In this message we shall cover more aspects of Christ’s person in the fulfillment of the types and figures of the Old Testament.
Numbers 24:17 says, “There shall come a Star out of Jacob.” This Star refers to Christ. The fulfillment of this type of Christ is found in the word of the magi, learned men from the east, recorded in Matthew 2:2: “Where is He who is born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and came to worship Him.” The magi did not say, “We have seen a star,” or “We have seen the star,” but, “We have seen His star.” This is certainly the fulfillment of Numbers 24:17. The star spoken of in this verse was shown to these learned men; it did not appear to any of the people of Israel. Whereas the Jews had the Scriptures concerning Christ and knew where He would be born (Matt. 2:4-6), the magi saw the star of Christ. The Jews had the knowledge in letters concerning Christ, but these learned men from the east received a living vision concerning Him. Eventually the star led them to the place where Christ was (Matt. 2:9-10).
Although Christ is the real Sun (Mal. 4:2), He does not appear as the Sun during this age of night. Rather, He shines as a star. A star shines at night, but it indicates that day is coming. When Christ came the first time, He appeared openly as a star. But when He comes the second time, He will be the morning star (Rev. 2:28; 22:16) to His overcomers, who watch for His coming. To all others Christ will later appear as the sun.
Deuteronomy 21:22 and 23 say, “If a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree: his body shall not remain all night upon the tree.” This word is fulfilled in Galatians 3:13, which reveals that Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by being the One hanged on a tree. The “tree” refers to the cross made of wood, a Roman instrument of capital punishment. The Jewish death penalty was by stoning (Lev. 20:2, 27; 24:23; Deut. 13:10; 17:5; 21:21). Crucifixion was a heathen practice (Ezra 6:11) adopted by the Romans for the execution of slaves and heinous criminals only. When the Lord Jesus was crucified, He was hanged on a tree, in fulfillment of Deuteronomy 21:22-23.
We have seen that Christ is the rock with the living water, the One smitten by God on the cross so that the Spirit as living water may flow out for us to drink (Exo. 17:6; 1 Cor. 10:4). Now we need to see that Christ is the rock in another sense. Deuteronomy 32:4 speaks of the Rock. The Rock here is the eternal Rock (Isa. 26:4), the Triune God. This Rock is embodied in Christ as the expression of the Triune God. As such, Christ is the Rock that begot us (Deut. 32:18), that is, the begetting Rock, full of life. In Deuteronomy 32:15; 2 Samuel 22:47; and Psalm 95:1, Christ is the Rock of our salvation, and this Rock is our strength (Psa. 62:7) and our refuge (Psa. 94:22). This Rock is our hiding place, protection, covering, and safeguard. Christ is the Rock (Matt. 16:18), the embodiment and expression of the Triune God, on which we rely and on which we stand. He is the Rock of our salvation, refuge, and strength.
The good land, the land of Canaan (Deut. 8:7-10), is a type of the all-inclusive Christ, the Christ who is all and in all and who is everything to us. The Passover, the manna, the tabernacle with its furniture, and all the offerings are types depicting various aspects of Christ. Only the land of Canaan is a full type, the complete and all-inclusive type, of Christ. In the Old Testament no type other than the good land shows that Christ is the all-inclusive One. Therefore, the good land is the ultimate type of Christ found in the Scriptures.
In the Bible the land is a figure, a symbol, of Christ. The land that came out of the death water on the third day (Gen. 1:9-10, 13) is a type of the resurrected Christ who came out of death on the third day. Many different kinds of life, including vegetable, animal, and human life, then came out of the land (Gen. 1:11-12, 24-25). This signifies that Christ is the source of all kinds of life. Everything God prepared for mankind is concentrated in the land. God’s intention revealed in the Scriptures is that Christ should be our land. Christ as the good land, the land that came out of the death water, the land that was elevated above and surrounded by the death water, is depicted by the land of Canaan.
This land is the crucial focus of the Old Testament. For this reason the Lord speaks of the land again and again. He called out Abraham and told him that He would bring him into a certain land, the land of Canaan (Gen. 12:1). The center of God’s plan, speaking according to type, is the good land with its temple and city.
In Colossians Paul employs the concept of the all-inclusive land. In Colossians 1:12 he speaks of “the portion of the saints.” This portion is the all-inclusive Christ for our enjoyment. The Greek word rendered “portion” in this verse can also be rendered “lot,” referring to an allotment. When Paul was writing the Epistle to the Colossians, he no doubt had in mind the picture of the allotting of the good land to the children of Israel (Josh. 14:1). He used the word “portion” with the Old Testament record of the land as the background. God gave His chosen people, the children of Israel, the good land for their inheritance for their enjoyment. In Colossians Christ is revealed as our portion, our lot. Just as the land of Canaan was everything to the children of Israel, so Christ, the reality of the type of the good land, is everything to us.
The good land provided whatever the children of Israel needed: water, wheat, barley, vines, fig trees, pomegranates, olive trees, animals, milk, honey, stones, iron, copper. All these items, most of which are mentioned in Deuteronomy 8:7-10, are types of Christ. He is the water that springs from valleys and hills. He is the wheat, which signifies the incarnated and crucified Christ, and the barley, which signifies the resurrected Christ. The vine typifies Christ as the sacrificing One who cheers God and man; the fig tree, the sweetness and satisfaction of Christ as our life supply; the pomegranate, the abundance and beauty of the life of Christ; the olive tree, Christ as the man filled with the Spirit and anointed with the Spirit as the oil of exultant joy; the animal life, Christ with His redeeming life; milk and honey, Christ in His richness and sweetness; stones, iron, and copper, Christ as the materials for building and fighting.
In Acts 26:18 Paul refers to the all-inclusive Christ as our inheritance. As the result of having our eyes opened and of being transferred from the authority of Satan to God, we not only have the forgiveness of sins, but we also receive a divine inheritance. This inheritance is the Triune God Himself with all that He has, all He has done, and all He will do for His redeemed people. This Triune God is embodied in the all-inclusive Christ (Col. 2:9) who is the portion allotted to the saints as their inheritance. The Holy Spirit, who has been given to the saints, is the foretaste, the seal, the pledge, and the guarantee of this divine inheritance (Rom. 8:23; Eph. 1:13-14), which we are sharing and enjoying today as a foretaste and will share and enjoy in full in the coming age and for eternity (1 Pet. 1:4). The good land truly is a type of the all-inclusive Christ. Christ, the embodiment of the processed Triune God, has been given to us as our inheritance.