As mentioned, the Old Testament presents physical types and prophecies that have spiritual parallels, fulfilments, types or anti-types, and contrasts in the New Testament. This chapter gives some examples. However, discernment is necessary regarding conclusions reached, especially as concerns the life of Jesus, because some Old Testament passages had been taken out of context and misapplied to aspects of Jesus’ life in an effort to establish his messiahship.20
The first man, Adam, who sinned and caused his descendants to forfeit receiving divine nature and immortality is contrasted with the “second Adam”, Jesus Christ, who was sinless and brought life and immortality to light through his gospel of the renewed availability of the Divine Love.21 Abraham, who believed God, is presented as an example of faith for others to follow.22 The twelve sons of Israel (nee Jacob) who became the foundation of the chosen nation parallel the twelve disciples that Jesus calls to become his “family” and the foundation of the church.23
As the people of Israel were called to leave the slavery of Egypt, Jesus too is called out of Egypt where his parents had fled earlier to save his life – just as Israel’s family originally went to Egypt to survive a grievous famine.24
Jesus is also the prophet that Moses foretold would be like him – yet greater. In contrast to Moses, the law-giver and the mediator of the Old Covenant, Jesus brought grace and truth by announcing the availability of the Divine Love and became the mediator of the New Covenant.25
As ancient Israel was bought out of physical slavery in Egypt, each person who has responded to God’s drawing and turned to God has been delivered out a state of enslavement by sin, fear and evil passions.26
The rituals and ceremonies that the Israelites are given to perform, including the holy days,27 are physical types pointing to higher spiritual realities, as will be shown later. And Israel’s journey out of Egypt and through the wilderness figuratively becomes our journey – out of the slavery of sin, through a wilderness dealing with the myriads of life’s obstacles and temptations, and, upon meeting God’s conditions, into the Promised Land of the Celestial Divine Kingdom where all sorrow and suffering will cease. We are also to learn from the mistakes of the Israelites and not repeat them.28
Figuratively, the people of Israel take on several relationship roles – a child, covenant people, priesthood and a holy nation, as well as the first fruits of God’s harvest.29 These are later reflected in New Testament fulfillments in Jesus Christ, his followers, and the church as a whole. Jesus is the first son of God to receive the Holy Spirit and through it the Divine Love, and thus the first of the first fruits of God’s spiritual harvest – the first to enter the Celestial heavens.30
The church – those led by the Holy Spirit and Divine Love in their souls – are also the children of God and first fruits.31 They are metaphorically referred to as a holy priesthood (ministering to the world), and a holy nation.32 And in contrast to Israel being under a covenant of moral laws and rituals, which they failed to keep and thus forfeited blessings for obedience, the church is under a new and better covenant. Through it, a soul and heart transformation is taking place through the Divine Love imparted by the Holy Spirit, motivating the person to live a life of love and kindness.33
The church, in contrast to Israel, comprises people of all nations rather than just the descendants of ancient Abraham (though there are many non-Jewish peoples, such as the Arabs, who see Abraham as their ancestor). Like ancient Israel was supposed to do and failed, the church is to set an example to the world by both disseminating Jesus’ message of salvation through the Divine Love and by individual lives – in that sense serving as a priesthood.34 (Unfortunately, the history of Christianity shows that the church’s example has been far from blameless – may God have mercy!)
Jesus also is the Immanuel or “God with us”, a role he fulfilled not as being both God and man who came to live among the people, but as the first divine son of God, whose soul was transformed from divine image into divine essence through the Divine Love. He too is the anointed one (Christ or Messiah); the suffering servant of God – suffering not for our sins, but rather for the cause he represented; and the humble king riding on a donkey into Jerusalem shortly before the Passover holy day period.35
By preaching the gospel (good news about the availability of the Divine Love) to the oppressed, poor and prisoners, opening eyes of the both physically and spiritually blind, and proclaiming the year of God’s favor (symbolized by the Old Testament jubilee and pointing to the Celestial Kingdom of God now open with the renewed availability of the Divine Love), Jesus fulfilled a major prophecy in the book of Isaiah.36
Hagar and Sarah, with their offspring, metaphorically picture the two covenants – the old and the new. Hagar and Ishmael are types of the old covenant – seeking justification and salvation by obedience to the law – which is humanly impossible. By obeying the commandments, human love can be perfected, but true salvation and immortality are unavailable. By contrast, Sarah and Isaac typify justification and salvation by faith in divine grace, which is a miracle and leads to freedom. Those so justified are being transformed at the soul level by the Divine Love and are less concerned about the details of the law, but rather live a life of love and kindness which fulfills and transcends the law.37