Finding Jesus in the OT

February 7th, 2025

Today's blog is brought to you by our very own Gabby Terry, who expands our thinking to spur a deeper understanding of God's Word as the story of redemption through Christ from the very first book. "Not only are there multiple accounts of possible Christophanies (appearances of Jesus) in the Old Testament, but many accounts point to the story of Jesus as He will be revealed in the New Testament."

Every year, I read through the Bible in chronological order. This has significantly deepened my understanding of God’s character and the Bible's teachings. What has stood out to me the most is how much we see Jesus in the Old Testament. I hear quite a few people argue that Jesus is nowhere in the Old Testament and, therefore, cannot be trusted. However, this is far from the truth.

Not only are there multiple accounts of possible Christophanies (appearances of Jesus) in the Old Testament, but many accounts point to the story of Jesus as He will be revealed in the New Testament.

The Blessing of the Second-Born

Throughout the Bible, but especially in the Old Testament, we see a recurring pattern: the second-born son often receives the family blessing instead of the firstborn. This is more than just an interesting narrative detail—it foreshadows the most remarkable exchange in history. Jesus Christ, the true Firstborn of God, willingly gave up His inheritance so that we, the “second-born,” could receive the blessing of salvation. From the earliest stories in Scripture, we see a reversal of expectations regarding inheritance and blessing.

Cain and Abel: Cain was the firstborn, but it was Abel’s sacrifice that was accepted by God (Genesis 4:3–5).

Ishmael and Isaac: Ishmael was Abraham’s firstborn, yet God’s covenant promise was given to Isaac (Genesis 17:19–21).

Esau and Jacob: Esau, the firstborn, was entitled to the birthright, but Jacob, the younger son, received it instead (Genesis 25:23, 27:27–29).

Manasseh and Ephraim: When Jacob blessed Joseph’s sons, he crossed his hands, giving the greater blessing to the younger, Ephraim, rather than Manasseh, the firstborn (Genesis 48:13–19).

David and his brothers: – David, the youngest of his brothers, was chosen by God to be king over Israel (1 Samuel 16:10–13).

These narratives all point to a divine truth: God’s blessing does not follow human tradition but is granted according to His sovereign will. And ultimately, they foreshadow the greatest act of substitution—Jesus Christ taking our place so that we might receive the blessing of salvation.

One of the most profound foreshadowings of Jesus’ sacrifice is in the story of Abraham and Isaac. In Genesis 22:1–14, God tested Abraham by asking him to sacrifice his beloved son, Isaac. Abraham obeyed, trusting that God would provide or even raise Isaac from the dead (Hebrews 11:17–19). (Because resurrection was not recorded in the Bible during this time in Genesis, we can’t be sure if it ever happened before―another testament of Abraham’s faith.) At the last moment, God intervened and provided a ram as a substitute.

This moment was not just a test of Abraham’s faith, but a prophetic picture of what God Himself would one day do. Unlike Isaac, who was spared, Jesus, God’s only Son, was not spared but was given as the perfect sacrifice for our sins (Romans 8:32). Isaac carried the wood for his own sacrifice, just as Jesus carried His cross to Calvary (John 19:17). The ram caught in the thicket became the substitute for Isaac, just as Jesus became the substitute for us.

The Blessing of Christ, the Firstborn

The New Testament makes it clear that Jesus is God’s Firstborn:

Colossians 1:15―“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.”

Hebrews 1:6―“And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, ‘Let all God’s angels worship him.’”

As the Firstborn, Jesus had full rights to the inheritance of the Father—perfect communion with God, divine authority, and eternal glory. Yet, in an act of unimaginable love, He chose to set aside His divine privileges and become like us, His younger siblings.

Philippians 2:6–8―“Who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

Jesus, as our “big brother,” did not hoard the inheritance for Himself but shared it with us. Under the old covenant, the firstborn belonged to God and had to be redeemed (Exodus 13:2). Yet Jesus, the perfect Firstborn, became our substitute. Instead of taking the full inheritance for Himself, He took on the punishment we deserved so that we could receive the blessing.

2 Corinthians 5:21―“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

Romans 8:29―“For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.”

By His sacrifice, Jesus made us part of God’s family, giving us the right to be called children of God (John 1:12).

The biblical pattern of the second-born receiving the blessing always pointed to the greatest reversal of all—Jesus, the Firstborn of God, taking our place so that we, the “second-born,” might receive the inheritance of salvation. The story of Abraham and Isaac beautifully foreshadows this truth: while Isaac was spared, Jesus was not. As our perfect Big Brother, Jesus gave up His rights so that we could be called children of God. Now, we live as His younger siblings, heirs to an eternal kingdom, forever grateful for the love of our Firstborn Brother who made it all possible.

Our Blessing and Purpose

Because of Jesus’s work, we now have access to the full blessing of God—salvation, eternal life, and an inheritance in His kingdom (Ephesians 1:11–14). As younger siblings of Christ, our response should be gratitude, obedience, and love. We should imitate our Big Brother by walking in His footsteps (1 John 2:6). We should live in the freedom He purchased for us (Galatians 5:1). We should share the inheritance by inviting others into God’s family (Matthew 28:19–20).

Author Bio:
Gabrielle Terry (aka Gabby) and her husband, Riley, have been married since October 2022 and live in the beautiful state of Georgia! Currently, she helps produce content for RforH's social media, coordinates guests for our podcast, The DeBunked Files, and helps foster relationships with our amazing supporters. She also works within our amazing Mic’dUP Discipleship program, where we help students and leaders feel equipped to evangelize to those around them.

One of Gabby's biggest passions is learning about how God designed our bodies and what we can do to support them. Because she also wanted to help others learn this information, she became a certified Nutritional Therapist. Now, she can help people understand the foundations of what our body needs to thrive through holistic practices according to God’s design.

Through Reasons for Hope and her services as a Nutritional Therapist, Gabby hopes to help people learn to embrace God’s purpose and design for their lives spiritually and physically.