Hebrews

Lesson 7: The Preexistent Christ - Part 2Hebrews 10:5-7

We continue our study of Christ in the Old Testament. As we saw in the previous lesson, Christ was the central figure in the creation story. This was evidenced by the verses in Genesis 1:26, 3:22 and 11:7, where we drew special attention to the words "us" and "our," indicating that God’s triune being was present—God the Father, the Holy Spirit, and Jesus the Son.

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We also noted that Christ, particularly in the book of John, made many references to his coming down from heaven, as well as his having been present with God before the creation. In this lesson, we will deepen our understanding of Christ, his presence and his central role in all of creation by looking to see if, and how, Christ physically manifested himself in the Old Testament. Was he present during any of the Old Testament period and, if so, how? Put on your thinking caps as God’s Holy Spirit leads us in a study of Christ’s presence during the Old Testament period.

We will again be employing many scripture references. I pray these will add immensely to your understanding of the Old Testament and its importance, as well to provide you a deeper more personal walk with Christ as our hope and our salvation.

  1. You may need a Bible dictionary for this one. Look up the word "Theophany" and write the definition here.
  2. Read John 1:18, John 6:46, and 1 John 4:12. What do they each tell us about seeing God?
    1. John 1:18
    2. John 6:46
    3. 1 John 4:12
  3. If no one has ever seen God, then many of the Old Testament passages must be in error—or something deeper is happening. Consider the following questions in light of the passages that tell us no one has ever seen God. Read Exodus 3:1-6.
    1. Who is speaking to Moses from the Burning Bush according to verse 2?
    2. Who is speaking to Moses from the Burning Bush according to verse 6?
    3. Who could this Angel of the Lord be? Perhaps Christ?
  4. Read Judges Chapter 13.
    1. Who visits Samson’s mother (verse 3)?
    2. Who does she tell her husband visited her (verse 6)?
    3. Who is described in Judges 13:9-10? Is this an angel, a man, or God?
    4. What was their reaction to this visit as described in Judges 13:22-23? Had they seen God or someone else? (They would have died if it had been the former.)
  5. Read Genesis 16:7-14. Who does Hagar "see?" See verse 13; was it an angel or a person?
  6. Is it possible that "the Angel of Lord" is another expression for Christ? In our earlier reading, when Samson’s parents asked him his name, he told them that it was too difficult to explain. Would they have been able to understand at that time that "Jesus the Christ" was his name?
  7. Let’s further consider Christ as the "Angel of the Lord" by reading John 8:58 and Genesis 22:1-12. Who was talking to Abraham? Who had Abraham demonstrated his faith to by not withholding his only son? Was it God, an angel, or Christ?
  8. Now compare Genesis 28:10-22 with Genesis 31:11-13. Whom did Jacob see?
  9. For each of the passages below, list the lives that were changed when they encountered the Angel of the Lord.
    1. Genesis 12:7, 15, 17-18
    2. Genesis 16:10
    3. Genesis 26:12, 23-24
    4. Genesis 32:24-32
    5. Exodus 3:1-4:17
  10. Did Christ refer to his existence in the Old Testament during his earthly ministry? Read Luke 24:27 and John 5:46-47 and indicate whether they refer to Christ being present in the Old Testament period?
  11. There are numerous other appearances of Christ in the Old Testament but none more dramatic than in the book of Daniel.
    1. Read Daniel 3:13-30. In verse 25, who does the king believe he sees in the fire?
    2. Read Daniel 6:16-22. In verse 22, who came to rescue Daniel?

I know that this study can be challenging. I pray, however, that through these lessons your walk and your understanding of Jesus our Savior and Messiah will deepen and grow stronger.

May God continually bless you as you study His Holy Word.

In Christ,

Wes

[2021]

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