The Old Testament (OT) serves as a divine prelude to the New Testament (NT), weaving a rich tapestry of prophecies, typological figures, and sacrificial systems that anticipate Jesus Christ as the promised Messiah. These foreshadowings—expressed through direct messianic prophecies, symbolic types, and rituals—point to His incarnation, atoning death, and triumphant resurrection. This commentary explores key OT texts (quoted from the NKJV) and their NT fulfillments, providing a detailed analysis of how these passages converge in Christ, revealing the unity of God’s redemptive plan across Scripture.
1. The Seed of the Woman
OT Text: Genesis 3:15 (NKJV)
“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.”
Foreshadowing:
This verse, known as the Protoevangelium (first gospel), delivers the earliest messianic promise in Scripture, spoken by God to the serpent (Satan) after the Fall. The “Seed” of the woman signifies a human descendant who will decisively defeat Satan (“bruise your head”), though He will suffer in the process (“bruise His heel”). The unusual reference to the “woman’s Seed” (rather than a man’s) subtly foreshadows the virgin birth, as it omits a human father. The enmity between the serpent’s seed (forces of evil) and the woman’s Seed (the Messiah) sets the stage for the cosmic battle culminating in Christ’s victory.
The promise in Genesis 3:15 emerges in the context of humanity’s fall into sin (Genesis 3:1-13), where Adam and Eve’s disobedience brings death and separation from God. God’s curse on the serpent includes this glimmer of hope, indicating that redemption will come through a human descendant. The “bruising” imagery suggests a costly victory, pointing to the Messiah’s suffering and ultimate triumph. This verse establishes the trajectory of salvation history, with subsequent OT promises (e.g., Abraham’s seed in Genesis 22:18, David’s heir in 2 Samuel 7:12-13) narrowing the focus to the Messiah.
NT Fulfillment:
- Connection: Galatians 4:4 (NKJV)
“But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law.”
Jesus, born of the Virgin Mary, fulfills the promise of the woman’s Seed. His miraculous birth without a human father (Matthew 1:18-25) aligns with the unique phrasing of Genesis 3:15, emphasizing His divine origin and human nature. - Crucifixion and Resurrection: Hebrews 2:14 (NKJV)
“Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil.”
Jesus’ death on the cross (the “bruised heel”) and resurrection deliver the fatal blow to Satan’s power (the “bruised head”). This victory is further confirmed in Colossians 2:15 (NKJV): “Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.” - Additional Connection: Revelation 12:9, 17 (NKJV)
The ongoing enmity between the serpent and the woman’s Seed is depicted in Revelation, where Satan, “that serpent of old,” persecutes the woman (symbolizing God’s people) and her offspring. Jesus’ ultimate victory is assured in His return (Revelation 20:10), completing the fulfillment of Genesis 3:15.
The promise of Genesis 3:15 is the foundation of messianic hope, initiating a thread that runs through Scripture. Jesus’ atoning death absorbs the “bruise” of suffering, while His resurrection crushes Satan’s dominion, restoring humanity’s access to God (Romans 5:12-19). The virgin birth, implied by the woman’s Seed, underscores Jesus’ sinless nature, qualifying Him as the perfect Redeemer. This passage reveals God’s immediate response to human sin with a plan of redemption, demonstrating His sovereignty and grace.
2. The Passover Lamb
OT Text: Exodus 12:5-7, 13 (NKJV)
“Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year. You shall take it from the sheep or from the goats. Now you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at twilight. And they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses where they eat it… Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.”
Foreshadowing:
The Passover lamb, a central figure in Israel’s deliverance from Egypt, is a powerful type of Christ. The lamb’s requirement to be “without blemish” symbolizes sinlessness, and its blood, applied to the doorposts, shields Israel from God’s judgment on Egypt’s firstborn. This substitutionary sacrifice prefigures Jesus as the sinless Lamb whose blood protects believers from the penalty of sin, delivering them from spiritual death.
The Passover (Exodus 12) occurs during Israel’s liberation from slavery, with the tenth plague targeting Egypt’s firstborn. The lamb’s blood marks Israel’s households as redeemed, sparing them from death and signifying their covenant relationship with God. The annual Passover feast (Leviticus 23:5) perpetuates this imagery, reinforcing the themes of sacrifice, substitution, and divine protection. The lamb’s purity and the act of blood application emphasize the necessity of a perfect sacrifice for atonement.
NT Fulfillment:
- Connection: John 1:29 (NKJV)
“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, ‘Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!’”
John the Baptist identifies Jesus as the ultimate Passover Lamb, whose sacrifice atones for humanity’s sins, not just Israel’s. This title links Jesus to the Passover imagery while expanding its scope to universal redemption. - Crucifixion: 1 Corinthians 5:7 (NKJV)
“For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.”
