Beautiful Lessons from the Passover Type

Why should we, as consecrated Christians living near the close of the Gospel age, be interested in examining the details behind the Passover ceremony which commemorates the escape of the Israelites from the land of Egypt more than 3500 years ago?

Because we believe the event is also of great significance to the followers of Jesus, particularly in a symbolic manner, and that it relates intimately to our Lord’s death and our walk with him.

As a Jew, Jesus faithfully kept the Passover. In the closing scenes of his earthly ministry he gathered together with his disciples in the upper room for this very purpose. “When the evening had come,” Matthew tells us, “he sat down with the twelve” (Matt. 26:20) and  commenced to eat the Passover meal.

According to Jewish reckoning, it was the start of the fourteenth day of Nisan, the first monthof the religious year.

This day was to be a crucial one in the life of Jesus, and a day that was to become a turning point in the history of the world.

“With desire have I desired to eat this Passover with you,” Jesus said (Luke 22:15).

WHY might Jesus have expressed such a desire?

Jesus realized it would be the last occasion he would have to be together with his disciples before his death. And Jesus had carefully planned to use the occasion of the Passover to institute an entirely new thing, a ceremony that would become especially precious and dear to the hearts of his followers down through the age.

Hidden in the details of this Passover ‘type’ is a lovely and instructive picture that portrays the method God will use to bring salvation and blessing to the human family. Thus it is really a preview of the grand deliverance God has in store for the whole world of mankind.

When we think of the original Passover, two aspects come to mind :

1. The escape of the Israelites from their bondage in Egypt across the Red Sea.

Natural Israel – may here represent the whole people of God, who shall ultimately become God’s people;

Egyptians –  represent the opponents of God, both men and fallen angels;

Pharaoh – may represent Satan, the prince of evil and the arch enemy of God.

Moses – may here represent Christ, both head and body, the great deliverer;

Red Sea –  represents second death.

2. The sparing or passing over of the firstborn from the tenth and final phase of plagues, the plague of death. Only the firstborn were subjected to the possibility of death in advance of their brethren. By passing over them and sparing their lives, God reckoned them as his own hallowed possession. Later, during the wilderness wanderings, God exchanged these for the tribe of Levi. They were separated from their brethren, gave up all inheritance in the land, and became priests and teachers. How fittingly they picture the Royal Priesthood class, who are also subject to death in advance of their brethren—during the Gospel age. They are the “church of the first born,” whose names are written in heaven (Heb. 12:23). These give up their earthly inheritance also, accepting in its place the great prize of the high calling in Christ Jesus.

The Lamb

The account of the Passover lamb is described in Exodus 12. Exodus 12:3 explains that ‘on the tenth day of this month (Nisan) every man shall take a lamb according to their fathers’ houses, a lamb for a household.’

The Gospel of John clearly details the time sequence of Jesus’ last days. Our Lord, six days before the feast of the Passover, came to Bethany and stayed at the home of Mary and Martha (John 12:1). That would have made it the ninth day of Nisan. The next day, Jesus presented himself to the people (John 12:12-14). Thus it was on the tenth day of Nisan that the sacrificial lamb was brought into the Jewish households, and Jesus of Nazareth was hailed “king” by the national Jewish house, symbolized by the people of Jerusalem.

In Exodus 12:5 we are told that the paschal lamb was without blemish and a one-year-old male. The position of the New Testament in regard to the nature of Jesus is that he was “holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners” (Heb. 7:26).

Our Lord Jesus was born into the world as a perfect human being untainted with sin.

How was this possible?

Our Lord’s human life was begotten by Jehovah God, thus bypassing the detrimental hereditary effects of birth to sinful, fallen parents. Only by such miraculous birth was it possible for a human being to appear entirely free from any blemish or evidence of imperfection. Thus we see our Lord, a male of the first year—that is, in the prime of his life—just thirty three and a half years old, brought as a lamb to the slaughter. Yet, as Isaiah tells us, “he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth” (Isa. 53:9).

