The Sufferings of the Prophets as a Type

Daniel in the lions' den

Since the prophets participated in the sufferings of Christ, they, too, were a type of Him. There were many instances when what they said of themselves showed that they were identifying with Christ, and the same things they said of themselves could also be said of Christ. There are many such examples contained in the Psalms.

They were insulted, persecuted, and slandered because of Him:

"Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you." (Mat 5:11-12)

Every disciple who is insulted, persecuted, and against whom others falsely say all kinds of evil because of Christ, are experiencing what the prophets experienced.

They were hated by men, excluded, and their names were scorned as evil for Christ's sake:

"Blessed are you when men hate you, and ostracize you, and insult you, and scorn your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man. Be glad in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven. For in the same way their fathers used to treat the prophets." (Luk 6:22-23)

In fact, they were even murdered:

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, and say, 'If we had been living in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.' So you testify against yourselves, that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets." (Mat 23:29-31)

This pattern continued from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah:

"Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and it was your fathers who killed them. So you are witnesses and approve the deeds of your fathers; because it was they who killed them, and you build their tombs. For this reason also the wisdom of God said, 'I will send to them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill and some they will persecute, so that the blood of all the prophets, shed since the foundation of the world, may be charged against this generation, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the house of God; yes, I tell you, it shall be charged against this generation.'" (Luk 11:47-51)

Some of them were stoned to death:

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, just as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not have it!" (Luk 13:34; cf., Mat 23:37)

There wasn't a prophet that was not persecuted:

"Which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who had previously announced the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become;" (Act 7:52)

This goes for all the prophets, including Joseph, Moses, David, Isaiah, Daniel, Ezekiel, Jonah, and all the others. They prophesied of Christ and shared in His sufferings for it. Moses suffered disgrace before Pharaoh for the sake of Christ (He 11:26). Daniel was thrown into the lions' den (Dan 6), Ezekiel laid on his side for 430 days bearing the iniquity of Israel (Ez 4:4), and he was not allowed to mourn or weep when his wife was taken from him in death (Ez 24:15-27), Jeremiah was dropped into an empty cistern (Jer 38:6), Hosea was required to take a wife of harlotry and children of harlotry (Hos 1:2), and Elijah was threatened by evil Jezebel (1 Ki 19). The Talmud [Yevamot 49b] says that Isaiah suffered martyrdom by being sawn in two under the orders of evil King Manasseh. The apostle wrote to the Hebrews saying: "Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured, not accepting their release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection; and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground." (Heb 11:35-38)

The same is true of all who seek to live godly lives in Christ:

"Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you." (1 Pe 4:12-14, NIV).

"In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted..." (2 Tim 3:12, NIV).

Closing Words
In this study, we have discovered that to the extent that the prophets participated in the sufferings of Christ, they were a type of Christ, who suffered and died for us. They were also a type of every disciple of Christ, who seeks to live a godly life in Him.

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 Scriptures where noted taken from the Holy Bible NIV, copyright Zondervan, used by permission. Other Scripture quotations taken from the NASB, copyright Lockman Foundation, used by permission. The painting of Daniel in the Lions' Den mezzotint is by J.B. Pratt, and is used per the Fair Use Act for educational and commentary purposes only. I would like to thank my wife Jennifer for giving me the idea of the theme of this article, which is captured in the opening paragraph.

Author's note:  Also see Joseph as a Type of Christ, Jonah as a Type of Christ, Adam as a Type of Christ, Isaac as a Type of Christ, Noah's Ark a Type of Christ, The Temple as a Type of Christ, The Passover Lamb as a Type of Christ, and Hagar and Sarah as Types. 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.

Joseph as a Type of Christ

Joseph Ruler of Egypt

Joseph, the son of Jacob, is another type of Christ. I'll begin by assuming you are familiar with the account from Scripture, which is found in Genesis 39-50. If you haven't already read the story, then I recommend you do so. Now let's look at how Joseph was a type of Christ, according to Scripture.

Birth
Joseph’s birth had a supernatural element to it, in that God opened the barren womb of Rachel. “Then God remembered Rachel, and God gave heed to her and opened her womb. So she conceived and bore a son and said, ‘God has taken away my reproach.’" (Genesis 30:22-23).

Likewise, Jesus’ birth was also miraculous in that God overshadowed Mary with the Holy Spirit while she was still a virgin and caused her to conceive Jesus in her womb apart from any union with her husband Joseph. “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 1:18).

