• Jesus is the one who restores the remnant of Israel by dwelling in our midst. Zephaniah 3:17-18

Haggai

• Jesus is the glory that comes into the second temple and gathers the nations. Haggai 2:6-9

Zechariah

• Jesus is the promised divine priest and King who will ride into Jerusalem on a donkey and they will look on him who they have pierced. Zechariah 6:12-13, 9:9, 11:12-13, 12:10

Malachi

• Jesus is the one whose way is prepared and will purify with fire. He is the coming Elijah to convict the world of sin and turn our hearts back to God. Malachi 3:1-3, 4:5-6