In Exodus 12:6 we read that the typical lamb was to be kept until the fourteenth day of Nisan, slaughtered “between the two evenings,” as the margin and literal Hebrew expresses it. (Leeser and the Septuagint version translate this, “toward evening.”)

The New Testament informs us that the heavenly Father so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son to become the ransom (John 3:16). Upon our Lord Jesus was to be laid “the iniquity of us all” and “with his stripes we are [to be] healed.” He would become “the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (Isa. 53:5, 6; 1 John 2:2).

It was on the fourteenth day of Nisan in the year AD 33 when our Lord was arraigned before the authorities, subjected to a mock and illegal trial, and crucified by Roman soldiers to appease the wrath of the Jewish hierarchy. This was the day of preparation, when the lambs were slain in the temple preparatory to the feast.

It was at around 3 pm of this day, (the 9th hour according to the prevailing time reckoning), between the lesser and the greater of the two so-called evenings of Jewish custom, that our Lord gave his supreme sacrifice. By the grace of God and in accordance with his great plan of the ages, Jesus Christ tasted death for every man.

So primarily, the Passover pictures Jesus Christ as “the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world,” and points forward to the costly sacrifice which he would make (John 1:29).

Role of the Household

As soon as the Passover lamb was slain, its blood was used to cover the two side posts and upper post (or lintel) of the doorway of each house. This was done to deter the death angel from entering that household and to cause him to pass over the firstborn ones residing there (Exod. 12:13, 22). What a powerful illustration we have here of the efficacy of Christ’s blood! By exercising faith in the redeeming work of Jesus, all believers during the night time of the present evil world are passed over and rescued from death—from the plague of the Adamic condemnation which rests on all others. Oh, they may appear to die like other men; but their demise is actually a sacrificial offering in God’s sight, which is far different from Adamic death.

“Having a high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience” (Heb. 10:21, 22).

What an interesting use of language here, suggesting that the door posts of our hearts are to be sprinkled with Christ’s blood. As we are justified in the Father’s sight, we are to do all in our power to lay aside the evil and sinful tendencies that would hinder us.

Note also that the blood was not to be sprinkled on the threshold or entry way into the house. No, that which was represented by the blood was far too precious to be stepped upon. The Apostle Paul speaks in somber terms of those who “tread under foot the Son of God and count the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified an unholy thing.” He says these have “affronted the grace [or unmerited favor] of God’s spirit” (Heb. 10:29).

Strength for the Journey

The members of the household were to eat the paschal lamb and unleavened bread that night (Exod. 12:8). The strength received from this meal was to carry them through the initial stages of the arduous exodus as they journeyed across the Red Sea and escaped from Egypt. Today, all the footstep followers of the Master ‘feed’ upon the Lamb of God. It is still dark outside. The reign of Satan, sin, sickness, and death still abound.

All through the night, by faith the church class has been feeding upon the anti-typical Lamb, partaking of Jesus’ sacrifice and appropriating it to themselves. It is because we thus feed on Jesus, by faith partake of his sacrifice and wholly trust in him as our Redeemer, that we receive a standing of justification in the Father’s sight. “There is therefore no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Rom. 8:1).

We must also eat of the unleavened bread of truth to become strong and fortified for our pilgrim journey. The precious promises of God’s Word and the complete message of present truth now available in the harvest period are all needed. We want to be fully prepared for our deliverance in the morning for the work of blessing to follow.

There was yet another ingredient in that Passover meal. What was it? The bitter herbs!

What true follower of the Master has not tasted of the bitterness of persecution or trial or difficulty; who has not suffered for the cause of righteousness?

“All that live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Tim. 3:12).

“Now for a season … ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:6, 7).

But these bitter herbs serve only to whet our appetites all the more for the lamb and for the unleavened bread. The Lord is calling us for a high and lofty purpose; we need to be adequately tested for the positions of responsibility and honor that await the overcomers.

Therefore, let us bear with patience and acceptance those experiences that our heavenly Father permits in our lives (Rom. 5:3, 4).

Not a Leisurely Meal

Were the Israelites to recline in their chair dressed in carefree clothes, with slippers on their feet while eating their Passover meal? No. All members of this household were to have “no continuing city” (Heb. 13:14)—no resting place. Their loins were girded, their shoes were on their feet, and their staff was in their hands (Exod. 12:11). They were to eat the meal in haste.

