Jesus in the Old Testament is a series of posts that will offer my readers a chance to consider pictures or shadows of Jesus in the Old Testament. As mentioned in the introduction to this series, some may be obvious, some may be not so obvious, and some may simply be a facet of the Lord those reading may not have considered previously.

I hope as we venture through this series, we will see the Lord in many wonderful pictures throughout the Old Testament.

Abraham, when confronted with God in the 17th chapter of Genesis, is introduced into a covenant with God. The very first verse of the chapter has God describing Himself as “God Almighty”, and that Abraham was to walk before Him blameless.

Note that Abraham was to walk before God blamelessly in order that God may make a covenant with Abraham. This covenant was a bilateral covenant, one in which both parties to the covenant had responsibilities.

We have addressed the blessing God was offering to Abraham in previous posts, but in this post we want to emphasize Abraham’s responsibility before God.

This covenant, this bilateral covenant was intended to include an everlasting possession, a promised land, and God was intended to be their God (v9).

And the sign of the covenant? Circumcision. It was to be a sign. A sign of faithfulness to the covenant. The child was to be circumcised, an act of obedience of the parents, an indication of the parent’s hope for the child and the intention of the child to walk blameless before God. The sign of circumcision that would forever identify a man as being God’s. A sign that no one saw, for it was a private, hidden sign. A sign between God and the follower.

This sign of circumcision, in this instance indicates intention; intention of the parents to lead and for the child to follow, to be blameless before God.

Centuries later, a child was born, and though He was circumcised, and the parents sought to lead Him into a life of blamelessness before God, there was to be a revolutionary, unexpected, “outrageous” fulfillment of another covenant, forever linked to this Child.

Not only was Jesus blameless before men and God, but fully righteous (there is a difference!), and without sin. His acts, thoughts and desires only reflected a complete and utter obedience to the Father above.

Yes, He was circumcised but that was a shadow of an ancient covenant that His parents rightly observed. His covenant was to be greater, as the shedding of blood is greater than the shedding of a portion of skin as a baby. A self sacrifice that would initiate the greatest covenant offered to fallen man, a death that would produce life.

He initiated the covenant, He is Lord of the covenant, and has kept His covenant with His people.

His covenant is offered to all, and to enter this covenant, it is only to look to Him, to see Who He really is, and to follow. To believe He is the One, and to leave your sin behind.

Will you enter the covenant? He has poured out His blood for the many, and the many could include you.

---

Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion. If you know someone this blog may bless (or challenge), send them a link, so they may join us in our discussion.

Come join us at Considering the Bible