Jesus tells us in John 5:39 to search the Scriptures for in them we have eternal life and they are they which testify of Him. One cannot read any single book of the Bible without finding Jesus in it; really? Was that an overstatement? One might argue that, “Yes! I have read the entire book of Song of Solomon and it appears nothing more than a love story to me.” Well, let us find out.
We shall embark on a journey together, from Genesis to Revelation, and see how Jesus is testified of in each book. Note however, that the descriptions given here are not the only ways Jesus is presented in each respective book but are simply some of this author’s favorites. So, let us begin!
Genesis to Deuteronomy
In Genesis, Jesus is the ram at Abraham’s altar offered in place of Isaac and in man’s place (Genesis 22:13). In Exodus, He is the Passover Lamb offered to save Israel’s first born (Exodus 12:21–23). In Leviticus, He is the High Priest anointed among His brethren (Leviticus 21:10; Hebrews 2:17). In Numbers, He is the cloud by day and pillar of fire by night, leading His people to Canaan (Numbers 14:14); and, in Deuteronomy, He is the City of Refuge to which we may flee for safety (Deuteronomy 33:27).
Joshua to Job
In Joshua, Jesus is the Scarlet thread at Rahab’s window that was a mark of deliverance for her and her family when destruction came upon Jericho (Joshua 2:16–18). In Judges, He is our Judge who understands our cases and delivers us from our enemies (Judges 2:18–19; 11:27). In First and Second Samuel, He is the trusted Prophet to whom we may look for the past, present and future (1 Samuel 9:9). In First and Second Kings, He is the Living God who answers by fire and hath made Himself known to us through the Sacrifice of Himself (1 Kings 18:22–39). In First and Second Chronicles, He is the Reigning King, fighting battles for us because the battles are not ours but God’s (2 Chronicles 20:15–20). In Ezra, He is the Faithful Scribe who writes the Law of God in our hearts (Ezra 7:6; Jeremiah 31:33). In Nehemiah, He is the Rebuilder of all that is broken and lies waste in our lives (Nehemiah 2:17–18). In Esther, He is the Mordecai, sitting faithful at the gate, watching and interceding for our salvation and who, for our sake, refused to bow down to Satan (Esther 3:5; 5:13; Matthew 4:8–10). In Job, He is my Redeemer that ever liveth, who shall stand upon the earth at the latter day; whom I shall see for myself (Job 19:25–27; Matthew 5:8).
Psalms to Daniel
In Psalms, the LORD is my Shepherd and I shall not want (Psalms 23:1–6). In Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, He is our Wisdom (Proverbs 2:6; 1 Corinthians 1:30; Colossians 2:3). In Song of Solomon, Jesus is My Beloved who is Chiefest among ten thousand; He brought me to the banqueting house, and His banner over me was love (Song of Solomon 5:10; 2:4; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Isaiah 54:5–6). In Isaiah, Jesus is God’s suffering Servant (Isaiah 53:1–12) and In Jeremiah and Lamentations, it is Jesus, the weeping Prophet, who ever longs for our repentance (Jeremiah 9:10; 48:32; John 11:35; Matthew 23:37–39). In Ezekiel, He is the wonderful four-faced man; the four faces being a representation of His unique characteristics, implying that He is Omniscient (all knowing, all wise), as symbolized by the most intelligent creature on earth—man. He is omnipotent (all powerful, almighty), symbolized by an Ox known for Strength. He Rules over all as King and God above all others, symbolized by the King of the Jungle—the Lion; and He is omnipresent (all seeing and present everywhere), as symbolized by the Eagle (Ezekiel 1:10; 10:14; 1Timothy 1:17). In Daniel, it is Jesus who is the fourth man in the midst of a fiery furnace (Daniel 3:25).
