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Seeing Jesus in the Old Testament
A study showing how Jesus appeared in the old testament to many.
197 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2021
34 people are currently reading
292 people want to read
About the author
Lysa TerKeurst
143 books33.1k followersLysa TerKeurst is President and Chief Visionary Officer of Proverbs 31 Ministries. She is also an 8x New York Times’ bestselling author of I Want to Trust You, but I Don't, Good Boundaries and Goodbyes, Forgiving What You Can’t Forget, It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way, Uninvited and more. Her devotional Embraced won the ECPA book of the year for 2019. Lysa was also recently awarded the Champions of Faith Author Award and has appeared on the Today Show many times as one of the leading voices in the Christian community.
Each year, Lysa is a featured keynote presenter at events all across North America and online, including the Global Leadership Network. She also tours state-to-state regularly with TPR. She has a passion for equipping women to share their stories for God’s glory through Proverbs 31 Ministries’ annual She Speaks Conference and her writer training program called COMPEL Pro. Connect with Lysa on social media @lysaterkeurst or at lysaterkeurst.com.
Each year, Lysa is a featured keynote presenter at events all across North America and online, including the Global Leadership Network. She also tours state-to-state regularly with TPR. She has a passion for equipping women to share their stories for God’s glory through Proverbs 31 Ministries’ annual She Speaks Conference and her writer training program called COMPEL Pro. Connect with Lysa on social media @lysaterkeurst or at lysaterkeurst.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
March 16, 2022
“If I want His promises, I have to trust his process. God isn’t ever going to forsake you, but He will go to great lengths to remake you.”
Focuses on how Jesus was not only foreshadowed and prophesied in the Old Testament but how He was and is its fulfillment. Approaches the early revelations of God as types for which only God could be the complete embodiment. High levels of scholarship increase reader confidence that the authors fit their writings to the subject rather than vice versa.
“In our unseen places of hurt, where it feels like everything that could bring hope is absent, we can be reminded that God has given us the power of His Holy Spirit.”
Better than average devotional guide. Rather than a Bible study, Seeing Jesus invites the reader to introspection and change. Probing questions and room to write encourage transformation.
“Just because we can’t always see Jesus doesn’t mean He isn’t there. Just because we aren’t hearing Him doesn’t mean He’s being silent.”
Focuses on how Jesus was not only foreshadowed and prophesied in the Old Testament but how He was and is its fulfillment. Approaches the early revelations of God as types for which only God could be the complete embodiment. High levels of scholarship increase reader confidence that the authors fit their writings to the subject rather than vice versa.
“In our unseen places of hurt, where it feels like everything that could bring hope is absent, we can be reminded that God has given us the power of His Holy Spirit.”
Better than average devotional guide. Rather than a Bible study, Seeing Jesus invites the reader to introspection and change. Probing questions and room to write encourage transformation.
“Just because we can’t always see Jesus doesn’t mean He isn’t there. Just because we aren’t hearing Him doesn’t mean He’s being silent.”
February 4, 2022
A great study! I found it so interesting to see in the OT how it points to Jesus in the NT. Lysa and Joel did a fantastic job, and I love my group.
February 11, 2022
Positives:
I loved the focus on Jesus and His unchanging character of love and mercy throughout the entire book!
I loved most of the questions asked, trying to apply it to our lives, a very tricky thing to do especially with Old Testament material, much of which was written to specific people thousands of years ago.
I loved the theme of expectations, which is what my word of the year was chosen to study!
I loved the Christus Victor view of Jesus' death on the Cross and the free will theology.
I loved 4 out of the 5 sections, and it was so helpful to organize it day by day for 5 weeks. Within each week, the 5 lessons all fit together under the week's umbrella topic.
Negatives:
But I didn't like how the 5 weeks seemed a bit disconnected from each other. It was almost like getting 5 different studies in one. They mentioned a few things in previous weeks toward the end, but it still felt very choppy and not fluid from one week to the next.
Also, having two people co-write is always tricky. The two voices mixed and merged so that it was difficult to tell who was speaking sometimes. I think the sections labeled, “Lysa here” and “Joel here” actually made it more obvious when they weren't distinct. Those were some of my favorite sections because I could imagine one or the other speaking directly to me and with me in a conversation – and I know their voices from the videos. But when it wasn't designated by one or the other, it felt very distant and heady and made it hard for me to relate and care about the message.
Also, I was surprised at some of the ambiguous ways they tried to relate an OT thing to Jesus when they completely skipped over some of the more obvious ones, like Isaac and the ram. I'm still not sure if that's a good thing or not. It felt a bit like they were stretching to find things the average person wouldn't think of, but sometimes it made me feel stupid, like maybe they were thinking: “Ha! We found something you peons would never have thought.” That probably wasn't their intention. But it did make me question their reasoning as to what they included and why they didn't include others.
