THE STORY OF THE CROSS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

THE STORY OF THE CROSS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT: “To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.” — Acts 10:43 In Acts 10:43, Peter reminds us of a truth that is often overlooked: the entire Old Testament testifies to Christ. The prophets did not merely predict a Messiah in vague terms; they bore witness to salvation through Him. Even more striking is this truth—salvation has always been by faith alone. Not by works. Not by religious effort. Not by law-keeping. But by faith. Many assume that grace begins in the New Testament, while the Old Testament teaches salvation by works. Scripture says otherwise. The Gospel Preached in the Old Testament Paul tells us plainly in Galatians 3:8: “And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, ‘In you all the nations shall be blessed.’” Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness. He was justified by faith, long before the Law of Moses was ever given. This matters deeply, because if justification is by faith and not by works, then salvation is a gift (Romans 6:23). And if salvation is a gift, it is not earned, and it cannot be lost. Jesus Revealed in the Old Testament Jesus Himself affirmed that the Old Testament reveals God’s plan of salvation through His atoning work. In John 3:14, Jesus said: “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up.” Here, Jesus identifies a specific Old Testament event as a direct picture of the cross. He equates the lifting up of the bronze serpent in Numbers 21 with His own crucifixion. Let’s look carefully at the passage Jesus referenced. Numbers 21:5–9 — A Gospel Illustration Israel sinned against God. Judgment followed. Fiery serpents bit the people, and many died. The people confessed their sin and asked Moses to intercede. Moses prayed, but God did not remove the serpents. Instead, He provided a remedy. God instructed Moses to make a bronze serpent and lift it up on a pole. Anyone who had been bitten needed to do only one thing: look. And when they looked, they lived. This is not incidental. This is intentional theology. Just as God did not remove the penalty of sin when Adam fell, He provided a substitute. From the beginning, God’s solution to sin was not self-effort, but substitution. The Meaning of the Symbols: The Serpent; The serpent is the emblem of the curse. Through the serpent, sin entered the world. On the cross, Jesus was made a curse for us. “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us.” (Galatians 3:13) The Brass; In Scripture, brass represents divine judgment. Revelation describes Christ’s feet like fine brass in His role as Judge. The bronze serpent points to judgment falling fully upon the substitute. “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21) The Pole: The pole speaks unmistakably of the cross. “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.” (John 12:32–33) Moses was not merely leading Israel through a crisis; he was preaching the gospel of grace. Salvation Confirmed: Not of Works The Israelites were not told to do religious things. They were told to trust God’s provision. Consider what they were not told to do. They were not told to create a cure for themselves. Religion offers human effort as a remedy. God offered grace. They were not told to help others in order to heal themselves. Charity cannot remove guilt. They were not told to fight the serpents. Destroying symptoms does not cure the disease. They were not told to pay for healing. Grace ceases to be grace if it is purchased. They were not told to pray instead of believe. Prayer without faith does not save. They were not told to look to Moses. The law cannot save. They were not told to focus on their wounds. Self-examination cannot heal the soul. They were told one thing: look. “When he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.” (Numbers 21:9) Religion Versus the Gospel: Religion is man trying to reach God through effort. The gospel is God reaching man through grace. Religion says “do.” The gospel says “done.” Isaiah captured this invitation centuries before the cross: “Look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.” (Isaiah 45:22) To look at the serpent on the pole was to trust God’s promise. To look to Christ on the cross is to trust His finished work. Final Thought: The message has never changed. From Genesis to Revelation, salvation is by faith alone in Christ alone. The Old Testament does not contradict the gospel—it proclaims it. - More Joy Ministries