So too, we, as the anti-typical firstborn, are pilgrims and strangers in the world (1 Peter 2:11), and we are working as ambassadors for Christ, witnessing to the world regarding his kingdom and holding forth the Word of life (2 Cor. 5:20; Phil. 2:15, 16).

We are not to become involved in the affairs of this world, or entangled in seeking pleasure, wealth, and status. We must focus on our goal and be disciplined, knowing that we are enrolled in strict training for a future office as Kings and Priests who desire to be part of the Body of CHRIST. Nothing must be permitted to allure us from our goal or to detour us from the pathway that we are on. We have girded ourselves for our journey and we look for the heavenly Canaan. By and by, IF faithful, we WILL receive those glorious things God has in reservation for them which love him.

What beautiful lessons we have found in the Passover type! None who recognize Christ as the Passover Lamb could any longer with propriety carry out the typical ceremony. It is the reality of these things in which we are interested and their chief fulfilment in Christ. The Passover connection, is a strong reminder of our heritage, providing the colorful and instructive backdrop to the introduction of the Lord’s supper, with its even more profound understanding. How grateful we can be that our eyes have been opened to grasp these marvelous truths!

Solomon (type and anti type)

"The half was never told." These are the words of the Queen of Sheba when she visited Solomon in Jerusalem. The fame of Solomon had spread throughout the world, and the Queen of Sheba journeyed to Israel to see if what she had heard was really true.

When she arrived in Jerusalem, she said to Solomon, "Howbeit I believed not their words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and behold, the one half of the greatness of thy wisdom was not told me: for thou exceedest the fame that I heard." (2 Chronicles 9:6)

What brought the Queen of Sheba on such a long and arduous journey? It wasn't Solomon's great wealth or magnificent building projects that she came to witness. It was the greatness of his wisdom that she had to see for herself.

Solomon was a man destined for greatness. He had been chosen by God to be king of Israel even before his birth. In 1 Chronicles 22:9-10, the Lord said to Solomon's father David, "Behold, a son shall be borne to thee, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about: for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness unto Israel in his days. He shall build an house in my name; and he shall be my son, and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever."

God's chosen name for him was Solomon, which means "peaceful" because, unlike the reign of David, Solomon's kingdom would be a kingdom of peace.Solomon was chosen from birth not only to inherit the throne of David, but to have a peaceable kingdom, to build the temple and to bring Israel to its zenith of power and glory. But even more importantly, Solomon was to represent the glorious reign of Christ who would bring these things on a grander, universal scale.

In the life of Solomon, it is obvious how great his father David's influence was. There is a wonderful passage in 1st Chronicles the 28th and 29th chapters that shows the heart of David and his desire for Solomon. Near the end of David's life, he gives his last admonitions to Solomon and to the nation of Israel.

David had called all the princes, captains, officers and valiant men of Israel to Jerusalem. There were literally thousands of people assembled to hear his last exhortations. David got to his feet and told the people that it had been in his heart to build a temple for the Lord in order to make a place of rest for The Ark of the Covenant, but because he had been a man of war, God would not allow him to build the temple. He informed Israel that Solomon would sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel (1 Chronicles 28:5), and that Solomon would build the house of the Lord. Note that David recognized that Israel was the Lord's kingdom, not his and not Solomon's, nor could it belong to any man. This is one of the things that made David so special to God; that he acknowledged and established his own reign as subservient to the authority of God.

In verse 9, David turned to his son and publicly gave his parting advice to Solomon, "… Now Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off forever. Take heed now; for the Lord hath chosen thee to build a house for the sanctuary: be strong and do it." Then David gave to Solomon the pattern of the Temple and all the operations and furnishings required (1 Chronicles 28:9-18). In other words, David was passing the torch to Solomon to accomplish the work that had been in his heart to do.