Hosea to Malachi
Moving on to Hosea, we find a prophet who is told to marry a prostitute, representing the unfaithfulness of God’s chosen people. Jesus is presented as my Love that is forever faithful (Hosea 1:2). In Joel, He baptizes us with the Holy Spirit (Joel 2:22–28). In Amos, He is our Burden bearer (Amos 1). In Obadiah, He is Our Saviour (Obadiah 1:13–17). In Jonah, He is the great Missionary with a message of Salvation for the whole world, for He has no pleasure in the death of the wicked (Jonah 1; Luke 4:18; Ezekiel 33:11). In Micah, Jesus is the Messenger with beautiful feet (Micah 1:1; Jeremiah 26:18). In Nahum, He is the Avenger (Nahum 1:2). In Habakkuk, Jesus is the Watchman that is ever praying for revival (Habakkuk 2:1). In Zephaniah, He is The LORD mighty to save (Zephaniah 3:17). In Haggai, He is the Restorer of our Lost Heritage—we as God’s living temple and Christ abiding in us by faith (Haggai 1; 1 Corinthians 6:19–20). In Zechariah, Jesus is the Fountain where we may cleanse our uncleanness and our sins (Zechariah 13:1), and in Malachi, He is the Sun of Righteousness with healing in His wings (Malachi 4:2).
Matthew to Acts
In Matthew, Jesus is The Christ, the Son of the Living God (Matthew 16:16). In Mark, He is the Miracle Worker (Mark 6:2). In Luke, He is The Son of Man (Luke 3; 5:24). In John, He is the Word of God, the Way, the Truth, the Life, the Light of the world, and the Door by which we must enter to be saved (John 1:1, 14:6; 8:12; 10:9), and in Acts He is the Shining Light that appears to Saul on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:3–5).
Romans to Colossians
Let us hear from Brother Paul and other Apostles.
In Romans, He is our Justifier (Romans 5:1); in First Corinthians, our Resurrection (1 Corinthians 15); in Second Corinthians, our Sin Bearer (2 Corinthians 5:14–21); in Galatians, One that redeems us from the condemnation of the Law and adopts us into God’s family as sons and daughters (Galatians 4:4–5). In Ephesians, He is our Unsearchable riches (Ephesians 3:8). In Philippians, He supplies our every need and gives us strength to accomplish all that we have to in His name (Philippians 4:19; 4:8), and in Colossians, Jesus is the fullness of the Godhead bodily and the head of the Church (Colossians 2:6; 1:18).
Thessalonians to Revelation
In First and Second Thessalonians, He is our Soon coming King (1 Thessalonians 4:16–18). In First and Second Timothy, He is the Mediator between God and Man (1 Timothy 2:5). In Titus, He is our Blessed Hope (Titus 2:13); in Philemon, He is a friend that sticks closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24; Philemon 1). In Hebrews, He is The Blood of the everlasting covenant (Hebrews 13:20). In James, He is The Lord that heals the sick (James 5:13–15). In First and Second Peter, Jesus is The Chief Shepherd and Bishop of our souls (1 Peter 2:15). In First, Second and Third John, Jesus has the Kingdom of Love (1 John 4:19). In Jude, He is The Lord, coming with ten thousand of His saints (Jude 1:14), and in Revelation He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, even so come LORD Jesus.
Conclusion
Do we then wonder why Jeremiah said, “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and Thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by Thy name, O LORD God of hosts”? Jeremiah 15:16. We, as a people, stand guilty of two evils: “For My people have committed two evils; they have forsaken Me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.” Jeremiah 2:13. When we forsake the true fountain and seek after pleasures that earthly things afford, we develop hungers that will not go away. We feel thirsty, and many times we try to supply this lack and thirst by drinking from other sources that do not satisfy still. We shall never know the joy and rejoicing of our hearts until we go to the Fountain of living waters. May we, like Jeremiah, find the words of the LORD and eat them today and then, by beholding Jesus in His word, we shall be changed from glory to glory into the same image (2 Corinthians 3:18).
“Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of Me” (John 5:39), is the instruction of Jesus to His people today. Amen.
Mukelabai Mukelabai