Israel as a Type of Christ

While it's true that Israel is a type of the Church in one sense, as I have already written about, yet in another sense it is also a type of Christ.

It is recorded in Matthew's gospel:

"Now when they had gone, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, 'Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the Child to destroy Him.' So Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother while it was still night, and left for Egypt. He remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: 'Out of Egypt I called My Son.'" (Mat 2:13-15)

Have you ever wondered why Matthew said this was a fulfillment of that which was spoken through the prophet Hosea? The Lord said through the prophet, "When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son." (Hos 11:1, NIV). In the original context, the Lord was speaking about Israel as a nation, because He went on to say, "But the more I called Israel, the further they went from Me. They sacrificed to Baals and they burned incense to images." (Hos 11:2, NIV78). In the original context, the Lord was speaking about how He called Israel out of slavery in Egypt, but how later on, the more He called to them the more they went away from Him into idolatry. Yet Matthew quotes the first part of this passage as being fulfilled when God called His Son Jesus out of Egypt, which was the place to which Joseph had fled with him for refuge from the evil king.

That is proof that Israel is a type of Christ, which gives us another avenue into more insights about Christ, as we study Israel, especially as we read prophecy concerning Israel. For example, there are prophecies about Israel that are actually referring to Christ, like the one I have already mentioned in Hosea. Some of those are found in the Servant Songs in the book of the prophet Isaiah. Take the following for example and notice how it is clearly speaking about Christ:

"Listen to me, you islands; hear this, you distant nations: Before I was born the LORD called me; from my mother's womb he has spoken my name. He made my mouth like a sharpened sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me into a polished arrow and concealed me in his quiver. He said to me, 'You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will display my splendor.' But I said, 'I have labored in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing at all. Yet what is due me is in the LORD's hand, and my reward is with my God.' And now the LORD says— he who formed me in the womb to be his servant to bring Jacob back to him and gather Israel to himself, for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD and my God has been my strength— he says: 'It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.'" (Isa 49:1-6, NIV)

For more on this, please see my article The Name Above All Names.

Closing Words
We have learned from this study that Israel is a type of Christ, which is important to know. For if we fail to understand this truth, then we will miss many of the insights the Lord has for us in His Word, and we will fail to understand the glorious prophecies about Christ, in which He is referred to as Israel.

Studying types of Christ like this can help us grow in our love and knowledge of the Lord. I trust this has helped to accomplish that very goal in your life as you have read this article. I hope you will come back again later to enjoy more articles on the types in the Bible.

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. Image of second temple may be subject to copyright, used per Fair Use Act for educational and commentary purposes.

Author's note:  Also see The Israelites as a Type of the Church, The Typology of the Tabernacle, The High Priest as a Type of Christ, The Temple as a Type of Christ, Manna as a Type of Christ, Moses as a Type of Christ, Adam as a Type of Christ, Noah's Ark a Type of Christ, Hagar and Sarah as Types, and The Mysteries of the Faith. You can access the Main Directory for Biblical Typology, or my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."  Now I'd like to ask a very important question.

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

__________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.