Old Testament Types
A biblical type is something or someone mentioned in Scripture, typically in the Old Testament, that served as a symbol, or a representation, of something that would be fulfilled in the New Testament. Types and shadows of things to come contribute to the richness and mystery of the Bible. Below are just some of the numerous types found in the Old Testament and their New Testament fulfillment.
Passover
And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt. Exodus 12:13 (KJV)
The salvation of Israel by the blood of a lamb points to salvation through the blood of Jesus. The Passover is a type of salvation and the Passover lamb is a type of Christ Himself.
The Red Sea
And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left. Exodus 14:22 (KJV)
The Israelites passing through the Red Sea is a type of water baptism. I Corinthians 10:2 tells us this. As the children of Israel passed through the waters and were saved, we too pass through waters of baptism to publicly demonstrate the fact that we’ve been saved.
Fire Falling
And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount. And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly. Exodus 19:17-18 (KJV)
Fire fell on Mount Sinai when the Lord came down. This was a type of the infilling of the Holy Sprit, the baptism that came as tongues of fire in Acts 2 on the Day of Pentecost.
Moses
And the Lord said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven. Exodus 20:22 (KJV)
Moses was a type of Jesus. Moses gave the Old Testament Law to the Israelites. Jesus is the giver of the New Testament.
Manna
And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat. Exodus 16:15 (KJV)
God fed the children of Israel with bread from heaven that they called manna. Manna was a type of Jesus Himself. Jesus referred to Himself in John 6:35 as the Bread of Life.
Water From a Rock
Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. Exodus 17:6 (KJV)
Jesus is the rock and the water He gives is living water. The Holy Spirit is often pictured as water and praying the in the Spirit is referred to as living waters flowing from our bellies.
Tabernacle
According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it. Exodus 25:9 (KJV)
The tabernacle was a place constructed for the presence of God to dwell. It was a type of Jesus and of the New Testament believer. Jesus, God Himself, came and tabernacled, or dwelt, among men. Now we are the dwelling place of God because the Spirit of God lives in us.
Day of Atonement
And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you: For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the Lord. Elviticus 16:29-30 (KJV)
This was a type of the sacrificial work of Jesus. The high priest entered into the Holy of Holies once a year to apply the blood of animal sacrifices to atone for the sins of the people. Jesus died and offered His own blood on the Mercy Seat in heaven to cleanse our sins once and for all. Jesus is our Great High Priest.
There are so many types in the Old Testament that foreshadowed things that were to come. Read the Old Testament with eyes ready to see the types God has placed there to point us to Jesus and a new and better covenant.
