Where does the Old Testament teach the resurrection of Christ? You may have heard scholars say that the Old Testament teaches no expectation of life after death. This is absolute ignorance. Although the New Testament does add a lot of light to the Old Testament doctrine of the resurrection, nevertheless the Old Testament itself gives us much that foretells the resurrection of Christ, as Paul himself says: “He rose the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:4). Let’s look at a few notable instances.

Abraham’ receiving Isaac back⤒🔗

When Abraham “stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son” (Gen. 22:10), he gave up his son in sacrifice unto God, as God had commanded. The Lord proved this when He said by the angel: “Thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me” (Gen. 22:12). What a picture of the resurrection, then, when Abraham untied the ropes that bound Isaac to the altar! The epistle to the Hebrews confirms this, when it says of Abraham that he accounted “that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from whence also he received him in a figure” (Heb. 11:19).

Aaron’s rod that budded←⤒🔗

When the children of Israel challenged the uniqueness of the priesthood of Aaron, the Lord ordered that each tribe should produce a rod and place it before the tabernacle of the con­gregation (Num. 17:1-3). Each of these rods was a dead piece of wood, but after a night in the tabernacle before the Lord, a miracle of new life is apparent in the rod of Aaron:

And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the taber­nacle of witness; and behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.Num. 17:8

Just as the Lord vindicated the priesthood of Aaron in this remarkable miracle, so the Father displayed the righteousness of Christ, the Mediator, before the world by raising Him from the dead.

Job’ redeemer lives←⤒🔗

While Job’s body was close to being swallowed up by the forces of death, the Lord lifted the eyes of his soul beyond this life and beyond himself to his Redeemer (Job 19:25-27). This is by all accounts a remarkable prophecy. Job was able to see and confess that his Redeemer would come in the fullness of time, face death, but also rise from the dead. By faith he was con­vinced that the Redeemer would stand on the earth in the glo­rious general resurrection and that he himself would see Him.

David’s Hope←⤒🔗

David frequently faced death, but in the midst of these threats, he hoped in the resurrection. He knew by faith that his great descendant, Christ, would secure this for him. As Peter testified in Acts 2:26-31, David prophesied of Christ’s resurrection in Psalm 16:10: “For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell: neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.”

Jonah’s Resurrection←⤒🔗

As a type of the substitutionary death of Christ, Jonah was thrown overboard in order that the wrath of God evident in the storm might be pacified. However, by the great fish God sent (Jonah 1:17), Jonah’s three days and three nights in his watery grave became an emblem of Christ’s death and resurrection, as Christ Himself said (Matt. 12:40).

Hosea’s Song←⤒🔗

Much of Hosea’s prophecy is devoted to uncovering Israel’s sin. By her idolatry, she had proved that she loved death and destroyed herself (Hos. 13:9). Nevertheless, the Hope of Israel comes and promises that He will deal with her sin and death, especially, when the Lord says in Hosea 13:14:

I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction.

Paul makes abundantly clear that Christ has ful­filled this prophecy by rising from the dead (1 Cor. 15:54-55).

Ezekiel’s Vision of the dead bones rising←⤒🔗

Ezekiel’s vision of the valley of dry bones is a potent prophecy of the spiritual resurrection of God’s people. However, it is rooted in and based upon the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, for the Lord says: “I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of our graves” (Ezek. 37:13). This was accomplished when Jesus died on the cross, entered into the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, and rose again, quicken­ing His people together with Himself (Eph. 2:1, 5).

Application←⤒🔗

In this light, we see two things that should challenge us today.

1. God mercifully decreed Christ’s resurrection from eternity and gave insight into it from early days on. Should we not esteem the resurrection of Christ all the more, living after it, as we do?
    
2. Scripture announces the resurrection of Christ as God’s answer to the death we chose by our disobedience to the covenant of works. If this resurrection is not ours by faith, what means do we have to escape eternal death?