Persecuted
Joseph's brothers hated him, which the Lord taught us is the same as murder (Mt 5:21-22). So when they wanted to kill him but then decided to throw him into the pit, that was essentially murder, which is a type of what they did to Christ. Likewise, Jesus was persecuted by His own brothers, as well as the scribes, Pharisees, and elders (Mt 26-27). "For even his own brothers did not believe in him." (Jn 7:5, NIV).

Joseph's brothers persecuted him because they were jealous of him, just as the religious leaders were jealous of Jesus and crucified Him. Scripture says, "Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave into Egypt." (Ac 7:9a, NIV). And again, "[Pilate]...knew it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over to him." (Mt 27:18, BSB).

Joseph was put in prison. “So Joseph's master took him and put him into the jail, the place where the king's prisoners were confined; and he was there in the jail.” (Gen 39:20). Likewise, Jesus was arrested and bound. “So the Roman cohort and the commander and the officers of the Jews, arrested Jesus and bound Him...” (John 18:12)

They tried to stop Joseph from fulfilling his calling. “When they saw him from a distance and before he came close to them, they plotted against him to put him to death. They said to one another, ‘Here comes this dreamer! Now then, come and let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits; and we will say, “A wild beast devoured him.” Then let us see what will become of his dreams!’” (Gen 37:18-20). Likewise, they tried to stop Jesus from fulfilling His calling as Messiah. "He saved others," they said, "but he can't save himself! He's the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him." (Mt 27:42, NIV).

Joseph was sold into Egypt. “Then some Midianite traders passed by, so they pulled him up and lifted Joseph out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. Thus they brought Joseph into Egypt.”  (Gen 37:28). Likewise, Jesus went to Egypt, when Joseph fled there with Him and Mary to escape from King Herod. “So Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother while it was still night, and left for Egypt.” (Mat 2:14).

Sun, Moon and Stars Bowed Down to Him
Joseph had a dream about his parents and brothers bowing down to him. “Now he had still another dream, and related it to his brothers, and said, ‘Lo, I have had still another dream; and behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.’” (Gen 37:9). In the case of Jesus, the sun, moon, and stars actually do worship Him. “Praise Him, sun and moon; Praise Him, all stars of light!” (Psalm 148:3)

Moreover, in the end, Joseph’s brothers did come and bow before him. “Now Joseph was the ruler over the land; he was the one who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph's brothers came and bowed down to him with their faces to the ground.” (Gen 42:6). Likewise, Jesus' brothers eventually did believe in Him and worship Him. Here is how James and Jude identified themselves in their epistles once they came to believe in Him:

“James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Jas 1:1)

“Jude, a bond-servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James…to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.” (Jude 1:1, 25)

Consider Jacob’s attitude toward Joseph when he had his dreams. “[Joseph] related it to his father and to his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, ‘What is this dream that you have had? Shall I and your mother and your brothers actually come to bow ourselves down before you to the ground?’ His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind.” (Gen 37:10-11). Likewise, after Jesus' parents found Him in the temple, and He asked them why they didn't realize He had to be in His Father's house, Mary treasured these things in her heart. “And He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and He continued in subjection to them; and His mother treasured all these things in her heart.” (Luke 2:51)

The Blood
The male goat's blood on Joseph’s garment was a type of Christ’s blood. “So they took Joseph's tunic, and slaughtered a male goat and dipped the tunic in the blood;” (Gen 37:31). That goat had to shed its blood and die for their sin. Likewise, Jesus had to shed His blood and die for our sin: "God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith." (Ro 3:25a, NIV).

Ruler of All
Joseph ended up being ruler of all Egypt under Pharaoh, so he was exalted to Pharaoh’s right hand. "But God was with him and rescued him from all his troubles. He gave Joseph wisdom and enabled him to gain the goodwill of Pharaoh king of Egypt. So Pharaoh made him ruler over Egypt and all his palace." (Ac 7:9b-10, NIV)

Likewise, Jesus is now King of all kings ruling as Lord of all under the Father. He is exalted to the Father’s right hand. “And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, ‘KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.’” (Rev 19:16). Elsewhere it says, "Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear.” (Acts 2:33). And again, “For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name...” (Phil 2:9)

Savior
What Joseph’s brother’s meant for evil, God meant for good for the saving of many lives. “But Joseph said to them, ‘Do not be afraid, for am I in God's place? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.’” (Gen 50:19-20)

Likewise, what they meant for evil when they crucified Jesus, God meant for good for the saving of many souls. "Everyone who believes may have eternal life in him. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (Jn 3:15-16, NIV).

