Discover how Old Testament stories and figures foreshadow the coming Messiah. Join Chuck Pike as he explores the rich typology woven throughout the Hebrew Scriptures that points unmistakably to Jesus Christ.

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Course Content

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Lecture 1: Shadows of Christ in the Ot
Lecture 2: Seeing Christ in Daniel
Lecture 3: Seeing Christ in Jonah
Lecture 4: Seeing Christ in Moses
Lecture 5: Seeing Christ in Joseph
Lecture 6: Seeing Christ in Joshua
Lecture 7: Resurrection Prophecies Recap
Free Course Guide

What This Free Course Covers

Shadows of Christ is a free course on Old Testament prophecies, types, and allegorical patterns that point to Jesus. The lessons begin with Jesus’ own words in Luke 24 and John 5, where He teaches that the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms speak concerning Him. From there, the course looks at familiar Old Testament accounts with special attention to details that the apostles and early Christians saw as foreshadowing Christ.

Students will examine Daniel in the lions’ den, Jonah and the third day, Moses as the prophet like Christ, Joseph’s suffering and exaltation, Joshua and Jericho, Rahab’s deliverance, and a broad recap of resurrection prophecies across the Old Testament. The course is especially concerned with how fulfilled prophecy strengthens faith, supports the preaching of the gospel, and helps readers see Jesus more clearly in the Hebrew Scriptures.

Old Testament prophecy Types and shadows Christ in the Law of Moses Resurrection of Jesus Third-day prophecy Early Christian interpretation Fulfilled prophecy and faith Judgment and deliverance Kingdom of God

What You Will Study

  • How Jesus and the apostles present the Old Testament as a witness to Christ
  • Why the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms matter for understanding Jesus’ death and resurrection
  • How early Christian writers read Old Testament types, shadows, and allegories
  • Daniel 6 as a foreshadowing of Christ’s suffering, death, and resurrection
  • Jonah as the sign of Christ’s burial, descent to Hades, and resurrection on the third day
  • Moses, Joseph, Joshua, and Rahab as Old Testament figures and stories that point forward to Christ and salvation
  • A survey of resurrection prophecies drawn from the Law, Psalms, Prophets, and historical books

Questions This Course Helps Answer

  • What did Jesus mean when He said Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms spoke concerning Him?
  • Why did the apostles rely on Old Testament prophecy when preaching the gospel?
  • How can Daniel in the lions’ den foreshadow the death and resurrection of Christ?
  • Where does the Old Testament speak of resurrection on the third day?
  • Why did Jesus identify Jonah as a sign pointing to Himself?
  • What does it mean that Moses wrote about Christ?
  • How is the promised prophet like Moses connected to Jesus?
  • Why does Genesis devote so much space to the story of Joseph?
  • How do Joseph’s betrayal, suffering, exaltation, and forgiveness point toward Christ?
  • What spiritual lessons does the fall of Jericho teach about judgment, deliverance, and obedience?
  • How does Rahab’s scarlet cord function as a picture of salvation?
  • Where can students find Old Testament prophecies of Christ’s resurrection beyond the most familiar passages?

Lesson-by-Lesson Guide

Lecture 1: Shadows of Christ in the Ot

This introductory lecture begins with Jesus on the road to Emmaus and His teaching that the Old Testament Scriptures speak concerning Him. It explains why students should expect to find more prophecies, types, and shadows of Christ in the Old Testament than a few familiar passages.

  • What did Jesus explain to His disciples after the resurrection?
  • How do the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms testify about Christ?
  • Why is ancient Eastern thinking important for reading biblical types and allegories?
  • How did early Christian writers help readers notice Old Testament shadows of Christ?

Lecture 2: Seeing Christ in Daniel

This lesson studies Daniel 6 and argues that the story of Daniel in the lions’ den contains a detailed foreshadowing of Christ. It compares Daniel’s rejection, prayer, condemnation, deliverance, and vindication with the suffering and resurrection of Jesus.

  • How can Daniel 6 be read as a prophecy or type of Christ?
  • Why were Daniel’s enemies jealous of him?
  • How does Daniel’s prayer before death compare with Jesus in Gethsemane?
  • How did Peter describe the Old Testament prophets in Acts?

Lecture 3: Seeing Christ in Jonah

This lesson focuses on Jesus’ statement that Jonah was a sign of the Son of Man. It examines Jonah’s three days and three nights, his prayer from Sheol or Hades, and the connection to Christ’s burial, descent, resurrection, and call to repentance.

  • Where does Scripture connect Jonah with the resurrection of Jesus?
  • Why does Jonah pray from Sheol or Hades while in the great fish?
  • How does Jonah point to the third-day resurrection?
  • What role does Nineveh’s repentance play in the sign of Jonah?

Lecture 4: Seeing Christ in Moses

This lesson asks where Moses wrote about Christ and focuses on the promised prophet like Moses. It also traces detailed parallels between Moses and Jesus, including deliverance from bondage, mission, rejection, and the giving of commandments for God’s people.

  • What did Jesus mean when He said Moses wrote about Him?
  • Who is the prophet like Moses in Deuteronomy 18?
  • How do Moses and Jesus both lead people out of bondage?
  • How should Christians understand the kingdom teachings of Jesus in relation to Moses?

Lecture 5: Seeing Christ in Joseph

This lesson studies the long Genesis account of Joseph and asks why so many details of his life are included. It presents Joseph’s betrayal, suffering, exaltation, provision of bread, forgiveness, and saving of many lives as a rich foreshadowing of Christ.

  • Why does Genesis devote so much attention to Joseph’s life?
  • How do Joseph’s rejection and suffering point toward Jesus?
  • How does Joseph’s exaltation and provision of food reflect Christ?
  • What can Joseph teach about purity, forgiveness, and trusting God through injustice?

Lecture 6: Seeing Christ in Joshua

This lesson studies the fall of Jericho on three levels: the storyline, moral and spiritual lessons, and allegorical significance. It gives special attention to Joshua, Rahab, the scarlet cord, the fear of God, judgment, deliverance, and the kingdom of God.

  • What does the story of Jericho teach about judgment and deliverance?
  • How does Rahab’s fear of God differ from the fear of the rest of Jericho?
  • Why is Rahab’s scarlet cord treated as a picture of salvation?
  • How does the lesson use Jericho to explain the kingdom of God?

Lecture 7: Resurrection Prophecies Recap

This recap gathers Old Testament prophecies that point to the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. It surveys passages from the Law of Moses, the Psalms, the Prophets, and historical books to show the breadth of the Old Testament witness to Christ.

  • Where does the Old Testament foretell the resurrection of Christ?
  • How does Luke 24 frame the resurrection as fulfillment of Scripture?
  • What passages beyond Psalm 16 point to resurrection?
  • How can fulfilled prophecy strengthen faith and support gospel witness?

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Shadows of Christ

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Course Includes

  • 7 Lessons
  • 6 Quizzes
  • Course Certificate