A Study in Types

[Citizen of the Kingdom]

"The New is in the Old contained;
The Old is by the New explained."
St Augustine

The typology of the Old Testament is the alphabet of the language in which the New Testament is written.

Streets of gold are found within the Written word but we must be as miners therein, for the precious things of God are not all on the surface. We must dig in order to find them. Like the first sinking of the shaft the work may be labourious to begin with and therefore needs diligence. But when we reach that rich vein of ore we are well rewarded. We will find we have come upon a mine of inexhaustable wealth.

What is meant by types?
1 Corinthians 10:6
Now these things occurred as examples for us, so that we might not desire evil as they did.

Certain events are given in the bible for special purpose; to teach certain lessons in the process of acquiring knowledge of Who God is. He has served a double purpose in allowing events to happen to bring His redeemed people from slavery to the Promised Land. But besides the typical incidents and characters there is another very important class of types; those expressly commanded by God in connection with the Tabernacle and Temple service

Hebrews 9:8
“The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing”​

A careful study can show that the whole Levitical economy was divinely instituted to foreshadow the work and person of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. (we'll cover some items as this study progresses)

FI: When Peter speaks of believers as being living stones built up into a spiritual house and of a royal priesthood, we can take the stones of the temple and the Levitical priesthood as types of believers. That is how the original readers would have viewed that.
OR
We're told in Hebrews that the Lord Jesus Christ has consecrated a new living way "thru the veil, that is to say His flesh" in that we may confidently say that the veil is a type of His incarnation, and the rending of it from top to bottom as a type of His death.
ALSO
Where can we find more beautiful gospel subjects than in Old Testament scenes, such as the lifting of the brazen serpent, the slaying of the pascal lamb and many others.

Foundational truths are therein clearly explained and illustrated; for such doctrine as the atonement, substitution, the value of the blood, are more plainly taught in the types than anywhere in scripture- save in the accounts of the cross itself - which they foreshadow. The subjects of the unity of the church and subjects relating to privileges are again and again foreshadowed in the types. The formation of Eve in her union with Adam is a type of our relationship with Christ. The two becoming one flesh is the great mystery concerning Christ and the church. Eph 5

By far the largest number of conventions are for "the deepening of the spiritual life" and beyond all others the subject of Holiness seems to be emphasised in the types. The books of Moses clearly teach, more than anywhere else, to have a right view of God's holiness and of our need. Prefigured in the types are "all the councel of God" But without the further revelation (mystery unfolded) of truth in the New Testament they can't be wholly understood. But because of this we can see meanings that must have been hidden ( a mystery) from those who lived in Old Testament times.

The theme of the types run unbroken thru the bible and that is the reason that scripture cannot be broken.

This in no way will be more than a 'pique the curiosity to invite further investigation on your part' study but please bookmark the page if your interested as, as time allows, I'll add to this as time goes on.

 

[Citizen of the Kingdom]

Double Types

Exodus 13:17 The Red Sea and the Jordan river, God closed both in behind those travelling with Him in the direction in which He led. Both are symbolic of the death and resurrection of Christ. The Red Sea was a deliverance from Egypt and the Jordan a passage into the promised land. The first becoming dead in Christ to worldly things and the other being risen with Him, both are needed in reality today therefore both are also needed to see in both types the full picture.

The manna of the wilderness was still needed as much as the old corn after the sheath of the first fruits a few days after arriving in the new land. Our edification today is found in both. Christ as the manna and Christ as the first fruit into resurrection for us! In our sences we`re still bodily in Egypt, experientially travelling the wilderness, and by faith raised into the good land.

Christ is seen as much in the sacrifice of Isaac (the one born of the promise Galatians 4:28) as He is in the ram sacrifice that God provided. And Christ's different offices are seen in double types represented by

1) Office of Priesthood
- Aaron and Eleasar
Numbers 20:26, Numbers 4:16, and Numbers 3:32 pointing to our chief shepard
Reminging us of the priesthood types of Leviticus and Melchezedec further signified by the Holy Spirit in the book of Hebrews.

2) Office of King
- David and Solomon
Studied together is the preparation for building, purchase of and the completed work of the temple.

3)Office of Prophet
- Elizah and Elisha
Luke 4:25-27, 2 Kings 2:9, Numbers 11:17
Double portion of his spirit released to his follower and in the raising of the dead during their lives and even after death.

For interpretation to be more fully revealing studies have to be made that reflect the whole picture just as shadows can be seen from different angles according to how the light falls on them. The substance itself does not change.