Joseph saved Egypt from perishing in famine, but he also saved Gentiles from other nations that came to buy grain:

“God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance.” (Gen 45:7)

“The people of all the earth came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe in all the earth.” (Gen 41:57)

And of course, he saved the Hebrews from perishing, as it says in Scripture: “So the sons of Israel came to buy grain among those who were coming, for the famine was in the land of Canaan also.” (Gen 42:5)

Likewise, Jesus is the Savior of all, both Jews and Gentiles. “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for ‘whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.’” (Rom 10:12-13)

Forgiveness
Joseph forgave his brothers. Jacob told Joseph's brothers what to say to him:

“‘Thus you shall say to Joseph, “Please forgive, I beg you, the transgression of your brothers and their sin, for they did you wrong.” And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.’ And Joseph wept when they spoke to him...Joseph said to them, 'Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God?'...And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them." (Gen 50:17, 19a, 21, NIV).

Likewise, Jesus forgave those who crucified Him, and He forgives all who repent and believe in Him. “But Jesus was saying, ‘Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.’” (Luke 23:34)

“Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.” (Luke 24:46-48)

Temptation
Joseph was tempted by Potiphar’s wife, who tried to seduce him into committing adultery. However, he did not sin, but maintained his integrity. “But he refused and said to his master's wife, ‘Behold, with me here, my master does not concern himself with anything in the house, and he has put all that he owns in my charge. There is no one greater in this house than I, and he has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do this great evil and sin against God?"’ (Genesis 39:8-9). It was not just once that she tried to seduce Joseph but repeatedly. "And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her." (Ge 39:10, NIV).

Jesus was tempted by satan again and again, but He did not sin (Mt 4:1-11). “For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15).

Falsely Accused
Joseph was falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife. “Then she spoke to him with these words, ‘The Hebrew slave, whom you brought to us, came in to me to make sport of me; and as I raised my voice and screamed, he left his garment beside me and fled outside.’” (Genesis 39:17-18)

Likewise, Jesus was falsely accused. “And they began to accuse Him, saying, ‘We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, and saying that He Himself is Christ, a King.’” (Luke 23:2)

Betrayal
The betrayal of Joseph by his own brothers for twenty pieces of silver was also a type of the betrayal of Jesus by Judas, one of His own Twelve disciples, for thirty pieces of silver. “Then some Midianite traders passed by, so they pulled him up and lifted Joseph out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. Thus they brought Joseph into Egypt.” (Genesis 37:28)

Judas treated Jesus similarly: “Then one of the twelve, named Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, ‘What are you willing to give me to betray Him to you?’ And they weighed out thirty pieces of silver to him.” (Matthew 26:14-15)

Resurrection
Jacob thought Joseph was dead all those years when he was in Egypt, and all his brothers even said to Joseph that one of their brothers (Joseph) was dead: “'We said to my lord, “We have an old father and a little child of his old age. Now his brother is dead, so he alone is left of his mother, and his father loves him.”’” (Genesis 44:20).

But then they discovered he was actually alive and Jacob rejoiced. “They told him, saying, ‘Joseph is still alive, and indeed he is ruler over all the land of Egypt.’ But he was stunned, for he did not believe them.” (Genesis 45:26).

This is a type of Christ’s death and resurrection on the third day. After Jesus died on the cross, "The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it." (Lk 23:55, NIV). And the two disciples met by Jesus on the Road to Emmaus mourned His death saying, "The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him." (Lk 24:20, NIV).

But then the angels met the women at the empty tomb saying, “'He has risen!'...When [the women] came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others....But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense.” (Luke 24:9,11)

Concealed Identity
Joseph initially concealed his identity from his brothers when they came to him in Egypt. But later he revealed his identity to them. “Then Joseph said to his brothers, ‘I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?’ But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed at his presence.” (Genesis 45:3). And "On their second visit, Joseph told his brothers who he was, and Pharaoh learned about Joseph’s family." (Ac 7:13, NIV)

Jesus initially concealed his identity from his disciples after His resurrection like Mary who thought He was the gardener, and the two on the road to Emmaus, whom He initially kept from recognizing Him by appearing in a different form, and then later opening their eyes to recognize Him.

“Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?’ Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, ‘Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away.’” (John 20:15).

