CHRIST’S TITLES HIDDEN IN THE OLD TESTAMENT.

On the road to Emmaus, the risen Lord revealed He was the hidden truth of the entire Old Testament. This stirs the heart of each believer in our Lord Jesus.

Let’s begin in the first book, that of Genesis, where the God states to the serpent, ’ I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and HER SEED. He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.’ Descendants are always the ‘seed of the male’, but here it describes the seed of the woman, for this refers to the virgin conception of our Lord Jesus through Mary. Many liberal scholars sadly reject this priceless truth. While our Lord suffered in his body ( that is the heel ), he scored a mighty victory over satan ( bruising his head ).

Our Lord is the Lion of the tribe of Judah, which is expanded in Genesis 49:10,

’ The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, Nor a law-giver from between His feet, until Shiloh comes, and to Him shall be the obedience of the people. His title is SHILOH, meaning peace, where the ark of the covenant rested after the conquest of the Promised land, ( Joshua 18 ) remaining there during the time of the Judges. It was later removed by the Philistines. So Shiloh means the eternal Son is present, as prefigured in the ark of the covenant. Yes, His hidden name is clear.

We are accustomed to read in the new testament that our Lord Jesus is the great I AM, such as the Door, the Good shepherd, the Resurrection, the Life, the Light of the world, the Way, the Truth ,the Life. He is also the great I AM in Exodus 3:14. The rebellious people asked Moses who was the Lord; to which God relied, ’I AM THAT I AM.’. The Lord existed eternally, unchanged as the Son of God, who became flesh, and lived among us. WE must trust Him as the ageless One.

Joshua encountered a formidable Person, wielding a drawn sword in his hand. (5:14,15 ) ‘Are You for us or for our adversaries?’ Hearing an unforgettable voice, “As a Commander of the army of the Lord, I have now come.’ Joshua could not doubt the origin of that voice, similar to what Mary Magdalene heard at the resurrection of the Lord. Joshua fell on his face to the earth; not on his back gazing heavenwards, and said to Him, ’What does My Lord say to me?’ He submitted to the great Field Marshal. ‘ Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy.’ Joshua did so. Do you salute your Commander when He orders you?

Job 19:25 clearly speaks of our Lord Jesus’ resurrection life. ‘They were engraved on a rock with an iron pen and lead, for ever.’ Never to be erased. Job was persuaded,’ For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth, and after my skin is destroyed ( action of worms ), this I know that in my flesh shall I see GOD. Whom I shall see for myself. And not another.’ Dr Devadatta, eminent Indian surgeon, contended for this great truth/. He read Job entirely over a night of prayer, defending quietly, determinedly the truth, ‘His Lord had risen from the dead.’ Job shows that Christ is our Redeemer and Resurrection.

You would rightly expect to find our Lord jesus in the psalms. In psalm 2:6 , I have set My King on my holy hill of Zion.’ and in verse 7, ‘You are my SON, today I have begotten you, ‘ While in Psalm 22, the opening words, My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? were quoted on the cross by our suffering Lord as sin-bearer : and our Saviour spoke the closing words, ‘It is finished’ when He had completed His marvellous redemptive work.

Favourite among many cultures is the 23 ^{rd psalm.} . ‘The Lord is My shepherd. I shall not want.’ Yes, it parallels the 10^th chapter of John, where the Lord showed He was the ‘Good Shepherd who gives His life for the sheep.’ This Psalm illustrates the caring ministry of the good shepherd; telling of the great Shepherd’s loving attention to detail for the sheep, For example, He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters; He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake; How exciting to find our beloved saviour faithfully presented by King David 1000 years before He came to this earth.

Our Lord is shown as the foundation stone in Psalm 118;22. ‘The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.’ Christ is the rock-like truth, on which He will build His church. He came to his own, and His own received Him not.’ They levered the stone aside, rejecting Him and finally taking His life. He is the living rock, on which every believer is built as a spiritual stone. Born-again believers from every nation and people are built on this eternal Rock Christ Jesus.

David foresaw His coming to live among us. We are securely founded on HIM.

Remarkably, Isaiah has many portraits of the Lord Jesus in his remarkable prophecy. Chapter 9:6 has an astonishing word. It is sadly confined to Christmas season, whereas the truth should enrich us through all the year.

’For unto us a child is born’; the eternal one was born of Mary at Bethlehem.

‘Unto us ( so privileged ) a SON is given’; the heavenward aspect; God emptied heaven in giving His beloved Son. ‘The government shall be on His shoulder ( the high priest carried the names of the twelve tribes of Israel on his shoulder as he entered into the Holy of Holies.) Christ carried us in His heavenly intercession.

‘And His name shall be called; Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.’ The only person in God’s created universe to qualify for these extraordinary titles was the Lord Jesus Christ. He is full of wonder in His person and all He does. He is our counsellor ‘For in Him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. He is the mighty God, ‘All the fullness of the Godhead bodily dwells in Him.’ I and My Father are one,’ shows His firm unity with the everlasting Father. What peace flowed into our lives when he saved us from our sin; what blessing nations have received when they invited the Prince of peace

Only when the Lord returns with His ransomed bride, the church, will the nation of Israel bow before their Messiah, the Prince of Peace. What joy and what psalms will flow after the scattering 1900 years ago. Now redeemed.! To be continued.