Favorite quotes:
“I'm not afraid doubt is a sign that my faith is weak. Quite the opposite. I see doubt as an invitation to pursue new strength.” (p. 6)
“...we need the Bible to show us our perspective is limited. What we see isn't the full story. And the way things are right now won't be this way forever.” (p. 9)
“Throughout Scripture we find constant word-portraits that the Master Artist Himself placed in order to remind us of His presence. And the portraits that God presents in Genesis through Revelation are like shadows revealing the presence of Jesus.” (p. 16)
“This assignment from God is for image bearers (people made in the image of God) to fill the earth with evidence of God's goodness and God's faithfulness.” (p. 22)
“Jesus used the words of Truth and showed us how powerful Truth is against the enemy's schemes... because He Himself is the Truth.” (p. 23)
“...the irony is that the very plan of Satan is used in the redemptive story of Jesus. The enemy sets Jesus on the journey to the cross, but with every step Jesus takes, the enemy is closer to defeat.” (p. 43)
“Where we go, the peace of Jesus goes, and that should impact both people and creation.” (p. 76)
“[T]he people of God are always given something to do while we wait for hope.” (p. 76)
“But if you think about God being our teacher, just like in school, teachers never give you a cheat sheet. They equip you and empower you to take the test on your own. It may be more convenient if God gave us all the answers in the short-run. But in the long-run, His nature of guiding us, not micromanaging or forcing us, leads to growth inside of us and ultimately trust between us and God.” (p. 107)
“Collecting worse-case scenarios doesn't protect me. It only projects the possible pain of tomorrow into today and feeds more fear.” (p. 156)
“...there is a battle in the spiritual realm... God's protection comes in many forms – it's not always a physical removal of threat or a relief of emotional pain. Sometimes His protection is spiritual.” (p. 157)
“It is finally King Jesus who on the cross vanquishes sin and death.” (p. 186)
“Jesus is not merely patterned, pointed to and promised in the Old Testament; He is present.” (p. 190)
(I received a copy for free from the publisher. I was not compensated for this review. All opinions are my own, as was the decision to write this review.)
I loved the focus on Jesus and His unchanging character of love and mercy throughout the entire book!
I loved most of the questions asked, trying to apply it to our lives, a very tricky thing to do especially with Old Testament material, much of which was written to specific people thousands of years ago.
I loved the theme of expectations, which is what my word of the year was chosen to study!
I loved the Christus Victor view of Jesus' death on the Cross and the free will theology.
I loved 4 out of the 5 sections, and it was so helpful to organize it day by day for 5 weeks. Within each week, the 5 lessons all fit together under the week's umbrella topic.
Negatives:
But I didn't like how the 5 weeks seemed a bit disconnected from each other. It was almost like getting 5 different studies in one. They mentioned a few things in previous weeks toward the end, but it still felt very choppy and not fluid from one week to the next.
Also, having two people co-write is always tricky. The two voices mixed and merged so that it was difficult to tell who was speaking sometimes. I think the sections labeled, “Lysa here” and “Joel here” actually made it more obvious when they weren't distinct. Those were some of my favorite sections because I could imagine one or the other speaking directly to me and with me in a conversation – and I know their voices from the videos. But when it wasn't designated by one or the other, it felt very distant and heady and made it hard for me to relate and care about the message.
Also, I was surprised at some of the ambiguous ways they tried to relate an OT thing to Jesus when they completely skipped over some of the more obvious ones, like Isaac and the ram. I'm still not sure if that's a good thing or not. It felt a bit like they were stretching to find things the average person wouldn't think of, but sometimes it made me feel stupid, like maybe they were thinking: “Ha! We found something you peons would never have thought.” That probably wasn't their intention. But it did make me question their reasoning as to what they included and why they didn't include others.
Favorite quotes:
“I'm not afraid doubt is a sign that my faith is weak. Quite the opposite. I see doubt as an invitation to pursue new strength.” (p. 6)
“...we need the Bible to show us our perspective is limited. What we see isn't the full story. And the way things are right now won't be this way forever.” (p. 9)
“Throughout Scripture we find constant word-portraits that the Master Artist Himself placed in order to remind us of His presence. And the portraits that God presents in Genesis through Revelation are like shadows revealing the presence of Jesus.” (p. 16)
“This assignment from God is for image bearers (people made in the image of God) to fill the earth with evidence of God's goodness and God's faithfulness.” (p. 22)
“Jesus used the words of Truth and showed us how powerful Truth is against the enemy's schemes... because He Himself is the Truth.” (p. 23)
“...the irony is that the very plan of Satan is used in the redemptive story of Jesus. The enemy sets Jesus on the journey to the cross, but with every step Jesus takes, the enemy is closer to defeat.” (p. 43)
“Where we go, the peace of Jesus goes, and that should impact both people and creation.” (p. 76)
“[T]he people of God are always given something to do while we wait for hope.” (p. 76)
“But if you think about God being our teacher, just like in school, teachers never give you a cheat sheet. They equip you and empower you to take the test on your own. It may be more convenient if God gave us all the answers in the short-run. But in the long-run, His nature of guiding us, not micromanaging or forcing us, leads to growth inside of us and ultimately trust between us and God.” (p. 107)
“Collecting worse-case scenarios doesn't protect me. It only projects the possible pain of tomorrow into today and feeds more fear.” (p. 156)
“...there is a battle in the spiritual realm... God's protection comes in many forms – it's not always a physical removal of threat or a relief of emotional pain. Sometimes His protection is spiritual.” (p. 157)
“It is finally King Jesus who on the cross vanquishes sin and death.” (p. 186)
“Jesus is not merely patterned, pointed to and promised in the Old Testament; He is present.” (p. 190)
(I received a copy for free from the publisher. I was not compensated for this review. All opinions are my own, as was the decision to write this review.)