Jesus’ crucifixion occurs during Passover (John 19:14), aligning His death with the slaughter of the Passover lambs. His blood, like the lamb’s, provides protection from divine wrath, as seen in Romans 5:9 (NKJV): “Having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.” - Additional Connection: 1 Peter 1:19 (NKJV)
“…with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.”
Peter explicitly connects Jesus’ sinless life to the unblemished Passover lamb, emphasizing that His blood accomplishes eternal redemption (Hebrews 9:12).
The Passover lamb’s role as a substitute, sparing Israel from judgment, directly parallels Jesus’ substitutionary atonement on the cross. The timing of Jesus’ death during Passover underscores the fulfillment, as He becomes the ultimate sacrifice whose blood cleanses believers from sin (1 John 1:7). The Passover ritual’s emphasis on blood application reflects the necessity of faith in appropriating Christ’s sacrifice, a theme echoed in Hebrews 11:28. This type reveals God’s consistent pattern of redemption through a perfect mediator.
3. The Suffering Servant
OT Text: Isaiah 53:4-7, 12 (NKJV)
“Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth… Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong, because He poured out His soul unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors, and He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”
Foreshadowing:
Isaiah 53 presents a vivid portrait of the Suffering Servant, a figure who bears the sins of others, suffers rejection, and dies sacrificially to bring atonement and healing. This prophecy, written centuries before Christ, details the Messiah’s humility, substitutionary death, and intercessory role. The Servant’s silence, vicarious suffering, and association with sinners point unmistakably to Jesus’ passion and redemptive work.
Isaiah 52:13–53:12, part of the “Servant Songs” (Isaiah 42, 49, 50, 53), describes a figure who is both exalted and despised. The passage contrasts the Servant’s suffering with His ultimate vindication, implying resurrection (Isaiah 53:10-11). The Servant’s role as a guilt offering (Isaiah 53:10) ties to the Levitical sacrificial system, reinforcing His atoning purpose. This prophecy was widely recognized in Jewish tradition as messianic, though later interpretations diverged.
NT Fulfillment:
- Connection: Matthew 8:17 (NKJV)
“That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: ‘He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses.’”
Matthew applies Isaiah 53:4 to Jesus’ healing ministry, showing that His compassion extends to physical and spiritual restoration, fulfilling the Servant’s role. - Crucifixion: Mark 15:27-28 (NKJV)
“With Him they also crucified two robbers, one on His right and the other on His left. So the Scripture was fulfilled which says, ‘And He was numbered with the transgressors.’”
Jesus’ crucifixion between two criminals directly fulfills Isaiah 53:12, highlighting His identification with sinners in His death. - Resurrection: Acts 8:32-35 (NKJV)
“The place in the Scripture which he read was this: ‘He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth…’ Then Philip…preached Jesus to him.”
Philip uses Isaiah 53 to explain Jesus’ death and resurrection to the Ethiopian eunuch, showing that the Servant’s suffering and exaltation are fulfilled in Christ’s redemptive work. - Additional Connection: 1 Peter 2:24-25 (NKJV)
“…who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.”
Peter draws on Isaiah 53:5-6 to affirm Jesus’ substitutionary death and its healing power, linking the Servant’s work to believers’ salvation.
Isaiah 53’s depiction of the Servant’s vicarious suffering is mirrored in Jesus’ silent endurance during His trial (Matthew 27:12-14), His atoning death on the cross (Romans 4:25), and His resurrection as the exalted Savior (Philippians 2:9). The passage’s emphasis on substitution—“the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all”—underscores the doctrine of penal substitution, where Jesus bears the penalty for humanity’s sins. The Servant’s intercession (Isaiah 53:12) continues in Jesus’ role as High Priest (Hebrews 7:25), advocating for believers. This prophecy powerfully illustrates the Messiah’s mission to redeem through suffering, fulfilling God’s plan for salvation.
4. The Pierced One
OT Text: Zechariah 12:10 (NKJV)
“And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. They will mourn for Him as one mourns for an only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.”
Foreshadowing:
Zechariah prophesies a divine-human figure (“Me” whom they pierced) whose death by piercing leads to mourning and spiritual renewal among God’s people. The reference to “Me” suggests the Messiah’s divinity, while the piercing and mourning point to His sacrificial death and Israel’s future repentance. This prophecy combines themes of judgment, redemption, and restoration.
Zechariah 12–14 describes eschatological events, including God’s deliverance of Jerusalem and the purification of His people. The “pierced one” (Zechariah 12:10) is a climactic figure whose death triggers a national awakening, marked by mourning and the outpouring of God’s Spirit. The imagery of piercing recalls Psalm 22:16 (NKJV): “They pierced My hands and My feet,” another messianic prophecy fulfilled in crucifixion.
NT Fulfillment:
- Connection: John 19:34, 37 (NKJV)
“But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out… And again another Scripture says, ‘They shall look on Him whom they pierced.’”
