The best Christian books to learn about Jesus Christ in the Old Testament

Mr. Limbaugh’s New York Times bestseller discusses how each book of the Old Testament points to Jesus, or in other words how Jesus is shown in each book.

One chapter is given to the book of Genesis, with some attention to Abraham sacrificing Isaac, but again this makes little of the content. This book is for people looking for a broad understanding of the Old Testament in general and how it looks to Christ.

Some Old Testament books, such as Numbers, contain multiple types, while other books, such as Deuteronomy, contain less types; therefore, some types can’t receive the attention they deserve, while other books are given more attention than they should.

This is a bible study by Mrs. Guthrie. She takes each of the ten weeks to look at Christ in a different way throughout the book of Genesis.

For example, she sees him as the agent of creation, the offspring who will crush the head of the serpent, the ark of salvation, the source of the righteousness credited to Abraham, the substitutionary sacrifice provided by God, the Savior to whom the whole world must come for life. Some of these are prophecies and some of these are types and shadows.

The book is focused on small groups and comes with a leader’s guide. Christ in the Old Testament can be used in small groups, but it’s just as fitting for personal study.

This is a devotional with 60 entries. Many of the devotions are not types or shadows, but instead are illustrations and devotional thoughts. Additionally, some of the “types” are actually prophecies.

With a devotion for each day there is a nice understanding given for each entry. The book also elaborates on each type and shadow in a greater way, providing more depth. There is a wonderful emphasis on some of the stronger messianic passages, which is also how the chapters are divided.

For example, chapter 1 looks at Genesis 3 and Jesus being the Seed of the Woman who crushes the head of the serpent. Chapter 2 is about Genesis 22 and Isaac being a picture or type of Christ when he is sacrificed by Abraham. Jesus is the sacrificial lamb of Exodus 12 in chapter 3, the afflicted one of Psalm 22 in chapter 4, and so on. Other Old Testament chapters examined our 2 Samuel 7, Psalm 110, Isaiah 9, 49, and 53.

This book focuses strictly on the seven feasts in Leviticus 23 as opposed to multiple types from throughout the Old Testament.

This book is also more of a devotional, with something to read each day. There are also questions to answer, which makes it more like a study guide or workbook than an actual book or devotional. With that said, the book provides a great understanding of the seven feasts and the way they each looked to Christ.

For example, most people know that Jesus is our Passover Lamb, but they would be surprised to see that the other six feasts look to him as well. You will be blessed to see how Jesus is revealed through each of them.

This book is part of a series, or set, written by Dr. Wright. The other books in the series are about knowing God, knowing that Father, and knowing the Holy Spirit, all through the Old Testament.

Dr. Wright’s book does not focus on types and shadows. Instead, his book encourages the reader to see Jesus largely as the replacement of Israel. Where Israel failed, Jesus succeeded. Dr. Wright’s book is also a summary of how the early church view Jesus.

The book traces the life of Christ as it is illuminated by the Old Testament. And he describes God's plan for the nation of Israel by seeing it fulfilled in Jesus Christ.