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ANTICIPATION OF CHRIST

Expectation of Christ is the sentiment of the Old Testament—the thirty-nine books teach and predict Christ. From the Protoevangelium spoken in Eden (Gen. 3:15) to the prediction of the messenger who would prepare the way for the Christ (Mal. 3:1), the announcement is the same: the Messiah is coming.

Because of the Messianic expectation there is hope for the race of men who are living under the curse pronounced in the Garden. Evil will not triumph, for the foot of evil is set in a slippery place. Where sin abounds grace does much more abound—there is the Gospel, a word from God affirming His act of redemption, and with that word there is an assurance that the word will not be broken but will come to pass.

The Gospel is the message of the Old as well as the New Testament; the difference is one of perspective: in the Old there is the note of anticipation, while in the New there is the declaration of accomplishment. The message is either that the Christ is coming or that the Christ has come. But both Testaments declare Christ, therefore, to delete the Gospel from the Old Testament and restrict it exclusively to the New is flawed exegesis. The written Word of God is about the living Word of God.

Consideration will be given to the following topics:

        Protoevangelium

        Seed of Abraham

        Priest like Melchizedek

        A Prophet like Moses

        Son of David

        Predictions of the Prophets

        The Jewish Hope

        Confirmations of Christ in the Old Testament


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