John explicitly links the soldier’s spear thrust into Jesus’ side to Zechariah 12:10, confirming that Jesus’ crucifixion fulfills this prophecy. The blood and water symbolize the cleansing and life-giving effects of His death (1 John 5:6). - Additional Connection: Revelation 1:7 (NKJV)
“Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him.”
Revelation applies Zechariah 12:10 to Jesus’ second coming, when Israel and the nations will mourn, recognizing Him as the pierced Messiah (Romans 11:26).
The piercing in Zechariah 12:10 directly corresponds to the physical act of Jesus’ side being pierced (John 19:34), a detail unique to crucifixion. The mourning foretold in Zechariah anticipates Israel’s future acceptance of Jesus as Messiah, as Paul describes in Romans 11:25-27. The prophecy’s reference to “Me” underscores Jesus’ divinity, aligning with His claim to be one with the Father (John 10:30). This passage highlights the paradox of the Messiah’s suffering as both a divine act of redemption and a catalyst for human repentance.
5. The Resurrection Foreshadowed
OT Text: Psalm 16:10 (NKJV)
“For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.”
Foreshadowing:
Psalm 16, attributed to David, expresses confidence in God’s deliverance from death. The phrase “Your Holy One” not seeing “corruption” (physical decay) applies partially to David but prophetically to the Messiah, whose body would not remain in the grave. This verse foreshadows the resurrection, distinguishing the Messiah from all others who die and decay.
Psalm 16 is a song of trust in God’s protection and provision, culminating in the assurance of life beyond death. The term “Sheol” refers to the realm of the dead, and “corruption” denotes bodily decay. In Jewish thought, decay typically begins after three days (John 11:39), making Jesus’ resurrection on the third day a precise fulfillment. The “Holy One” designation implies a unique, sinless figure, pointing to the Messiah.
NT Fulfillment:
- Connection: Acts 2:27, 31 (NKJV)
“For You will not leave my soul in Hades, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption… he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption.”
Peter, in his Pentecost sermon, interprets Psalm 16:10 as a prophecy of Jesus’ resurrection, noting that David died and decayed, but Jesus rose before His body could deteriorate. - Additional Connection: Acts 13:35-37 (NKJV)
Paul also cites Psalm 16:10, stating, “Therefore He also says in another Psalm: ‘You will not allow Your Holy One to see corruption.’… But He whom God raised up saw no corruption.” Paul emphasizes that Jesus’ resurrection fulfills this prophecy, distinguishing Him from David.
The promise of Psalm 16:10 is realized in Jesus’ resurrection on the third day, before His body could undergo decay (John 20:6-7). The empty tomb (Luke 24:3) and the testimony of the apostles (1 Corinthians 15:3-8) confirm that Jesus’ flesh did not see corruption, fulfilling the prophecy. This resurrection validates Jesus’ identity as the sinless “Holy One” and the conqueror of death, offering believers the hope of eternal life (1 Corinthians 15:20-22). The passage underscores the resurrection as the cornerstone of Christian faith, proving God’s power over death.
6. The Bronze Serpent
OT Text: Numbers 21:8-9 (NKJV)
“Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.[EP1] ’ So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.”
Foreshadowing:
The bronze serpent, lifted up on a pole to heal Israelites bitten by venomous snakes, serves as a striking type of Christ’s crucifixion. The act of looking to the serpent for physical healing parallels faith in Jesus’ sacrifice for spiritual salvation. The serpent, a symbol of the curse (Genesis 3:1), being lifted up signifies Jesus taking on the curse of sin to provide redemption.
In Numbers 21, Israel’s rebellion prompts God to send fiery serpents as judgment. In response to their repentance, God instructs Moses to create a bronze serpent and lift it up, so that anyone bitten could look at it and live. This act of faith in God’s provision mirrors the faith required to receive salvation through Christ. The bronze serpent later became an object of idolatry (2 Kings 18:4), underscoring the need to focus on the true Savior it prefigured.
NT Fulfillment:
- Connection: John 3:14-15 (NKJV)
“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”
Jesus explicitly compares His crucifixion to the lifting up of the bronze serpent, emphasizing that faith in His atoning death brings eternal life. The parallel highlights the accessibility of salvation through simple trust in Christ. - Additional Connection: Galatians 3:13 (NKJV)
“Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree’).”
Jesus’ crucifixion, like the bronze serpent, involves taking on the curse of sin, providing healing for humanity’s spiritual affliction.
The bronze serpent’s elevation on a pole directly prefigures Jesus’ crucifixion, where He is “lifted up” on the cross (John 12:32-33). Just as looking at the serpent brought physical healing, faith in Christ’s sacrifice brings spiritual restoration. The imagery of a serpent, associated with sin, being the means of salvation reflects the paradox of Christ becoming sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21). This type emphasizes the simplicity and universality of salvation, available to all who look to Jesus in faith.
