Typology (Alma 33)

by | Aug 8, 2018 | Scripture Study | 0 comments

book_fingers_pages.jpg

TYPOLOGY: The study of things in Christian belief that are prefigured or symbolized by things in the Old Testament

In Alma 33, Alma continues with his teachings to the people who were cast out of the synagogue in the previous chapter. Among the things he teaches them is an episode from the Old Testament in which Moses did something that is considered a “type” of Jesus Christ:

“A type was raised up in the wilderness, that whosoever would look upon it might live. And many did look and live … But there were many who were so hardened that they would not look, therefore they perished.” (Alma 33:19-20)

The episode referenced above is found in Numbers 21 where many Israelites were dying as a result of being bitten by poisonous snakes. At the direction of God, Moses set up a serpent of brass on a pole and told those who were bitten to look at it. Those who did so were healed and lived, but many refused to look, and so they died from the poison.

What makes this a type of Jesus Christ is that you can tell the same story from a spiritual perspective, replacing the serpent of brass in the story with Jesus: Mankind is afflicted with the poison of sin and is told to look to Jesus who was raised up on the cross. Those who do so are healed from their sins and will live eternally. Those who are so hardened that they refuse to look to Jesus will die in their sins.

People who engage in typology have gone through the Old Testament and identified many such types that line up with the story of Jesus Christ. Some of the writers of the New Testament and of the Book of Mormon were versed in typology as they identified some types as well:

  • The Israelites received bread (manna) from heaven; Jesus is the true bread from heaven. (John 6:30-35)
  • “For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” (Matthew 12:40)
  • “The blood of bulls and of goats … sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ … purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Hebrews 9:13-14)
  • “It was accounted unto Abraham in the wilderness to be obedient … in offering up his son Isaac, which is a similitude of God and his Only Begotten Son.” (Jacob 4:5)
  • Regarding the Liahona: “And now I say, is there not a type in this thing? For just as surely as this director did bring our fathers, by following its course, to the promised land, shall the words of Christ, if we follow their course, carry us beyond this vale of sorrow into a far better land of promise.” (Alma 37:45)

At a time when Christian values are being attacked all around us, it’s good to have as many tools as possible at our disposal to support the divinity of Jesus Christ. Typology is one of these, as it shows that the plan of redemption — with Jesus Christ as its center — was in place from the very beginning with the earliest scriptures giving clues to what would occur. Count it a blessing to be part of God’s long-term plan for mankind.

Bio Jerry New

This article has undergone ministry review and approval.

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Further Reading

Things Can Change Quickly and Dramatically

On the plates of Mormon, there is one short book with the title of "The Book of Nephi who is the son of Nephi — one of the disciples of Jesus Christ" (imagine trying to reference any verses by that name — or even remember it). In the 1830 edition of The Book of...

Read More

Life of Jesus Series (through year-end 2023)

As we are arriving at the end of 2023, and the Gospel Blog writing and audio teams are about to take a few weeks off, it’s a good time to look at where we are in the “Life of Jesus” series.  In case you weren’t with us at the beginning of the series (about...

Read More

Never Miss a New Article

Subscribe to Our Email List
Sign up and get every new blog post sent straight to your inbox so you always have the day’s devotional at your fingertips.

We never share your email address with anyone for any reason, and we use it only to send you Gospel Blog emails. Just articles, not ads!

Your Story for God’s Glory

Share Your Testimony on Miracle Monday

We devote Miracle Monday to sharing miracle stories. From finding a lost wedding ring to healing cancer on the spot, Jesus Christ has done it all, big and small.

And we want to hear about what He’s done for you.

The Gospel Blog Is Open for Submissions

We encourage devotional-style or scripture-based articles in the ballpark of 500 words. We are open to any topic that glorifies God and unites the Church.