“While they were talking and discussing, Jesus Himself approached and began traveling with them. But their eyes were prevented from recognizing Him...Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him; and He vanished from their sight.” (Luke 24:15-16, 31)

Closing Words
In our study of Joseph as a type of Christ, we have seen the parallels between their lives in so many uncanny ways. They were both born miraculously, definitely called by God, tempted yet maintained their integrity, hated, and persecuted by those who were jealous of them and who tried to thwart them from fulfilling their divine callings. They were both taken down to Egypt, betrayed by someone close to them, and falsely accused. The blood of the goat that they put on Joseph's garment was a type of Jesus' blood shed for sinners. What others meant for evil for these two men, God meant for the saving of many lives.

They both became rulers of all, forgave those who persecuted and sought to kill them, concealed their identity from others before ultimately revealing themselves to them. And even finding Joseph still alive as ruler of all Egypt was a type of Christ's resurrection as King of kings and Lord of lords. Just as Joseph's own brothers didn't believe in him, but later came and bowed at his feet, so also Jesus' brothers didn't even believe in Him, but later served Him and worshiped Him as their Lord and Savior. Just as Joseph saw the sun, moon, and stars bowing down to him in a dream, the sun, moon, and stars also praise the Lord Jesus Christ.

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 Scriptures where noted taken from the Holy Bible NIV, copyright Zondervan, used by permission. Other Scripture quotations taken from the NASB, copyright Lockman Foundation, used by permission. Image may be subject to copyright, used per Fair Use Act for commentary and educational purposes only.

Author's note:  Also see Adam as a Type of Christ, Isaac as a Type of Christ, Noah's Ark a Type of Christ, The Temple as a Type of Christ, The Passover Lamb as a Type of Christ, and Hagar and Sarah as Types. 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.

The High Priest as a Type of Christ

Another type of Christ is the Hebrew high priest of God, which was originally Aaron the brother of Moses, who was eventually succeeded by his third son Eleazer, and many others down through the centuries. In my previous article on The Typology of the Tabernacle, I explained that the high priest was the only person in the world allowed to enter the Most Holy Place, and that he was only allowed to do so once per year on the Hebrew Day of Atonement.

The apostle of Christ writing to the Hebrews during the first century explicitly taught that the high priest was a type of Christ. He said, "Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession." (Heb 3:1).

The apostle further explained the many wonderful ways in which the high priest is a type of Christ and it's rich meaning to us. Let's look at those together.

Made Like His Brethren in All Things
A high priest was a man who represented the people to God and made atonement on their behalf. "Therefore, He [Jesus] had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people." (Heb 2:17)

The Lord Jesus suffered temptations, three of which occurred during his forty days of fasting in the wilderness. These all worked for our benefit, because they enabled Him to be our perfect high priest, who is able to help us when we are tempted. "Because He Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted." (Heb 2:18, NIV)

Tempted in Every Way Just as We Are

Not only did Jesus Christ suffer temptation, but he was tempted in every way just as we are, yet without sin. "Therefore, since we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin." (Heb 4:14-15)

The benefit of this to us is wonderful and gives us great confidence. "Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (Heb 4:16)

High Priest Forever

The earthly high priest entered the Holy of Holies behind the veil once each year on the Day of Atonement to sprinkle the blood of sacrificial animals and offer incense. He was forbidden to enter at any other time into the holy place inside the veil, before the mercy seat which is on the ark, or he would die (Lev 16:2). For the Lord would appear in the cloud over the mercy seat.

He had to wear bells of pure gold on the hem of his robe (Ex 28:33; 39:25-26). As long as the other priests outside that room could hear the bells, they knew he was still alive and that he had been accepted by God, but if he dropped dead in the holy presence of God, they would not be able to enter in to retrieve his corpse. Therefore, it is believed by scholars that the high priest had a rope tied around his ankle, which enabled them to drag him out. There is nothing in Scripture that states he had such a rope tied to him, but that doesn't mean he didn't have one. Apparently the Jewish oral tradition preserved in the Talmud indicates the high priest had a rope around his waist, so the belief among Bible scholars that he had a rope around his ankle probably comes from Jewish literature. The fact that the high priest could perish like that during his service, and would eventually die someday, was a major weakness of all the earthly high priests that served at the altar.

