Foreshadowing Christ
Symbols in the Old Testament
As Christians, we read the Old Testament with a deep awareness of who Christ is through the New Testament. The Scriptures are not just a collection of historical events; they are a divinely inspired revelation that foreshadows the coming of Jesus Christ. This concept of foreshadowing in the Bible helps us see how the Old Testament points forward to Christ in ways we might not have fully understood until His coming.
Understanding Foreshadowing and Prophecy
While prophecy in the Old Testament speaks directly to the coming of the Messiah, often with details about His role and mission, foreshadowing is a more subtle, symbolic occurrence. The Old Testament is filled with moments where events, figures, or objects seem to be pointing toward Jesus, though they were not fully understood until after His life, death, and resurrection. In retrospect, as we read the Scriptures through the lens of Christ, we begin to recognize these symbols and connections.
This retrospective understanding of God’s plan is a powerful tool for discernment in our own lives. Often, when we seek God’s will, we wish for clear direction before making decisions. Yet, much like the Israelites, we may not always understand the significance of an event until after it has happened.
At times, we look back and realize that, in the end, God’s plan has unfolded as it should.
And sometimes, we recognize that we may have strayed from His will, but this, too, can teach us valuable lessons.
The Book of Tobit: A Beautiful Example of Foreshadowing
One striking example of foreshadowing in the Old Testament can be found in the Book of Tobit. This relatively short book of the Bible, which recounts the life of Tobit and his son Tobiah, contains an unexpected symbol that points directly to Christ: the fish.
In the story, Tobiah, with the help of the angel Raphael, catches a fish. The fish plays a central role in the narrative, as parts of it are used to heal physical ailments and drive away evil spirits. The symbolism here becomes clearer when we reflect on the deeper meaning of the fish in the context of Christian tradition.
In the early Christian Church, the Greek letters for “Jesus Christ” looked to them like a fish. Thus the fish was adopted by early Christians as a secret symbol of their faith, appearing in catacombs, on tombs, and in places of worship.
The fish became a shorthand symbol of Christ, not just because of the letters, but because of the significance of Jesus’ actions, such as multiplying loaves and fish and calling the disciples to become “fishers of men.”
The Healing Power of the Fish: A Symbol of Christ's Redemptive Work
In the Book of Tobit, the fish is a remedy for both the spiritual and physical ailments of the characters. In the case of Sarah, part of the fish is burned to drive away the demon that plagues her. In the case of Tobit, another part of the fish is used to create an ointment that heals his blindness. These acts of healing—one spiritual and one physical—are a powerful foreshadowing of the comprehensive healing that Christ offers to all of humanity.
Jesus, as the ultimate healer, came to remedy the needs of both body and soul.
His ministry was not only about forgiving sins but also about healing the sick, giving sight to the blind, and bringing wholeness to the broken. In this way, the fish in Tobit serves as a symbol of Christ’s redemptive work—He is the remedy for all that afflicts us, both spiritually and physically.
This foreshadowing is not by accident. It is evidence of God’s divine plan, unfolding in ways that even the writers of the Old Testament may not have fully understood at the time. But God, in His omniscience, sees all things as if they were happening simultaneously.
From the beginning, He knew that Jesus would be the Savior of the world, and in the writings of the Old Testament, He planted signs and symbols that would point to Him.
Recognizing Christ in Our Own Lives
Just as the Old Testament narratives reveal Christ’s presence through foreshadowing, we too are invited to recognize Christ’s work in our own lives. Often, we may not fully understand God’s hand at work in the moment, but with time and reflection, we can look back and see how He was guiding us, even when we didn’t recognize it at the time.
In our journey of faith, let us continue to seek deeper insights as we read the Scriptures, allowing God to reveal His message to us. May God grant us the wisdom to understand the true meaning of the Scriptures and to see Christ’s presence in every aspect of our lives.
In the Heart of Christ,
Fr. Michael Stalla