A Biblical Vision, Part I: Mastering the Old Testament Witness to Christ

Session 3: The History of Israel as Type and Analogy in the Old Testament’s Witness to Christ 51

1. This portion of prophetic Scripture is dramatically rich in making associations regarding the “good tidings.”

Isa. 40.9 Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news; lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!” Isa. 52.7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.” Isa. 61.1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound.

2. As God promised “good tidings proclaimed” for the people of God after the return from exile, so we see this fulfilled in the New Testament history.

a. John the Baptist as the voice in the wilderness, Isa. 40.3 – A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”

b. The Suffering Servant of Jehovah as the Lord Jesus himself, Luke 4.18-19 – “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, [19] to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” 3. The outpouring of God’s Spirit on his people, Joel 2.28-32 and Acts 2.16-18 (cf. Joel 2.28-32) – And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. [29] Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit. [30] And I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. [31] The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. [32] And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the Lord has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the Lord calls.