However, Jesus entered the Most Holy Place in heaven itself behind the veil, but since He lives forever, He is a much better high priest, far superior to all others. Those who are in Christ are connected to Him, but we will never need to drag Him out by a rope, because He lives forever and can never die again. Unlike like those earthly high priests, Christ is like an anchor of our souls beyond the veil, steadfast and secure, never failing to hold onto us as long as we stay connected to Him. This gives us great hope.

"This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek." (Heb 6:19-20)

I'm reminded of the words of that song called "Anchor Beyond the Veil" by Bob Kauflin, which goes:

"And Jesus You've gone

Before us

And Your faithfulness

Never fails

In the darkness

You reassure us,

You're our anchor

Beyond the veil"

And as the old hymn called "On Christ the Solid Rock" goes, "In every high and stormy gale, my anchor holds within the veil."

Sacrificed Once for All

There are many more differences that set Jesus apart from all other high priests. "For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself." (Heb 7:26-27; cf., Heb 5:1-3)

All the earthly high priests were human and beset with weakness like all men, so they were obligated to first offer sacrifices for their own sins and then for the sins of the people they represented before God. However, our great High Priest Jesus Christ is holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and highly exalted above the heavens, so He doesn't need to do that. He sacrificed His life once for all, and He never needs to do so again.

Ordained by God as High Priest

Just as no earthly high priest would be allowed to assume that role unless he were anointed and ordained to serve as high priest in his father's place (Lev 16:32), so also Jesus didn't glorify Himself, but the Father designated Him as high priest forever. The apostle says, "And no one takes the honor to himself, but receives it when he is called by God, even as Aaron was. So also Christ did not glorify Himself so as to become a high priest, but He who said to Him, 'You are My Son, today I have begotten You'; just as He says also in another passage, 'You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.'" (Heb 5:4-6). Therefore, Christ was anointed and ordained to serve as High Priest in His Father's place, according to Scripture.

The Source of Eternal Salvation

Although every other high priest relied on God for salvation, Jesus actually became the source of salvation for all who obey Him. "Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek." (Heb 5:8-10)

He Entered the Perfect Tabernacle by His Own Blood
Rather than repeatedly entering an earthly tabernacle by the blood of animals, Jesus entered the holy place of the perfect, heavenly tabernacle once for all, by His own blood. There He sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven. And while the blood of goats and bulls did provide the people with an outward cleansing of the flesh, the blood of Jesus provides a deeper cleansing of our consciences. Although the earthly high priests had to enter the holy place annually, Jesus entered the holy place once for all and obtained eternal redemption for us.

"We do have such a High Priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being." (Heb 8:1b, NIV)

"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. For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" (Heb 9:11-14)

"For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence." (Heb 9:24)

He Provided Purification for Sins
As our great High Priest, Christ the Son of God provided purification for sins, and then took His seat at God's right hand in heaven. The apostle wrote: "The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful Word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the majesty in heaven." (He 1:3, NIV). The very One who is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of His nature, through Himself made a cleansing of our sins. In other words, by Himself He purged our sins, so that we might receive forgiveness. What an amazing gift that God would do that for us!

The Breastplate was a Type
Even the high priest's breastplate that he wore during his service in the Most Holy Place is a type. It was inlaid with twelve precious stones that each had written upon it the name of one of Israel's twelve tribes. In this way, as the high priest ministered in the sanctuary representing all the people of God, he was making intercession for them before God and providing atonement for them. Likewise, Christ intercedes in the heavenly sanctuary before the Father for all those who are in Him and He has made atonement for us once for all.

"But because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them." (Heb 7:24-25, NIV)

Closing Words
As we have learned in this study, the high priest was a type of Christ, and as we examined each aspect of the high priest we came to better understand how much better a high priest Christ really is. In fact, He was designated by God to be our perfect high priest forever, who is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He ever lives to make intercession for us. He was made like His brethren in all things, tempted in every way just as we are, yet without sin, so He is able to sympathize with our weaknesses. He is holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. He sacrificed Himself for us once for all on the cross, and became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him. He entered the holy place of the perfect tabernacle in heaven once for all, by His own blood. What an awesome high priest we have! "Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (Heb 4:16)

These truths strengthen our faith in Christ, and I trust your faith has been strengthened through this study. I hope you will come back again later to enjoy more edifying articles on the types of Christ 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 Typology of the Tabernacle, The Temple as a Type of Christ, The Passover Lamb as a Type of Christ, Moses as a Type of Christ, Adam as a Type of Christ, Noah's Ark a Type of Christ, and Hagar and Sarah as Types. 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.

