How to Find Jesus in the Old Testament

In one of the episodes of Little House on the Prairie, Laura Ingalls and her friend, Andy, track down a thief who has been stealing pies and other food from people in Walnut Grove. They use whatever tools they have available — including spreading flour on the counters at the town store to “dust” for fingerprints. They are persistent in their search, to the dismay of their parents and other community members who get caught up in the consequences of their sleuthing. (Spoiler alert: Laura’s father ends up with green paint dumped on his head!) 

So what does their detective work have to do with the Bible? We need to be a bit like detectives to “find Jesus” in the Old Testament. Our task may be a bit easier than it was for the Walnut Grove detectives, because we already know who we are looking for. We know that Jesus came and lived among his people at a specific point in human history (this is usually referred to as the “incarnation”). We also know that the Bible gives us clues as to his eternal existence before he was conceived in the womb of a young girl named Mary. But how do we know if something in the Old Testament really is pointing to Jesus, or if we are stretching our imagination a little too far? 

And then we have words like theophanies. And Christophanies. And who is Melchizedek (is that even spelled right??). What — or who — is an Angel of the LORD? What do they have to do with Jesus in the Old Testament? Our detective work seems to raise more questions than answers, but Mike Winger helps us work through some of these ideas in his  YouTube series: How to Find Jesus in the Old Testament.

Mike Winger’s conversational and witty teaching style are easy to follow. As we join him on a journey through the Old Testament, he shows us clues for finding Jesus. We search with him as he reads passages in their context, and he helps us see the “fingerprints” that God has put there for us to find. As we follow the trail, Mike Winger also gives us the tools we need to understand how to faithfully interpret those clues. As we go through each video, we learn guiding principles that we can rely on when we come across other passages that may have more clues. 

Mike Winger’s passion for Scripture and love for God shine through at each moment. The time seems to fly as we observe each interesting, fascinating, awe-inspiring detail in Scripture. The videos are presented in a style that will appeal to young and seasoned Scripture detectives. Watch these videos with a Bible, pen, notebook, and magnifying glass in hand because there is so much to see! The clues are in Scripture and its Author wants us to find them. 
 

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