 This is truly one of the more precious scenes in the history of Israel. Here was David, the beloved king, now a tired old man. He rises slowly and from his heart gives a message to his son that was the foundation of how to be a faithful king and servant of the Lord, "Solomon, my son, have a pure heart and a willing mind." In these few words, David summarized what he had learned were the key elements of being a good king. The conduct of a good king should always be pure and above reproach. A good king should consider himself to be subservient to the rules and principles of God's higher dominion, and he should be open-minded and willing to listen to God's directions.

There are precious pictures in the lives of David and Solomon. While the life of David symbolizes the experiences of Jesus when he first came to the earth as a man, the monarchy of Solomon represents His glorious future Kingdom reign (Revelation 11:15). David prepared all the individual stones and furniture that would be used in the Temple, and Solomon took those things and supervised the actual construction of the Temple. This pictures a two-part effort to complete the Temple in which the nation of Israel would learn about God.

This is also true on a spiritual level. All the preparations for the spiritual Temple are being made during the Gospel Age. As they did with David, the plans and details originate from the mind of God who gave them to Jesus. These instructions are to be carried out at the time of Jesus' Second Presence.

God's requirements show that He intended the building of the Temple to be a picture of the greater building project of the Gospel Age, Christ's Church (1 Corinthians 3:16). There were to be no sounds of a hammer or any iron tool heard at the site where the Temple was to be erected (1 Kings 6:7) showing that the spiritual Temple would not occupy the same place where the individual stones are quarried. All the heavy chiseling and hammering of those spiritual stones would take place on earth, in the quarry of this world, while the actual location of the finished Temple (the perfected Church) would be in heaven.

Many commentators suggest that Solomon was about 20 years old when he became king. Some also suggest that he wasn't referring to his age when he prayed, "And now, O Lord my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in" (1 Kings 3:7). Rather, he was recognizing his lack of experience. We see a genuine humility in the young Solomon that worked to his advantage as he became king and finished the work that his father had started. This is an important qualification for anyone who has, or will have, authority and power.

Solomon also recognized that he needed the Lord's help to be a good king. This is shown in his famous request for wisdom in 1 Kings 3:3-12. In fact, it can be said that this has to be one of the most profound prayers ever spoken. It offers a wonderful lesson in living. There are many things that people seek in life, but seeking wisdom and an understanding heart is one of the things that the Lord truly approves of and will bring His blessings.

It was said that "Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt. For he was wiser than all men…and his fame was in all nations round about…And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom" (1 Kings 4:30-34).

Solomon's wisdom entailed even more than the ability to make sound decisions. The fact that he could decipher riddles and had great musical skill, and that he possessed extensive knowledge about nature, and taught about plants and animals, all tell us that the wisdom that God gave Solomon covered many aspects of life on earth. He was a brilliant man.

This is also a picture or "type"of what Jesus and his Church will bring to the table in the Kingdom (the "antitype"). Not that many of Jesus' followers are geniuses now (though undoubtedly, our Lord Jesus is more than impressively intelligent), but in the Kingdom, they will outshine the stars for brilliance.

One of the terms used in Scripture to describe the Kingdom is "The Day of Judgment." That phrase is used not just because, at some point, everyone will be given a final sentence of life or death, but because, during the time of the Kingdom, decisions will be made and wise counsel will be given to a world in desperate need of such things. This is similar to Solomon in that he asked for a discerning heart so that he could righteously judge his people.

The Scriptures show that Solomon focused his mind on learning everything he could. Even the amazing qualities of ants was fascinating to him. He talked about them and wrote about them in Proverbs. So, as in the "type," no avenue of learning will be out of reach for the inquisitive mind in the Kingdom of God. It will be a time for education and learning and will involve every level of human activity taught to resurrected mankind by a wise group of specially educated counselors and judges, Christ and his Church. The learning process will range from how to make good moral decisions to how to manage the earth and its resources. Music, art, science… all avenues of training will be God-centered, and, through these many avenues, mankind will come to praise the Creator for all His wonderful works. The Kingdom will not be a mere existence for man; it is going to be challenging and exciting, because that is what true education does. It opens the mind to new and wonderful things.

Solomon was a picture of Jesus.