Noah's Ark a Type of Christ

Noah's Ark replica in Hong Kong

Did you realize that the ark that Noah built was a type of Christ?

God told Noah, “Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood; you shall make the ark with rooms, and shall cover it inside and out with pitch.” (Gen 6:14)

The KJV translates it like this: “Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.” (Gen 6:14)

So the Lord commanded Noah to “pitch it within and without with pitch.”  The phrase “pitch it…with pitch” contains a verb (pitch) and a noun (pitch).  The Hebrew word for the verb “to pitch” is “kaphar” (pronounced kaw-far'), which means “to cover (specifically with bitumen); figuratively to expiate or condone, to placate or cancel: - appease, make (an) atonement, cleanse, disannul, forgive, be merciful, pacify, pardon, to pitch, purge (away), put off, (make) reconcile (-liation).” (Strongs).  So this verb connotes the act of covering, as well as that of appeasing, making atonement, pacifying, and making reconciliation.  One example of the use of the word "kaphar" in the Old Testament is in Leviticus, which says, "'For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement.'" (Lev 17:11). Therefore, when God commanded Noah to cover the ark with pitch, the practical purpose was to make it waterproof, thereby preventing leaks and keeping it afloat in the flood, so that it wouldn't sink, which symbolized the atonement of Christ that pacified the wrath of God and made reconciliation for all who believe in Him, so that they would not perish. 

Interestingly the Hebrew noun in the phrase “pitch it…with pitch” is “kopher” (pronounced ko'-fer), meaning, “properly a cover, that is, (literally) a village (as covered in); (specifically) bitumen (as used for coating), and the henna plant (as used for dyeing red); figuratively a redemption price: - bribe, camphire, pitch, ransom, satisfaction, sum of money, village.” (Strongs).  The pitch with which God commanded Noah to cover the ark symbolized figuratively the redemption price that Jesus paid with His own blood on the cross for our sins. The pitch was a type of His blood that was paid as a ransom to satisfy the wrath of God. 

In fact, the pine resin that is used for pitch actually has a burgundy-red hue like blood, as you can see in the photos of it shown to the left. This was an interesting discovery for me, because I always imagined it to be black. If you click the photo to enlarge it, you can see the color more closely. The top left photo shows the red resin being collected directly from a pine tree. The top right photo shows it after it has been heated and strained of impurities into a pottery dish. The bottom left photo shows the burgundy-colored resin after it has hardened in the dish. The bottom right photo shows a glossy piece of the hardened resin held up to the light, so that you can see it's red color. There is also a short video called How I Make Pine Pitch Glue that shows its red color as well, which you can watch at the link. Now consider the fact that God told Noah to cover or pitch the ark inside and out with this substance, and just imagine how that must have looked. He may have used it as caulking between the planks or covered it completely inside and out as the text literally says, but in either case it may have been colored red inside and out.

These two Hebrew words, “kaphar” (verb) and “kopher” (noun) in the phrase “pitch it…with pitch” are rich in meaning that typifies the work of Christ on the cross.  When you repent and believe on Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, believing that He died on the cross for your sins and rose from the dead, you are forgiven, covered with His blood, and reconciled to God.  Your sin is atoned for, and the wrath of God is pacified.  You are cleansed.  All of these are aspects of the verb “kaphar.”  The blood of Jesus that covers you, just as the “kopher” covering of pitch did for the ark, is able to keep you from perishing in the wrath of God.  And Christ Himself is like the ark that carries us above the flood waters, so that we will not drown. 

God once destroyed the earth by water, and He will once again destroy it by fire. The apostle Peter said,

"For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water. But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men." (2Pe 3:5-7)

He has made provision for you to be saved if you will repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.  You need to be in Christ the ark, which has been “pitched with pitch”, and remain in Him, so that you will be saved from the wrath of God.

If you already know Christ, be sure you stay in Him, and do not wander away (see Keeping Power of God).  If you have wandered off, then repent and get back inside the ark (see my article Drifting Away).  And if you don't know Him, I plead with you to give your life to Him today, which I explain below, so that you can be saved from the coming wrath (see "Do You Want to Know Jesus?").

"For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water. Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you--not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience--through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him." (1Pe 3:18-22)

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. The the ark replica in Hong Kong is the first one ever built according to Biblical proportions, and the photo was taken from the Wall Street Journal article, Hong Kong Christens an Ark of Biblical Proportions.  The "Because I Love You" painting © 2012 Danny Hahlbohm, all rights reserved by the artist.

