Types of the Saviour: The Institutions Ordained by Moses
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The institutions ordained by Moses in the Old Testament serve as profound typological foreshadowings of the Saviour, Jesus Christ. These divinely instituted practices and structures were not only central to the religious life of ancient Israel but also pointed forward to the redemptive work of Christ. Each institution, in its own way, prefigures aspects of the Messiah's person and mission.

1. The Tabernacle

The Tabernacle, as described in Exodus 25-40, was the dwelling place of God among His people. It symbolizes the incarnation of Christ, who "became flesh and made His dwelling among us" (John 1:14). The layout and furnishings of the Tabernacle, from the outer court to the Holy of Holies, represent the progressive revelation of God's presence and the access to Him through Christ. The veil, which separated the Holy of Holies, was torn at Christ's crucifixion (Matthew 27:51), signifying the new and living way opened through His sacrifice.

2. The Priesthood

The Levitical priesthood, established in Exodus 28-29, serves as a type of Christ's eternal priesthood. Aaron and his descendants were appointed to mediate between God and Israel, offering sacrifices for sin. This foreshadows Jesus, our great High Priest, who "has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin" (Hebrews 4:15). Unlike the Levitical priests, Christ offered Himself once for all, securing eternal redemption (Hebrews 9:12).

3. The Sacrificial System

The sacrificial system, detailed in Leviticus, prefigures the ultimate sacrifice of Christ. The offerings, including the burnt offering, sin offering, and peace offering, illustrate various aspects of Christ's atoning work. The Passover lamb, in particular, is a direct type of Christ, "our Passover lamb, who has been sacrificed" (1 Corinthians 5:7). The blood of the lamb, which protected the Israelites from the angel of death, points to the blood of Christ, which redeems believers from sin and death.

4. The Day of Atonement

The Day of Atonement, or Yom Kippur, described in Leviticus 16, is a significant type of Christ's atoning work. On this day, the high priest entered the Holy of Holies to make atonement for the sins of the people. The scapegoat, which bore the sins of Israel into the wilderness, symbolizes Christ bearing our sins away. Hebrews 9:24-26 explains that Christ entered "heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence," offering Himself once to "do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself."

5. The Feasts of Israel

The feasts ordained in Leviticus 23 serve as types of the redemptive work of Christ. The Feast of Unleavened Bread, following Passover, signifies the sanctification of believers. The Feast of Firstfruits, celebrated at the beginning of the harvest, points to Christ's resurrection as the "firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep" (1 Corinthians 15:20). The Feast of Weeks, or Pentecost, anticipates the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the Church.

6. The Law

The Mosaic Law, given at Sinai, reveals the holiness of God and the sinfulness of humanity, pointing to the need for a Saviour. While the Law itself could not save, it served as a "guardian until Christ came" (Galatians 3:24). Jesus fulfilled the Law, embodying its righteous requirements and offering His righteousness to those who believe.

These institutions, while historical and specific to the covenant community of Israel, find their ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ. They are shadows of the good things to come, with Christ Himself being the substance (Colossians 2:17). Through these types, believers gain a deeper understanding of the multifaceted work of the Saviour, who is the culmination of God's redemptive plan.
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Matthew 26:54
But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?
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Luke 24:25-27,44-47
Then he said to them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:
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Colossians 2:14-17
Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
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Hebrews 10:1-14
For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.
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Library

The Typical Significance of the Scriptures Declare their Divine ...
... Then let us admit the same concerning the types. ... Institutions like the Passover which
prefigured His death; like ... promised that he should be a saviour to Israel ...
/.../the divine inspiration of the bible/chapter six the typical significance.htm

The Ordination of Paul and Barnabas; their Missionary Tour in Asia ...
... the great redemption, and that its types and shadows ... palpable by connecting it with
certain visible institutions. ... Faith holds communion with the Saviour in all ...
/.../killen/the ancient church/chapter v the ordination of.htm

Translated from the Greek.
... of the Jews; [2823] all those Jewish institutions on which ... descent goes back to Eve,
should be types of the ... calculated to impress us, when the Saviour says, "I ...
/.../origen/origen de principiis/translated from the greek.htm

Covenanting Provided for in the Everlasting Covenant.
... recognising the Lord as their God, and acting faith in a Saviour then yet ... and swearing
to him, and by attending to the other institutions of his ... Through types. ...
/.../cunningham/the ordinance of covenanting/chapter vi covenanting provided for.htm

