Most Christians naturally picture Jesus beginning His story in Bethlehem, the manger, Mary and Joseph, the angels, and the shepherds. But the Bible tells us something deeper: Jesus has always existed, and His fingerprints are all over the Old Testament.
The Eternal Word
John opens his Gospel with a sweeping statement: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Through Him all things were made” (John 1:1–3). The “Word” here is Jesus. That means Jesus was not only present at creation, but actively involved in it. Adam’s first walks with God were not with a distant Father, but with the Son who would one day redeem mankind.
The Angel of the Lord
One of the clearest threads is the mysterious figure called “the Angel of the Lord.” Unlike other angels, this one speaks as God, accepts worship, and carries divine authority:
- He finds Hagar in the wilderness (Genesis 16).
- He stops Abraham from sacrificing Isaac (Genesis 22).
- He speaks to Moses from the burning bush (Exodus 3).
- He stands before Joshua as the “Commander of the Lord’s Army” (Joshua 5).
No created angel has ever received worship, but Jesus does. These encounters point directly to the pre-incarnate Christ.
Wrestling with Jacob
Jacob’s nightlong wrestling match (Genesis 32) is one of the most striking examples. Jacob says afterward, “I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.” He didn’t wrestle with a vague presence; he wrestled with the One who would later take on flesh.
Walking in the Fire
When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were thrown into the furnace, Nebuchadnezzar marveled: “I see four men walking around in the fire… and the fourth looks like a son of the gods” (Daniel 3:25). Jesus wasn’t waiting for Bethlehem to step in, He was already delivering His people in the fire.
Why Christians Struggle to See Him
So why do many believers fail to recognize Jesus in the Old Testament?
- Timeline Thinking – We tend to divide history too neatly: “Father in the Old Testament, Son in the New Testament.” But the Trinity is not bound by time.
- Incarnation Confusion – Because Jesus became flesh in Bethlehem, people assume that was His beginning. But the incarnation was His arrival in flesh, not His origin.
- Surface Reading – Without digging into the original context, “the Angel of the Lord” just seems like another messenger, not the Son revealing Himself.
Why This Matters
When we recognize Jesus in the Old Testament, Scripture comes alive. It shows us that:
- God’s plan of redemption has always been centered in Christ.
- The same Jesus who died for us also walked with Adam, Abraham, Jacob, and Israel’s faithful.
- He has always been the bridge between God and man, not just after the manger, but from the very beginning.
✍️ Takeaway for readers: Don’t confine Jesus to the New Testament. He is eternal, unchanging, and woven through the entire story of the Bible. From Eden to Revelation, it has always been Him.
Troy P Zehnder 