Many people in the Old Testament foreshadow aspects of Jesus’ life and ministry.
If you had to choose one person, who would it be, and what similarities do you see?
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Well, we will leave aside that Christ Himself appears in the Old Testament. Throughout the Old Testament, a distinct figure appears called “the Angel of the LORD” who is spoken of both as distinct from God and yet explicitly identified as God:
Hagar at the Well. Genesis 16:7–13: The Angel promises to multiply her offspring, and Hagar responds by calling Him “You are the God who sees me.”
The Burning Bush. Exodus 3:2–6: The Angel of the LORD appears in the flame of fire, but the text immediately says, “God called to him out of the bush… ‘I am the God of your father.’”
Gideon & Manoah. Judges 6 & 13: Manoah realizes he met the Angel of the LORD and says, “We shall surely die, for we have seen God” Judges 13:22.
The Commander of the Army of the LORD. In Joshua 5:13–15, Joshua encounters a man with a drawn sword near Jericho. When Joshua asks whose side he is on, the figure replies, “No; but I am the commander of the army of the LORD.” Unlike created angels who refuse worship Revelation 22:8–9, this Commander receives Joshua’s worship and commands him to remove his sandals because the ground is holy—echoing the burning bush encounter.
The fourth man in the fiery furnace: In Daniel 3:24–25, King Nebuchadnezzar throws Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego into the furnace and exclaims, “I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire… and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.”
That aside, I guess I would have to go with Joseph (The Suffering and Exalted Savior)
Joseph offers arguably the most comprehensive life-narrative shadow of Jesus:
Beloved Son: The favorite son of his father Genesis 37:3; Matthew 3:17
Rejected by His Own: Betrayed by his brothers for the price of a slave Genesis 37:28; Matthew 26:15.
Falsely Accused & Humiliated: Wrongly condemned despite his innocence Genesis 39:19–20.
Exalted to Rule: Raised from prison to the right hand of Pharaoh Genesis 41:40; Philippians 2:9.
Savior of Gentiles & Jews: Saved the surrounding nations from famine and ultimately reconciled with and redeemed the brothers who rejected him Genesis 45:5–7; Romans 11:25–26.
However, there are a few.
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