Three Old Testament Types/Antitypes of the blood of Christ

The antitype is the real thing. The type is an image of the antitype. The hammer on an old typewriter, was the antitype. When this hammer hit the paper through the ink ribbon, it left an image of the antitype. This image is called the "type". When you pulled out the paper, the letters were mere type images of the original antitype.

For example, the incense of the Old Testament tabernacle in the Holy Place was an type of the prayers (the antitype) of the saints. Revelation 5:8. The symbol was the physical incense, the real meaning was literal prayer.

Jesus is liken in the Old Testament to many types. We are most familiar with Jesus being likened unto a lamb. This type comes from Exodus 12. The Passover lamb is actually the type of Jesus as the lamb of God. The first Passover feast eaten by the Jews in Egypt was to become a memorial feast for the people. The Lord's Supper (communion) is the New Testament corresponding type to Christ. Both the Passover feast and the Lord's supper have many things in common. They had the same meaning: (A memorial: Passover was to remember Egypt, while the Lord's Supper, to remember Christ's death Ex 12:26/1 Cor 11:25) Each feast used a young, innocent and perfect lamb: (Ex 12:5/ John 1:29; 1 Pe 1:19) The Jews were to eat the flesh of the Passover lamb Ex 12:8, while Christians are to eat the flesh (bread) of Christ (1 Cor 11:27). The Jews were not allowed to break any bones of the lamb when they ate it: Ex 12:46 + Num 9:12. In the same manner the Christian's "Passover lamb" had no bone broken as prophesied in Ps 34:20 and fulfilled in Jn 19:33-36. The blood of the Jewish Passover lamb was to be painted on the outside of the door so that when the death angel came to destroy all of Egypt, he would "Passover" that house and not kill the occupants. (Thus the reason why it is called the "Passover" feast.) The blood of the Christian's Passover lamb is for the forgiveness of sins, so that when Judgment day comes, we will not be destroyed in Hell. Matthew 26:27.

In Leviticus 16:29-34 we have another type of Christ called the "goat of atonement" and the "scape-goat" The priest took two goats. The first was killed and sacrificed for the sins of the people just like Jesus was on the cross. But the imagery is gets even more interesting. In the New Testament, Hebrews 9:11 goes on to say, "But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption."

The second goat of Lev 16, was the "scape-goat". When someone says, "I am just a scape-goat", we understand that this person is being unfairly blamed for some wrong another has committed. Again, Jesus fits the imagery. The Jewish priest placed his hands on this second goat which symbolized a transfer of all the sins of the people to the goat. Then the goat was taken out to the deep wilderness and released. In the same way Jesus suffered unfairly on the cross for sins He did not commit. He was innocent and sinless yet suffered as if He had sinned. Jesus is our scape-goat! Just as the scape-goat was driven into the wilderness. Jesus was crucified outside the gate of the city of Jerusalem.

The blood of Jesus therefore is a central theme for the redemption of all mankind. Eph 1:7. The blood of Christ justifies: Rom 5:9. It sanctifies: Heb 13:12; cleanses: 1 n 1:7; Washes: Rev 1:5; Brings us near to God: Col 1:20; The church was bought with the Blood of Christ: Acts 20:28; Rev 5:9. Now the grace of God sent His son to die for our sins on the cross. Eph 2:8, "By grace you are saved, through faith..." In the redemption process, God supplies the grace and man supplies the faith. Without the blood of Christ mankind would utterly we without hope. Have you applied the sacrificial blood of Christ to your sins?

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