In the Bible, when we envision Christ, we often think of the New Testament. Nowhere else do we see Him more clearly than in the four Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. From the newborn baby in a manger, to the weak and beaten man nailed upon the cross. From the spirit-filled baptism in the River Jordan, to the victorious ascension unto the Kingdom of Heaven. We even see Him after the four Gospels when He is seen seated in Heaven by Stephen as he is being stoned to death (Acts 7:54-56). And again when he appears to Saul on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:3-5). In the Book of Revelation, He gloriously appears to John (the beloved disciple) giving His message to the seven churches of Asia Minor. Many times throughout the New Testament does Christ appear before men, women, and children alike.
What about the Old Testament? "What about it?," you ask! We know He is often times alluded to as the coming "redeemer" and "savior to the world". The Book of Isaiah is most famous for the numerous prophecies concerning Christ the Messiah. But, even more so, what about His appearances? His physical, bodily, in-the-flesh, pre-incarnate appearances to men and women of the Old Testament? If Jesus Christ is fully man and fully God, is it possible that He could appear to man before his first advent, before His earthly birth? If He can feed five thousand people with two fish and two loaves of bread, calm storms, and give life to the dead, surely He can appear to man before His time on earth. If God himself is all present, and all-knowing, He obviously then lives in a whole other realm, dimension, and time/space continuum than we as mortal humans do. If this is the case, isn't it then possible for Him to appear at any time (dispensation) and any place? Let's examine. The Bible tells us that His ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8). To us, it doesn't seem logical or even possible that any man can exist outside of his own timeframe. But Jesus, being God, simply can as we will see.
The divine name YHWH-Adonai, translated "Lord", is the name used when Old Testament people came face to face with the deity. (Such as Moses and Elijah). Such appearances by deity are called "theophanies" or "Christophanies". Both of these words are compound Greek words meaning "God appearing" or an "appearance of God" (or Christ). Theos is the Greek term for "God", Christos, is the Greek term for "Christ", and Messiah is the Hebrew equivalent.(*)
Below I will give just a couple of many examples of Christ's appearances in the Old Testament. Although the Scriptures don't clearly indicate verbatim that these person(s) are in fact Jesus Christ, I think we can draw a logical conclusion that they are in fact Him.
1) Perhaps the most obvious and apparent example of such appearances is contained within the Book of Daniel. Three Jewish men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who were of high rank and authority within the government of the Babylonian Empire (under the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar) refused to bow down and worship a golden image made by him. Because of this, they were bound, tied, and thrown into an extremely hot, fiery furnace. To the king's suprise, he jumped to his feet and looked into the furnace and what did he see? Well, I'll let the Bible tell the rest of the story...
"Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, "Weren't there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?" They replied, "Certainly, O king." He said, "Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods."(Daniel 3:24-25)
Was there something in this unknown stranger's eyes that had indicated to the king that he might be the Son of God? Jesus Christ? The Lord and Savior? The king was so moved by this that he ordered a decree to have the nations bow down and worship the God of these three men - the God of the Bible. Aside from Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego being spared from death, they were also given a promotion! Wow! Could this man have in fact been Christ himself? The Bible says, "like a son of the gods." Since their is no other God, logic would conclude that this could only have been the true Son of God, Jesus Christ.
2) In yet another example, in the person of Melchizedek, it is believed that Christ appeared before Abraham. The writer of the book of Hebrews links a reference to Melchizedek from the book of Psalms (Psalms 110:4) with the Messiah (Hebrews 5:10). Let's examine further... Just after Abraham defeated Kedorlaomer and his allied forces in a fierce battle, he met up with Melchizedek in the Valley of Shaveh, otherwise known as the King's Valley. Melchizedek was King of Salem which was later to become Jerusalem, the very city in which King David and Solomon would reign. Salem is Hebrew for "peace". Therefore, he was "King of Peace". The name, Melchizedek means, "king of righteousness".
Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram, saying, "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand." Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything." (Genesis 14:18-20)
What conclusions can we draw from this passage about Melchizedek?
a) He brought out bread and wine. What was on his mind? Does it sound familiar? Look at the amazing parallel between this sentence and the ones given in the gospels concerning what we know of as communion, i.e. - Matt. 26:26-27, Mark 14:22-23, Luke 22:19-20. As we know, the bread and wine is symbolic of Christ's body that was broken and His blood that was shed for us. Was this a foreshadow of what was to come? Did Melchizedek know something that Abraham didn't?
b) He was the priest of God Most High. The Levitical priesthood wasn't even established yet. It wasn't until the time of Moses, some 1,000 years later, that it was established under the Mosaic Law.
c) He blessed Abraham. Who else could possibly bless the father of the Jewish race, as we know it?
d) Finally, and foremost, Abraham gave a tenth of everything to him. In other words, Abraham tithed to this man. There is no one that we tithe our money to except to God. It would've been different if he would've given him a goat, or gold, or a small lot of land. But no, he gave him a tenth of everything -- the standard amount of tithes in today's churches. And who is at the head of the church? Christ. I'll let Hebrews expound even further about Melchizedek...
"He was without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of God he remains a priest forever. Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder! Now the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people - that is, their brothers are descended from Abraham. This man however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises." (Hebrews 7:3-6)
I think the evidence is overwhelmingly clear that Melchizedek was in fact a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ himself. At least a type of Christ. You be the judge.
There are many more examples that I can cite of these events found throughout the Old Testament. For example, when Jacob wrestled with God in Genesis 32:22-30. The Bible says it was a man he wrestled with, yet he is referred to as God! In yet another example, in Joshua 5:13-15, just before Joshua was about to conquer the town of Jericho across the Jordan River, a man appeared before him who had the heavenly title of, "Commander of the army of the Lord". I bet that was some army! In many more circumstances the possibility of His appearances are likely. In Judges 13:3-11 and again with Jacob in Genesis 35:9-13.
Christ has no boundaries or limitations whatsoever. Time or space cannot limit Him, especially since He is God. Just as Christ has appeared before the turn of the first millenium so He will certainly appear again. He said that He was the Alpha and the Omega (Revelation 1:8). The first and the last. He is at the beginning, the middle, and the end of time, as we know it. Maranatha! Come Lord Jesus!
* - Hanke, Howard A. The Thompson Chain-Reference Bible Companion. Kirkbride Bible Company, Inc., 1989. "Theophanies in the Old Testament", pgs. 72-73.
From the newborn baby in a manger, to the weak and beaten man nailed upon the cross. From the spirit-filled baptism in the River Jordan, to the victorious ascension unto the Kingdom of Heaven. We even see Him after the four Gospels when He is seen seated in Heaven by Stephen as he is being stoned to death (Acts 7:54-56). And again when he appears to Saul on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:3-5). In the Book of Revelation, He gloriously appears to John (the beloved disciple) giving His message to the seven churches of Asia Minor. Many times throughout the New Testament does Christ appear before men, women, and children alike.
Christ has no boundaries or limitations whatsoever. Time or space cannot limit Him, especially since He is God. Just as Christ has appeared before the turn of the first millenium so He will certainly appear again. He said that He was the Alpha and the Omega (Revelation 1:8). The first and the last. He is at the beginning, the middle, and the end of time, as we know it. Maranatha! Come Lord Jesus!