The Second Helvetic Confession, AD 1566.
... Besides, Christ has fulfilled all the types of the ... of ministers, and marriage as
useful institutions of God ... of the sacraments is Christ the Saviour, that Lamb ...
/.../ 55 the second helvetic.htm

Solomon's Temple Spiritualized
... of Old Testament language, and ceremonial institutions, as to ... void of shadows, even
of her Lord and Saviour. ... the pillars, and therefore were types and shadows ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/solomons temple spiritualized.htm

Nature of Covenanting.
... The types and symbols of a former period were blessed ... being the nature or design
of some institutions of Divine ... may lead them to accept of the offered Saviour. ...
/.../cunningham/the ordinance of covenanting/chapter i nature of covenanting.htm

Period iii. The Critical Period: AD 140 to AD 200
... generic term including many widely divergent types of teaching ... Church to heathen
thought and institutions underwent a ... the invisible beings as a saviour for the ...
/.../a source book for ancient church history/period iii the critical period .htm

On the Interpretation of Scripture
... divine who perceives that the types and figures of ... agree with received opinions or
institutions, there remains ... after the resurrection of the Saviour that St. ...
/.../on the interpretation of scripture.htm

Covenanting a Duty.
... most devoutly engaged, and all the institutions of his ... in regard to the want of many
types and symbols ... the duty is afforded in the Saviour's denunciation,""He ...
/.../cunningham/the ordinance of covenanting/chapter iii covenanting a duty.htm

Resources
What are the different types of fasting? | GotQuestions.org

How should Christians view the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)? | GotQuestions.org

Does the Enneagram of Personality contradict the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

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Subtopics

Types

Types of Christ: Aaron

Types of Christ: Abel

Types of Christ: Abraham

Types of Christ: Adam

Types of Christ: Ark

Types of Christ: Ark of the Covenant

Types of Christ: Atonement, Sacrifices offered on the Day of

Types of Christ: Brazen Altar

Types of Christ: Brazen Serpent

Types of Christ: Burnt offering

Types of Christ: Cities of Refuge

Types of Christ: David

Types of Christ: Eliakim

Types of Christ: First-Fruits

Types of Christ: Golden Altar

Types of Christ: Golden Candlestick

Types of Christ: Isaac

Types of Christ: Jacob

Types of Christ: Jacob's Ladder

Types of Christ: Jonah

Types of Christ: Joseph

Types of Christ: Joshua

Types of Christ: Laver of Brass

Types of Christ: Leper's offering

Types of Christ: Man

Types of Christ: Melchizedek

Types of Christ: Mercy-Seat

Types of Christ: Morning and Evening Sacrifices

Types of Christ: Moses

Types of Christ: Noah

Types of Christ: Paschal Lamb

Types of Christ: Peace offerings

Types of Christ: Red Heifer

Types of Christ: Rock of Horeb

Types of Christ: Samson

Types of Christ: Scape Goat

Types of Christ: Sin offering

Types of Christ: Solomon

Types of Christ: Tabernacle

Types of Christ: Table and Show Bread

Types of Christ: Temple

Types of Christ: Tree of Life

Types of Christ: Trespass offering

Types of Christ: Vail of the Tabernacle and Temple

Types of Christ: Zerubbabel

Types of the Saviour

Types of the Saviour: Abel

Types of the Saviour: Adam

Types of the Saviour: David

Types of the Saviour: Eliakim

Types of the Saviour: High Priest, Typical of the Mediatorship

Types of the Saviour: Jonah

Types of the Saviour: Manna

Types of the Saviour: Melchizedek

Types of the Saviour: Moses

Types of the Saviour: Noah

Types of the Saviour: The Bronze Altar

Types of the Saviour: The Bronze Laver

Types of the Saviour: The Bronze Serpent

Types of the Saviour: The Cities of Refuge

Types of the Saviour: The Curtain

Types of the Saviour: The Institutions Ordained by Moses

Types of the Saviour: The Mercy-Seat

Types of the Saviour: The Morning and Evening Sacrifice

Types of the Saviour: The Paschal Lamb

Types of the Saviour: The Red Heifer

Types of the Saviour: The Sacrifices

Types of the Saviour: The Tree of Life

Types: Miscellaneous: Bride, a Type of the Body of Christ

Types: Miscellaneous: The Sanctuary a Type of the Heavenly Sanctuary

Types: Miscellaneous: The Saving of Noah and his Family, of the Salvation Through the Gospel

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Types of the Saviour: The Curtain
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