7. The Rejected Stone
OT Text: Psalm 118:22 (NKJV)
“The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.”
Foreshadowing:
Psalm 118 depicts a stone rejected by builders but chosen by God as the cornerstone, symbolizing the Messiah’s rejection by Israel’s leaders and His exaltation as the foundation of God’s kingdom. The cornerstone, critical for a building’s stability, represents Christ’s central role in salvation.
Psalm 118 is a hymn of thanksgiving for God’s deliverance, often sung during Passover. The “stone” imagery likely drew from building practices where a flawed stone was discarded, only to be recognized later as essential. This foreshadows the Messiah’s rejection by religious leaders but ultimate vindication by God.
NT Fulfillment:
- Connection: Matthew 21:42 (NKJV)
“Jesus said to them, ‘Have you never read in the Scriptures: “The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes”?’”
Jesus applies Psalm 118:22 to Himself, confronting the Pharisees with their rejection of Him as the Messiah, yet affirming His divine appointment as the cornerstone. - Resurrection: Acts 4:10-11 (NKJV)
“…let it be known to you all… that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’”
Peter declares that Jesus, crucified and risen, is the cornerstone, foundational to salvation and the church. - Additional Connection: Ephesians 2:20 (NKJV)
“…having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone.”
Paul describes the church as built on Christ, the cornerstone, uniting Jew and Gentile in God’s redemptive plan.
The rejection of the stone in Psalm 118 is fulfilled in Jesus’ crucifixion, orchestrated by Israel’s leaders (Mark 15:12-15), and His resurrection establishes Him as the cornerstone of God’s kingdom. The imagery underscores God’s sovereignty in overturning human rejection to accomplish His purpose. Jesus as the cornerstone signifies His indispensable role in salvation, as no one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6).
8. The Day of Atonement
OT Text: Leviticus 16:15-16, 21-22 (NKJV)
“Then he shall kill the goat of the sin offering, which is for the people, bring its blood inside the veil, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat and before the mercy seat. So he shall make atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions, for all their sins… Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, confess over it all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, concerning all their sins, putting them on the head of the goat, and shall send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a suitable man. The goat shall bear on itself all their iniquities to a land not inhabited…”
Foreshadowing:
The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) ritual, detailed in Leviticus 16, involved two goats: one sacrificed for a sin offering, its blood sprinkled in the Holy of Holies to atone for Israel’s sins, and another, the scapegoat, which carried the people’s sins into the wilderness. This dual ritual prefigures Christ’s atonement, combining the roles of sacrificial victim and sin-bearer.
The Day of Atonement was the holiest day in Israel’s calendar, addressing the nation’s collective sinfulness. The high priest’s entry into the Holy of Holies with sacrificial blood symbolized access to God’s presence, while the scapegoat’s removal of sins illustrated forgiveness and cleansing. This annual rite highlighted the inadequacy of animal sacrifices to permanently remove sin (Hebrews 10:4), pointing to a greater atonement.
NT Fulfillment:
- Connection: Hebrews 9:11-12 (NKJV)
“But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands… Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.”
Jesus, as both High Priest and sacrifice, fulfills the Day of Atonement by offering His blood in the heavenly sanctuary, securing permanent atonement. - Additional Connection: 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NKJV)
“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
Jesus, like the scapegoat, bears the sins of humanity, removing them through His sacrificial death.
The Day of Atonement’s dual goats find their fulfillment in Jesus, who both offers His blood as the perfect sacrifice (Hebrews 9:26) and carries away humanity’s sins as the scapegoat (Isaiah 53:6). Unlike the temporary atonement of Yom Kippur, Jesus’ once-for-all sacrifice cleanses believers permanently (Hebrews 10:10). This ritual underscores the gravity of sin, the necessity of substitutionary atonement, and the sufficiency of Christ’s work, granting access to God’s presence (Hebrews 4:16).
The Old Testament is a divinely inspired blueprint, intricately foreshadowing Jesus Christ through prophecies, types, and symbols that converge in His life, crucifixion, and resurrection. From the Protoevangelium’s promise of a victorious Seed to the Day of Atonement’s depiction of ultimate atonement, these passages form a cohesive narrative pointing to Jesus as the Messiah. The NKJV texts, paired with their NT fulfillments, demonstrate Scripture’s unity, as Jesus Himself declared: “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill” (Matthew 5:17, NKJV). These connections affirm Jesus’ identity as the Savior, whose finished work on the cross and triumph over death fulfill God’s redemptive plan, inviting all to trust in Him for salvation. The OT’s foreshadowings not only validate the historicity and divine inspiration of Scripture but also deepen believers’ appreciation for the depth and beauty of God’s eternal purpose in Christ.