In the New Testament, when criticizing some of the unbelieving Jews, Jesus said that on the judgment day, the Jews who lived during his day would be compared with the "Queen of the South," and she would be a witness against them because "she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon's wisdom, and now something greater than Solomon is here!" (Matthew 12:42) Jesus was saying that the Jews, who had wisdom right in their midst, refused to heed his words. He was the "something" far greater than Solomon and yet his words fell on deaf ears.

This is an example of the principle that all "antitypes" are greater than their "types." In other words, that which is pictured is always greater than that which pictures it. So it was with Solomon. As great as he was, he merely prefigured the one who was far greater.

Below are just 8 of many points of comparison showing how Jesus was "greater than Solomon":
1. Our Lord's wisdom never errs. He never    makes a mistake in judgment.
2. He never gives in to temptation.
3. His wealth doesn't go to his head and he is always truly humble.
4. His chief goal has always been, and will always be, to glorify his Father.
5. His reign will be righteous and bring untold blessing to his subjects.
6. His Kingdom brings life to the world and not corruption.
7. Unlike the glory of Solomon's temple and the glory of ancient Jerusalem, His building projects will endure.
8. His Kingdom, as the representative of God, will have no end.

The kingdom of Israel is also a type of Christ's Kingdom, which is yet to come. The peace that Solomon's kingdom had didn't happen just because of his fame. Solomon went to great lengths to build up the defenses of Israel. David had defeated most of Israel's enemies, but those enemies had to be kept at bay, so the Scriptures tell us that Solomon spent vast amounts of money to fortify the frontier cities of Israel. He built towers and walls to make sure that outsiders would not be tempted to invade. Solomon gathered a standing army of 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horse soldiers (1 Kings 9 & 10).

The picture of a fortified nation having a large number of defenders is comparable to the work of the Kingdom because Christ's peaceable Kingdom doesn't happen just because Christ is so wise. It happens because the spiritual powers of the Kingdom will be so mighty that no one could possibly attack it.

Revelation 7:4-8 gives us a picture of the Church. It will be made up of 12,000 individuals from each of the 12 spiritual tribes of Israel. This is represented in the 12,000 horse soldiers of Solomon's Kingdom. The same number, 12,000, is being applied to that spiritual class of people who will be called upon to serve and protect God's earthly Kingdom.

The most famous example of Solomon's wisdom had to do with the two women who claimed the same baby as her own (1 Kings 3:16-26).Because Solomon understood the heart of a mother, he was able to make a wise decision. A mother would rather see her child live with someone else than see it killed. It makes perfect sense when you understand that a typical mother will always have an emotional connection to her child. The fact that the other woman was willing to allow the baby to be killed shows that she didn't have that connection, and was dealing with anger and jealousy. This judgment illustrates the fact that Solomon had studied people from many different walks of life.

This is an illustration of another reason (besides his necessary sacrifice) that Jesus had to come to earth. Like Solomon, his experience here taught him about humanity in a way that he could never have learned simply by watching from heaven (Hebrews 5:8).

It is obvious from Scripture that the wisdom of Jesus was far greater than Solomon's, and that he had the ability to read the hearts of men. What an amazing advantage that gave him. And what he learned about people provided for him the ability to guide, not only our lives, but the lives and experiences of all the people in the Kingdom. How vitally essential that skill will be in the resurrection and recovery our lost race (Acts 3:20-21). The "Greater than Solomon" will have an understanding heart in order to discern the habits and reasons that people do what they do (Isaiah 11:1-4).

Psalm 72 is David's last prayer and it was for his son, Solomon. It emphasizes that David wanted righteousness and justice to prevail during Solomon's reign. The psalm contains magnificent words and, of course, Solomon was never able to live up to those lofty ideals. In a fallen human being, such power as King Solomon possessed has a tendency to corrupt, but in the Kingdom, where the Lord and his saints will rule (2 Timothy 2:12; Revelation 20:6), these things are not only possible, but they will happen.

