2

TYPOLOGY

We are very privileged to live in the age of enlightenment in which we have God’s complete and final revelation (II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:3). Those who lived under the Old Testament struggled for understanding of what was given them. Those efforts can be seen in I Peter 1:9-11.

“Receiving the end of your faith even the salvation of your souls. Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come to you: Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand of the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow. Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven; which things the angels desired to look into”.

So much for consideration in those verses, I mention only a few: Despite the fact that the Old Testament prophets were diligent students of the scriptures, there was much they did not understand. Not because they did not try, but rather because it was given to them in pieces. “But the word of the Lord was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little…” (Isaiah 28:13). The unfolding of God’s plan for man’s salvation was given in parts in the Old Testament. Those men who were inspired to write God’s word (II Peter 1:21), studied their own writings in an effort to understand what God was revealing to them.

The angels desired to look into God’s scheme of redemption, but it was not given for them. Angels are created beings (Ps 148:1-5), and if they left their first estate (Jude 6), they were offered no scheme of redemption “For verily not to angels doeth He give help, but He giveth help to the seed of Abraham” (Hebrews 2:16--American Standard Version 190). If angels sin against God they are not spared but cast down to Tartarus until the coming of the judgment (II Peter 2:4)

Now this, would those who lived under the Old Testament have understood the subject of this study? Probably not. All they saw was the type, and types were always real. They could have been a person, place, thing, event or office. Types all pointed to the future, they were intended to tell us that something was coming, something better. So types are never complete in themselves. God never intended for types to be the end. Types are like a picture unfinished, a story half told. Types are a figure with a fulfillment in view.

The antitype is the picture finished--the story complete. Antitypes are the fulfillment of the type, and it is always greater (superior) than the type. The types were material or physical in makeup, the antitype is spiritual in nature. God intended for us to understand the type and the antitype when we see it. This lesson will bring both into focus so we can witness God’s marvelous plan for the benefit of humanity, and the salvation of those who yield in obedience to the gospel of Christ.

Event: The flood. There are two types connected to the flood specifically mentioned in the scriptures:

1). The ark – “By faith Noah being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear preparing the ark to the saving of his house” (Heb 11:7).

The ark was a type of safety. The place of safety was in the ark, all outside of the ark perished. The church is the antitype of the ark; the saved are in the church (Eph 1:22-23; 4:4; 5:23). There are absolutely no saved persons outside of the church (the safe: children or those mentally incapable of understanding are not under consideration here). If there are saved persons outside of the church, Jesus is unaware of it, for the saved are added to the church (Acts 2:47). Where are the saved? The saved are in the church of Christ; the church is the antitype of the ark.

2). The water – “Which sometimes were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein eight souls were saved by water. The like figure where unto even baptism doth also now save us...” (I Peter 3:20-21). Water was the element (means) by which the ark was borne while the rest of the world was being destroyed. The saving of Noah and his family by water was the type. The antitype is Christian baptism. Those who argue that baptism has no part in the salvation of a soul, find themselves at odds with these verses as they do many others!

Place: Egypt. The tenth plague brought upon Egypt would bring death to the first born of the land. The only way death could be escaped was if the blood of a lamb without blemish was placed on three sides of the door (Exodus 12:5; 7; 13). The blood of a sacrificial lamb without blemish was a type of deliverance from physical death; the blood of Christ is the antitype. Through the blood of Christ there is deliverance from spiritual death. The Jews certainly understood the type, the Passover was one of the three feasts all males were required to attend every year (Deuteronomy 16:16). Did they understand the antitype? I would venture to say that very few understood the significance of Christ death prior to Calvary:

  1. Peter argues as Jesus attempted to prepare the disciples for His death; “From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto His disciples, how that He must suffer many things of the elders and the chief priest and the scribes, and be killed, and raised again the third day. Then Peter took Him, and began to rebuke Him, saying, be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. But He turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind Me, Satan: thou art an offence unto Me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men” (Matthew 16:21-23).
  2. The eunuch reading Isaiah 53 never saw Jesus as the lamb offered for a sacrifice: “And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, understand thou what thou readest? And he said, how can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before His shearers, so opened he not His mouth. In His humiliation His judgment was taken away: and who shall declare His generation? For His life is taken from the earth. And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? Of himself or some other man? Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus” (Acts 8:30-35).

