The BIG Picture (Q&A)

QUESTION: I see nothing in the Old Testament that foreshadows Jesus. This foreshadowing idea is just a teaching made up by men; it is not biblical. As a believer, can you provide Scriptures that demonstrate I'm mistaken? ANSWER: The claim that Jesus is absent from the Old Testament is not only mistaken, it is directly contradicted by Scripture itself. Jesus declared, “Search the scriptures…they are they which testify of me” (John 5:39), and Paul affirmed that the law was “a shadow of good things to come” (Hebrews 10:1). The Old Testament is not a random collection of ancient stories; it is a divinely woven tapestry where Christ is foreshadowed in events, institutions, and lives long before He came to fulfil the law and the prophets. These shadows are not inventions of men, but God’s own testimony pointing forward to His Son. When we look carefully, we see Christ everywhere in the Old Testament. The beloved son rejected, the lamb slain, the priest interceding, the king reigning—all ...

Social Media Question: Followers of Christ are grafted into the vine, correct? So that would mean that followers of Christ are Israel by faith, would it not? Jesus fulfilled the law. His disciples enter into the New Testament of Jeremiah 31, receive the Holy Spirit (Joel 2). So, under the new covenant we, gentiles, are technically Israel, sons of Jacob. Whereas the ethnic Jews who reject their Messiah are technically not God's Israel until they repent, like the rest of us. Do you agree? My Reply: One must take into account that there are two completely distinct programs in God’s redemption plan. The nation of Israel as per the Old Testament and gospels, and the Body of Christ as per Paul’s doctrine. Israel was under law, prophecy, and covenants. The Body of Christ is not under law or connected to prophecy and covenants. Thus, where many modern denominations today mix up and blend together all of the bible, thinking that since Israel has been blinded (Rom.11:25), that they are now t...

In one of my posts I mentioned the following, Peter and the 11 preached that physical circumcision was necessary for salvation —God clearly stated that He wanted nothing to do with a physically-uncircumcised Jew in Israel's program, for physical circumcision was the sign of the Abrahamic Covenant, Gen 17:7-14. The following question/statement came in as comment on the post, Where did Peter and the 11 preach that circumcision was necessary for salvation? Read Acts 15:4-20 and you won't find anything regarding this. Nothing here from Peter and the 11 says one must be circumcised. I thought it a great opportunity to write a reply to provide clarity. MY REPLY: Of course there is nothing in this passage. This passage concerns the Jerusalem council meeting where decisions were made on how to manage the new Gentile converts that were in the assemblies. Some concessions were made to limit the friction between the law-abiding Jewish members and the ‘free-range’ Gentiles. So, this passag...

Pentecost (in Acts 2) was a precursor to the fulfillment of the New Covenant which will happen at Jesus second advent to fulfil the verses below, Joel 2:28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: 29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. Acts 2:15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. 16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; 17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: 18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: What is the New Covenant for Israel? The pouring out o...

Luke 7:28 For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he. Who does the least in the kingdom point too? Is it Paul, the least of all the saints? One can compare this verse with Eph.3:8 and 1 Cor.15:9, referring to what Paul said about being the least of all saints and apostles. I wouldn't reject that hypothesis, but I prefer to keep things in their dispensational frames.  An interpretation I am more comfortable with is as follows: Who is the "but he..."? I would say it is the Millennial saints under the 'New' covenant. If this Millennial saint were the one who was least in the kingdom of heaven, then they would be greater than John. In other words, "One who is perfect in the old covenant law", as John was, is inferior to "one who is perfected in the Spirit of the 'New' covenant".  John was greater than all who had b...

During the last supper that Jesus had with His disciples, He said the following to them, Luke 22:20 Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, this cup is the new covenant in My blood , which is shed for you. One must remember that since the time of Moses and the exodus, the Jews have been under a covenant of Law, the 'old' covenant . This covenant was a burden (Matthew 11:28; Acts 15:10) and would never be able to be fulfilled by the Jews. Its primary goal was to teach them that they needed a Saviour, and indeed, to point them to their Messiah (Galatians 3:24-25). The 'old' covenant needed to be replaced, and the first advent of Jesus was exactly for this purpose, as is confirmed in the above verse. Now, if you focus on the bolded part you will see that it alludes to HOW Jesus was going to do it. In order to replace the old covenant with the new covenant, Jesus had to die. We are familiar with the legalities of our current day 'last will and testament'...

In Paul's epistles, he writes many times that we are not under the law . Does this mean that I am not accountable to follow rules, or I don't need to obey a government or an institutions laws? No. This is not the case. Romans 13 clearly teaches that we are subject to those in authority over us, for God has placed them there. Let's have a look at some key scriptures first, and then determine what Paul means when he says, "we are not under the law" . Romans 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law , but under grace. Galatians 2:19 For I through the law am dead to the law , that I might live unto God. Galatians 3:10-12 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse : for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them . 11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. 12 And the l...