Author's note:  Also see Where will you go when you die?, Few will be saved, Angelica Zambrano Hell and Heaven, When Earth Recedes and Heaven Opens, Michael Thomas Sambo's Revelation of Heaven and Hell, and The Book of Life.  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.

The Passover Lamb as a Type of Christ

The Passover Lamb is a type of Christ found in one of the seven Jewish feasts. Let's study this feast to understand how the lamb represents Christ.

The Passover
On that very first Passover, while the Jews were still in Egypt and God was executing His judgments upon Pharaoh and his people, God decided to strike down the firstborn male child of every Egyptian household. In order for the Israelites to keep their household safe, they had to kill a lamb and put some of its blood on the doors and door posts of their home.

Moses wrote in the Law, "Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying, 'On the tenth of this month they are each one to take a lamb for themselves, according to their fathers' households, a lamb for each household.

'Now if the household is too small for a lamb, then he and his neighbor nearest to his house are to take one according to the number of persons in them; according to what each man should eat, you are to divide the lamb. 'Your lamb shall be an unblemished male a year old; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats. 'You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month, then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel is to kill it at twilight.

'Moreover, they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. 'They shall eat the flesh that same night, roasted with fire, and they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. 'Do not eat any of it raw or boiled at all with water, but rather roasted with fire, both its head and its legs along with its entrails. 'And you shall not leave any of it over until morning, but whatever is left of it until morning, you shall burn with fire.

'Now you shall eat it in this manner: with your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste—it is the LORD'S Passover. 'For I will go through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments—I am the LORD. 'The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live; and when I see the blood I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.

'Now this day will be a memorial to you, and you shall celebrate it as a feast to the LORD; throughout your generations you are to celebrate it as a permanent ordinance." (Exo 12:3-14)

This was so important that the Lord had the Israelites rehearse it every year.

"And when your children say to you, 'What does this rite mean to you?' you shall say, 'It is a Passover sacrifice to the LORD who passed over the houses of the sons of Israel in Egypt when He smote the Egyptians, but spared our homes.'" And the people bowed low and worshiped." (Exo 12:26-27)

Jesus Christ the Lamb of God
John the Baptist as the forerunner of Christ identified Him as the Lamb of God just before the Passover. The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (Jn 1:29, NIV). Jesus has become our Passover Lamb, which he demonstrated when He gave his life on the cross for us.  In fact, He was crucified during the Passover Feast.

When we put our faith in Jesus, His precious blood is applied to our hearts and our sins are washed away.  Since He was the spotless Lamb of God, His blood applied to the hearts of those who put their trust in Him saves them just as the blood of the Passover lamb saved the Israelites in Egypt.

The apostle Peter wrote: "...knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ." (1Pe 1:18-19)

The apostle Paul wrote to the Hebrews, "For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" (Heb 9:13-14)  "Therefore, brethren...we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus..." (Heb 10:19)

The apostle John wrote: "But if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin." (1Jo 1:7)

The Types Explained
Let's go back and look at seven aspects of the Passover from Exodus 12:3-14, so that we may fully understand their significance to us.

1. A Lamb for Each Household

"They are each one to take a lamb for themselves, according to their fathers' households, a lamb for each household."

This is a very personal matter. Each one must do this, which signifies that we must each make our own personal decision to accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.

2. An Unblemished Male Lamb a Year Old

'Your lamb shall be an unblemished male a year old..."

Jesus Christ was a young male around thirty-three years old. He was sinless and perfect, completely obedient to God His heavenly Father. For more on this see The Sinlessness of Christ.

3. Kill it at Twilight

"...kill it at twilight..."

Just as the lamb had to be killed, Jesus Christ was put to death on the cross of Calvary.

4. Put Some of the Blood on the Doorposts and Lintels

"...take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses..."

Just as the Jews had to apply the blood of the lamb to the entrances to their homes, the blood of Christ must be applied to each of our hearts. We must personally take that action by faith in Him.

For the apostle says, "Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water."

5. Eat the Flesh of the Lamb

"They shall eat the flesh that same night, roasted with fire, and they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs."

Each individual must eat Christ's flesh and drink His blood. He who does so has eternal life.

Jesus said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him." (Joh 6:53-56).

At the last supper on the night He was betrayed, at the meal with His disciples, He said of the bread that He broke, "Take, eat; this is My body, which is given for you." Likewise, as He gave the cup to them and told them all to drink from it, He said, "This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins."