This is not a reflection on their intelligence; for had we been in their place we would have fared no better. We see the matter so plainly because we have both the type and the antitype to see and study. Redemption is possible through the precious blood of Christ as a lamb without spot or blemish (I Peter 1:18-19). Jesus Christ is our Passover (I Corinthians 5:7), “Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift” (II Corinthians 9:15).

Tabernacle: The tabernacle has a multiplicity of types, each area and each piece of furniture carries its own finger pointing to the future (Hebrews 9:1ff):

  1. The court a type of world?
  2. The altar of burnt offerings was a type of Christ’s sacrifice (Hebrews 13:10-12).
  3. The laver was a type of baptism (I Peter 3:21; Titus 3:5).
  4. The holy place a type of Christianity – only the priest could enter (I Peter 2:5; 9).
  5. The candlestick a type of the church (Revelation 1:20).
  6. The table of showbread a type of Christian memorial (I Corinthians 11:23-29).
  7. The altar of incense a type of Christian prayer (Revelation 8:4).
  8. The Holiest of holy a type of heaven (Hebrews 9:24).

Person: Abraham serves as a type for he was willing to offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice (Genesis 22:1-19). His unwavering faith in God to raise Isaac from the dead was the force behind every step he took (Hebrews 11:17-19). God, the Father, is the antitype in that He did send His Son to be offered as a sacrifice for all the world (John 3:16; I John 4:7-10; Hebrews 2:9).

Every student of the scriptures knows that God verbally acknowledged His Son from heaven on three different occasions (Matthew 3:13-17; 17:1-5; John 12:28-29). However, there is a fourth time that God acknowledges Jesus, not in words – but in darkness that covered the earth (Luke 23:44), the earth that quaked, the rocks that were rent, the veil in the temple rent fro top to bottom, the graves that were opened (Matthew 27:51-52). The centurion that witnessed the crucifixion of Christ understood the message; “Truly this was the Son of God” (Matthew 27:54). It must have been a difficult thing for the Father to witness. God sent the just (Christ) for the unjust (you and I) that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him (I Peter 3:18).

Isaac was a type as he was willing to be offered (Genesis 22:9), Jesus is the antitype as He willingly submitted to the suffering of death (John 10:17-18). There is an often-unsung verse that should fill the heart of every Christian with gratitude; “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich” (II Corinthians 8:9). Jesus is the captain of our salvation (Hebrews 2:10).

Office: Melchizedek, the king and priest of Salem, appears briefly in Genesis 14:17-24, and then disappears for hundreds of years only to appear again ever so briefly in Psalms 110:4. It is not until we reach Hebrews chapter seven that we begin to see the significant connection between Melchizedek (the type) and Christ the (antitype).

  1. Melchizedek had no recorded beginning or end (Hebrews 7:3).
  2. Christ being Deity is eternal (Micah 5:2; Psalms 90:2).
  3. Melchizedek was a priest before the Mosaic Law (Hebrews 7:4).
  4. Christ is the high priest after the Mosaic Law was abolished (Ephesians 2:15; Hebrews 4:15-16).
  5. Both the Law and the priesthood were changed (Hebrews 7:12).
  6. His priesthood is unchangeable (Hebrews 7:24).
  7. Melchizedek was a priest on earth (Genesis 14:18).
  8. Christ is a High Priest in heaven (Hebrews 8:1).
  9. Melchizedek was the king of Salem (Genesis 14:17).
  10. Jesus is the King of kings (I Timothy 6:15).
  11. Jesus must be both King and Priest in His kingdom in order for there to be peace (Zechariah 6:13). Jesus cannot be a priest on earth (Hebrews 8:4); therefore Jesus can never reign on earth! Premilliennialism is wrong. When Jesus comes again it will be the last day, and judgment will commence for both the righteous and the wicked (John 6:39-40; 44; 54; 12:48; 5:28-29).

Thing: The serpent raised in the wilderness was the hope of continued physical life to those on the verge of dying. Surviving meant looking on the brazen serpent (Numbers 21:6-9). I just wonder how many living today would argue that just believing would take the place of looking? Would they ridicule this as being sight salvation instead of salvation by faith? Well, I know this; one had to look to live (Numbers 21:9), just as one must obey to be saved (Hebrews 5:9; John 14:15).

The serpent in the wilderness was the type – Jesus lifted from the earth on Calvary’s cross is the antitype. “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up” (John 3:14). Jesus knew that the cross would be the magnet that would draw men to Him: “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me” (John 12:32). Little wonder Paul would write, “For I determine not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (I Corinthians 2:2). Amen!