Jesus in the Old Testament – The Ultimate Sneak Peek

Introduction: Have you ever watched a movie where they drop little hints about the big hero before they actually show up? Well, that’s exactly what the Old Testament does with Jesus! Long before He was born in Bethlehem, God was dropping divine Easter eggs all over the place, pointing straight to the Messiah.

Today, we’re going to uncover those clues and prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jesus was always part of the plan. Buckle up!

1. The First Prophecy – Genesis 3:15

Right after Adam and Eve took their infamous bite of the forbidden fruit, God was already setting up a rescue plan. In Genesis 3:15, God tells the serpent (Satan):

“I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”

Boom! First prophecy of Jesus right there. God is saying, "Satan, you might get a cheap shot in (the cross), but My Son is going to crush you (the resurrection)." Jesus is the snake-crusher we’ve all been waiting for!

2. The Ultimate Sacrifice – Abraham and Isaac (Genesis 22)

God tells Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac, and at the last second, provides a ram instead. Sounds intense, right? But here’s the kicker: Isaac carrying the wood up the mountain? That’s a picture of Jesus carrying His cross. The ram caught in the thicket? That’s Jesus taking our place.

And where did this happen? Mount Moriah—the same region where Jesus would later be crucified. Coincidence? Nope. God was showing us how He would provide the ultimate sacrifice: His own Son.

3. The Passover Lamb – Exodus 12

You remember the story: Israelites in Egypt, final plague, angel of death, doorposts painted with lamb’s blood.

But hold up—this wasn’t just about saving Israelites from Pharaoh. This was a dress rehearsal for Jesus! Just like the Passover lamb had to be spotless, Jesus was sinless. Just like the lamb’s blood saved the Israelites from death, Jesus’ blood saves us from sin. Paul even calls Jesus our Passover Lamb in 1 Corinthians 5:7.

God wasn’t just freeing Israel from Egypt—He was pointing ahead to how Jesus would free us from sin.

4. The Birthplace of the Messiah – Micah 5:2

God didn’t just say a Messiah was coming—He gave us His exact birthplace! Micah 5:2 declares:

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”

That’s a direct prophecy of Jesus being born in Bethlehem! The same little town where King David was born became the birthplace of the King of Kings. God doesn’t do random—everything is intentional.

5. The Virgin Birth – Isaiah 7:14

God even told us how Jesus would enter the world: through a miraculous virgin birth. Isaiah 7:14 says:

“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”

Fast forward to the New Testament, and Matthew 1:22-23 confirms that Jesus’ birth fulfilled this exact prophecy. God wasn’t just sending a savior—He was making sure it would be undeniable who He was.

6. The Suffering Servant – Isaiah 53

Isaiah 53 is basically Jesus’ biography, written 700 years before He was even born. Check this out:

“He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities... by his wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5)

Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? If that doesn’t scream Jesus on the cross, I don’t know what does.

And guess what? Some Jewish synagogues actually skip reading Isaiah 53 because it’s too obvious. But we’re not skipping anything today!

7. The Son of Man in Daniel 7

Daniel has a crazy vision of “one like a Son of Man” coming on the clouds with authority, power, and an everlasting kingdom (Daniel 7:13-14). Fast forward to the New Testament, and Jesus calls Himself the Son of Man more than 80 times!

Why? Because He was claiming to be that guy from Daniel’s vision—the one who would reign forever. And just to put the icing on the cake, when the high priest asked Jesus if He was the Messiah, Jesus literally quoted this verse (Mark 14:62). Talk about a mic drop moment!

8. The New Covenant – Jeremiah 31:31

God promised through Jeremiah that a new covenant was coming:

“I will make a new covenant… I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts.” (Jeremiah 31:31-34)

Jesus shows up and, at the Last Supper, says,

“This cup is the new covenant in my blood.” (Luke 22:20)

Translation? "Remember that promise God made? Yeah, that’s Me fulfilling it right now."

Conclusion: Jesus Was Always the Plan

From Genesis to Malachi, the Old Testament isn’t just random stories—it’s a setup for Jesus. God wasn’t winging it; He was preparing the world for the Messiah the whole time.

So next time someone asks, “Where’s Jesus in the Old Testament?” just smile and say, “Everywhere.”

Amen!