When Jesus had finished all these words, He said to His disciples, "You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man is to be handed over for crucifixion." (Mat 26:1-2).  On the night he was betrayed, He celebrated the Passover with His disciples. "While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, 'Take, eat; this is My body.' And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, 'Drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.'" (Mat 26:26-28)

"And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, 'This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.' And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, 'This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood.'" (Luk 22:19-20)

6. No Leftovers

"you shall not leave any of it over until morning..."

They took Jesus' body down from the cross after He died and buried Him. They did not leave Him there until morning.  

7. When God Sees the Blood, He Will Pass Over You

"...The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live; and when I see the blood I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you..."

When God sees the blood of Jesus His Lamb on your heart, He will pass over you and will not destroy you with the wicked. You will not perish but have eternal life (Jn 3:16). The blood of Jesus also protects you from any plague that God sends upon the wicked.

God Sacrificed His Lamb
While God required the Jews to sacrifice a lamb on the Passover and every year as a memorial, it was all pointing to the day when He would once for all sacrifice His own perfect, sinless Lamb on the cross without defect for our sins. He sacrificed for us what was most precious to Him, His only begotten Son Jesus Christ. As the apostle said, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Rom 5:8, NIV).

Like a Lamb to the Slaughter
The Holy Spirit spoke through the prophet Isaiah, predicting the sufferings of Christ that would happen some seven hundred years later in the 53rd chapter of that book. It is clearly referring to Christ, as that detailed description could not match anyone else but Jesus. The entire chapter is about His sufferings, but I will just quote a few key verses, the first of which declared that He would be led like a lamb to the slaughter. It says, "He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter..." (Is 53:7a, NIV).

His life was an offering for sin: "Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin." (Is 53:10a, NIV).

He bore the sin of man: "...He poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors." (Is 53:12b, NIV).

If you have never read that chapter, you really must read it to appreciate the full significance of it. I suggest you begin at Isaiah 52:13 and continue through the end of chapter 53.

The Glorified Lamb
In the book of Revelation, the glorified Lamb of God is revealed up in heaven, where the Lord took the apostle John to show him these things. He saw the Lamb that was slain standing between the throne and the elders (Rev 5:6), and they all worshiped the Lamb there (Rev 5:8), including the angelic choir (Rev 5:11-12), every created thing (Rev 5:13), and a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation, tribe, peoples and language (Rev 7:9-10).

He saw a countless multitude before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, who were washed in the blood of the Lamb, which is the very reason why they were before God's throne (Rev 7:14-15). Throughout eternity the Lamb will be their shepherd, and will guide them to the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes (Rev 7:17). They overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony (Rev 12:11).

John also saw one hundred and forty-four thousand standing with the Lamb on Mount Zion, who follow the Lamb wherever He goes (Rev 14:4). John also saw those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and the number of his name, standing on something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, holding harps of God. And they sang the song of Moses, and the song of the Lamb (Rev 15:2-3). With the Lamb were the called and chosen and faithful (Rev 17:14).

John heard them say in heaven that there would be a marriage of the Lamb, for which the Bride must make herself ready, which would be accompanied by a marriage supper attended only by those who were invited (Rev 19:6-7).

John was shown the wife of the Lamb, the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God (Rev 21:9-10). Only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life would enter the holy city (Rev 21:27). John saw a river flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb (Rev 22:1), which will be in the holy city (Rev 22:3).

I go into much more detail about this in my follow up to this article called The Glorified Lamb of God.

Closing Words
In our study of the Passover Feast, we have seen that the lamb is a type of Christ. Almost every aspect of the Passover Feast is symbolic, pointing us to Him. We examined the lamb itself, which was required to be a year-old male without any blemish or defect. We also examined how they ate the lamb, and how each household had to put some of its blood on the entrance to their home. Each aspect of the Passover teaches us about Christ as the only One who can save us from being struck down by the wrath of God, and our need to accept Him as our own Lord and Savior, applying His blood to our hearts by faith. 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, copyright Lockman Foundation, used by permission. Other Scriptures where noted taken from the Holy Bible NIV, copyright Zonervan, used by permission. 

Author's note:  Also see The Glorified Lamb of God, The Typology of the Tabernacle, Moses as a  Type of Christ, Isaac as a Type of Christ, Noah's Ark a Type of Christ, and The Temple as a Type of Christ. 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.