When David said that there should be peace and justice throughout the land (Psalm 72:2-4), he connected that thought with the poor being treated fairly and the helpless being assisted and protected. Today, we live in a very unjust world, where the poor are often abused and taken advantage of. A perfect society with real peace cannot be attained if there is even one oppressed human being. That will be one of the seeds that the Lord will someday plant in every human heart--hearts that will not tolerate injustice and that will not allow even one person to be downtrodden or used unfairly. In the Kingdom, the followers of Christ will not tolerate such a violation of justice (Revelation 21:1-5; Isaiah 11:6-10).

These are lofty ideals and David must have known that when God selected Solomon, He was creating a type of the glorious reign of the Messiah.

The Temple and how it was dedicated shows a clear antitypical reference to our day and the time of trouble.

The inauguration of the Temple was actually done in two phases. The Temple was completed in the 8th month of Solomon's 11th year as king of Israel. It took seven years to build the Temple and it was built exactly as planned (1 Kings 6:38). But one month earlier, in the 7th month, even though the building was not completed, Solomon had the priests bring in the Ark of the Covenant along with all the holy vessels that had been in the Tabernacle, and immediately it was filled with smoke so that no one was able to enter (1 Kings 8:1-12).

Solomon then proceeded to dedicate the temple.

One month later, in the 8th month, when the smoke had cleared, the Israelites were able to put the final touches on the construction of the Temple, and it was completed.

Why did Solomon furnish and dedicate the temple one month prior to its completion? Obviously, the Lord had something specific in mind when He directed Solomon in this. The answer is found in Revelation 15:5-8:

"And, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened: And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues… And one of the four living creatures gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever. And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled."

The temple filling with smoke pictures the great time of trouble and the pouring out of the plagues.

What we saw in the dedication of Solomon's Temple was that the Temple was filled with smoke before it was actually finished. Then, one month later, the Temple was ready to go into operation. The completion of the Temple represents the completion of Christ's body, the Church (1 Corinthians 3:16; 2 Corinthians 6:16) and when this happens, the spiritual Temple will go into operation to perform the future work in the Kingdom (2 Timothy 2:12; Revelation 3:12 and 20:6).

Again, the smoke is a picture of God's judgment and the resulting time of trouble as shown in Psalm 97:2-3, "Clouds and darkness are round about him (God): righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne. A fire goeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about."

Where there's fire, there's smoke, and this smoke is symbolic of the destructive judgments of God. Solomon echoed those words when he said, "…The LORD said that he would dwell in the thick darkness" (1 Kings 8:12).

When the temple was filled with smoke the priests were unable to do their priestly work. Once the trouble is finished and the smoke clears, the spiritual Temple (the Church class) will be completed.

Returning to the story of the Queen of Sheba's visit to Jerusalem, this also is a picture. Experts tell us that the land of Sheba was far south of Israel, in what today is the country of Yemen. The queen came a long way; a trip that, in her day, would have taken several months. When she finally got to Jerusalem and met Solomon, her first words indicated that what she witnessed was grander than anything she had heard about Solomon; that "the half was never told" to her. All her questions were answered. All her gifts were accepted. She got to know Solomon and the wonderful qualities that made him such a remarkable king. And when she went home, Solomon gave her gifts, which likely far exceeded what she had brought to him.

After that comment, she went on to say more. Her words  are full of antitypical meaning. It's a lovely picture of the appreciation that the Gentiles will have for Jesus, the one greater than Solomon, and all that he will have done. They will come to see the marvelous things that Jesus is doing in the land of Israel, a type of the world of mankind (Romans 15:12).

The words of the Queen of Sheba…

"Happy are thy men, and happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and hear thy wisdom. Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee to set thee on his throne, to be king for the LORD thy God: because thy God loved Israel, to establish them forever, therefore made he thee king over them, to do judgment and justice." And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices great abundance, and precious stones: neither was there any such spice as the Queen of Sheba gave King Solomon" (2 Chronicles 9:7-9).

There is a wonderful lesson in this story that has a literal application. Someday the world will understand that those who serve in the Lord's house are truly blessed because they get to be near the Lord and see his wisdom and goodness everyday. And those who are a part of the group of people who will work in the spiritual Temple will rejoice when they bring such heartfelt joy to the world and have, on a daily basis, the opportunity to see how deeply the Lord understands the human heart and what is required to heal it and bring it to perfection (Revelation 21:3-4; 20:6 and 5:10).

The Queen of Sheba came with wonderful, rich gifts, a picture of the world's lasting appreciation for the Lord's Kingdom arrangement, and for the wisdom of the one greater than Solomon, who brings justice and peace to this world (Zechariah 2:10-11; Psalm 72:11).

Just as Solomon also gave greater gifts to the Queen of Sheba (1 Kings 10:13), so too the world will receive from the Lord the greater gifts of the riches of life and health and happiness, and most of all, a renewed relationship with the Heavenly Father. What royal bounties these will be!

Symbols and Meanings Throughout the Bible (Type and Anti type)

Symbols and their greater meaning are something that requires careful consideration when studying the Bible. Symbols are often referred to as "types," because the words "ensample" and "figure" are translated from the original Greek word "tupos" (the New Testament was first written in Greek). The meaning of the symbol, or type, is often referred to as the "Antitype."

It is apparent throughout the Scriptures that the Lord uses people, things or concepts that we can easily understand to represent those that are more complex to help give us a better understanding. This method of teaching is very common throughout the Bible. Much of the writings of Moses are considered largely metaphorical. Unfortunately, some people deny the literal meaning and then there are others who only look at the literal application and are unaware of the symbolic meaning found there. So, in addition to the literal meanings, there are often deeper meanings, which describe various features of God's great Plan of Salvation.

To the Jew, and to many Christians, the Old Law given to Moses is a veil that hides the real and deeper truth. The Apostle Paul talks about this in  2 Corinthians 3:15, "Even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart." This is still largely true today.

Only looking at the literal meaning of the Law, often denoted as the "letter" of the Law, actually condemns us to death, but studying and appreciating what it really represents brings life. "The letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life" 2 Corinthians 3:6). From this, we can deduce that life cannot come from the Mosaic Law. However, does this Scripture mean that we should completely throw out the Old Law and all the teachings of Moses? No! In John 5:45-47 Jesus said, "Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; the one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have set your hope. For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?" What Jesus meant here was if we understand the purpose of the Law we will better understand the role that he came to play. Therefore, taking the teachings of Paul in 2 Corinthians together with the teaching of Jesus in the book of John, we can reasonably conclude that the writings of Moses contain the Gospel of the Son of God like a shell contains a nut; both are real and each is valuable in its own place and purpose, but the nut is more valuable than the shell.

When one begins to understand the flood of light that can come from studying types and antitypes, the Old Testament can come to life with its deeper and richer meanings.

Adam – A Type

Special attention is called to the fact that
not every detail of a type has a corresponding antitype. For example,Adam is a type of Christ. The Apostle Paul wrote, "Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses… who is the figure of him that was to come" (Romans 5:14). The word figure in this passage is the Greek "tupos." So, Adam was a type  of Christ, the antitype.

Adam is the father of our race and mankind is his posterity. Likewise, Jesus is the new Adam, the new life-giver. The Apostle Paul terms him "the last Adam" (1 Corinthians 15:45). Mankind will have the opportunity for eternal life because of Jesus' sacrifice. He is therefore considered the second Father of our race (Isaiah 9:6). But we cannot take this symbolism too far because Adam was a sinner while Jesus was "holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners" (Hebrews 7:26).

Christ's life is the key to God's Plan. The Scriptures tell us that he had two births and two lives. He was born of the flesh first and after his crucifixion, he was born as a spirit being. 1 Peter 3:18 tells us he was"put to death in the flesh and made alive (the second birth) by the spirit."

The life Jesus lived before his death was earthly, and the life he received after his resurrection was spiritual. Adam, at times, represented both. In his earthly life, Christ was alone; he had no "bride" (his church), then he died to eventually bring forth his bride. "Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone" (John 12:24). In the same way, Adam was alone for a time, and the Lord said, "it is not good for man to be alone and the Lord caused a deep sleep to come upon him;" and his wife was taken from his side.

That part of Adam's life before his deep sleep represented Christ's earthly life, and when Adam was put into a deep sleep represented Christ's earthly death. Christ's earthly life and death are a part of theantitype, and an important part of the plan of salvation. Adam's awakening from that deep sleep represented Christ's spiritual life after his resurrection. "It is sown a natural [earthly] body; it is raised a spiritual body" (1 Corinthians 15:44). Let no one confuse the earthly with the after-resurrection spiritual life of Christ. He had a natural body, and is now a spiritual body.

Adam's marriage to Eve represented the marriage of the Lamb spoken of in Revelation 19:7 (See the article titled "A Bride and Her Bridegroom" for more details). Adam's generation of (giving birth to) the race of mankind represented the regeneration of mankind in the Kingdom when Christ will "give life" to all (Matthew 19:28, Acts 3:21, 1 Corinthians 15:21-22). The dominion over all given to Adam and his wife represents the united reign of Christ and his church (his bride) over the earth and over the nations of the world to come. "Come hither, and I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife, and he showed me...that great  city, the holy Jerusalem" (Revelation 21:9-10). God's Plan of Salvation for the whole world of mankind, being ruled by the Bridegroom and His bride, demonstrates the magnitude and the fullness of the love of God.

Isaac – A Type

Isaac, the son of Abraham, is also a type of the Son of God. God pronounced the death sentence on Isaac when He asked Abraham to sacrifice him. For three days (the time it took to travel to the mountain where the sacrifice would take place), Isaac was considered "dead." An angel of the Lord stopped the sacrifice from occurring once God saw the sincere heart intention of Abraham, and Isaac was figuratively "raised from the dead" when his life was spared by God (Genesis 22:2-12). This is a type of how Jesus, the Son of God, literally died and rose again after being dead for parts of three days. Isaac's life, before he was offered to God, represented Christ's life before he was offered.

Joseph – A Type

Another example of type/antitype is seen in the life of Joseph, Jacob's son (see Genesis 37:3-28). Joseph was thrown into a pit by his brothers who were intent on killing him. Being finally convinced not to kill Joseph, the brothers brought him up out of the pit and sold him to the Midianites as a slave. After some time, and divine overruling, Joseph was eventually exalted to the right hand of Pharaoh, wielding almost unlimited power in Egypt (Genesis 41:39-46). He became the "bread keeper" and "life preserver" for both Egypt and Israel. In a similar way, Jesus was "thrown into a pit" when he was killed by his Jewish brethren who hated him. But He was resurrected and eventually ascended to heaven where he sits on the right hand of God (Mark 16:19). So the life of Joseph is a wonderful type of the life and work of our Lord.

Moses – A Type

The first time that Moses came to help his people, Israel, he was rejected (Exodus 2:12-14). But during his second visit he became their deliverer (Exodus 4:18-20; 29-31). Christ also comes twice to His own people who likewise rejected Him (John 1:11; Mark 15:12-15). However, upon His second return he comes in glory (1 Corinthians 15:20-26) and brings deliverance, not only to Israel, but to all mankind (Galatians 1:4). The coming in flesh and the coming in glory are both represented in that type of Moses as Israel's deliverer.

In each of these types, Adam, Isaac, Joseph and Moses, an aspect of Christ is foreshadowed. The life and death of Christ is thus shown in Old Testament types and is a further indication of His true importance.

When Christ said, "the flesh profiteth nothing" (John 6:63), he was speaking figuratively. In the same way as when he said,"Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, ye have no life in you" (John 6:53). Eating literal flesh and drinking literal blood, of course, would be of no profit in giving life. Therefore, he wanted his listeners to understand that he was not speaking literally. Eating his flesh and drinking his blood pictured our acceptance of his sacrifice by faith. By believing in his ransom sacrifice we can have eternal life, whether here, on earth, or as spirit beings, in heaven. Faith
in the merit of Christ is the all-important element that he was referring to.

There is much more to be learned about types and antitypes. Each new truth learned must be retained if there is to be spiritual growth. The Lord went to a great deal of effort to put these symbols in Scripture and we would be greatly blessed to understand their wonderful antitypical fulfillments.