February 14, 2022
Probably the best book I have read about the Old Testament and the promise of Jesus. This book digs deep into different categories of revealing Jesus where we might not have realized his message was present in the Bible before his birth. The presentation of Jesus in this new light certainly brings new joy and hope to the Old Testament. Excellent!
November 3, 2023
I took my time working through this over the past year, but it’s a very good, thorough study to help you see the promise of Jesus throughout the Old Testament. In-depth, yet very practical.
January 6, 2024
This study drew my attention to really powerful connections and new ways to see Jesus in the Old Testament that I’d never considered before. You want to read this.
February 3, 2022
Excellent.
February 11, 2022
A look through the Old Testament to find how Scripture reveals Jesus' presence long before His incarnation. This book includes thought provoking questions and short word studies throughout, and I was pleased to discover new-to-me insights into the Old Testament.
January 6, 2023
⭐️ 4.5 ⭐️
This was a solid devotional. I've been reading through the Old Testament and often find it difficult to see how a lot of it relates to Jesus. This book helped me see the threads of Jesus from cover to cover. As soon as I saw it on the shelf, I knew it was exactly what I needed, and I was right. Joel and Lysa did a great job with this book.
"So don't stop here. Keep diving into scripture, learning and looking and seeking more truth-filled words from God. And when you do, don't forget to look up and see Jesus. Because from cover to cover, He's there. He's never been absent. We've never been left alone. And even better... He's returning soon. (Revelation 22:12-20) We are held safe in the embrace of a God who promises the comfort of His presence from the garden to glory." (p. 192, conclusion)
The main reason it wasn't a full 5 stars was because the reflective questions were often really hard to find actual answers for. That might just be me and my deficiency at deep self-reflection, but it did hamper my enjoyment of the book a little. For the last week, I ended up just skipping those questions.
This was a solid devotional. I've been reading through the Old Testament and often find it difficult to see how a lot of it relates to Jesus. This book helped me see the threads of Jesus from cover to cover. As soon as I saw it on the shelf, I knew it was exactly what I needed, and I was right. Joel and Lysa did a great job with this book.
"So don't stop here. Keep diving into scripture, learning and looking and seeking more truth-filled words from God. And when you do, don't forget to look up and see Jesus. Because from cover to cover, He's there. He's never been absent. We've never been left alone. And even better... He's returning soon. (Revelation 22:12-20) We are held safe in the embrace of a God who promises the comfort of His presence from the garden to glory." (p. 192, conclusion)
The main reason it wasn't a full 5 stars was because the reflective questions were often really hard to find actual answers for. That might just be me and my deficiency at deep self-reflection, but it did hamper my enjoyment of the book a little. For the last week, I ended up just skipping those questions.
March 12, 2022
“Just because we can’t always see Jesus doesn’t mean He isn’t there. Just because we aren’t hearing Him doesn’t mean He’s being silent…Jesus is never absent in the story of the Bible, and He’s certainly not absent in any part of our story either.”
Seeing Jesus in the Old Testament is a great foundational study. I would say that it’s intended for an audience with a more limited knowledge of Christianity/theology, and it didn’t go as deep as I would have liked. Some of the side comments that explained very basic terms felt almost condescending, as if they expected readers to know almost nothing about the Bible. Despite that, though, I found the study to be very encouraging, and I liked how it was organized by portraits, prophecies, patterns, provisions, and protections.
Seeing Jesus in the Old Testament is a great foundational study. I would say that it’s intended for an audience with a more limited knowledge of Christianity/theology, and it didn’t go as deep as I would have liked. Some of the side comments that explained very basic terms felt almost condescending, as if they expected readers to know almost nothing about the Bible. Despite that, though, I found the study to be very encouraging, and I liked how it was organized by portraits, prophecies, patterns, provisions, and protections.
March 24, 2023
I don't usually include my study books on my book lists, and I am not sure why. But this one is a beauty, so I felt I wanted to share it. Very timely, very thought provoking, very reassuring. It is planned to be a five week course, but obviously it can be done over any amount of time. It makes a fantastic group study, but it would make a great personal study as well. It is a wonderful study for anyone who is despairing, lost, angry, or afraid. A very relevant reminder that whatever the world throws at us, Jesus in never absent, and we are never alone. A truly worthy read.
December 30, 2022
Seeing Jesus in the Old Testament is a 5 week Bible study that explores different Old Testament themes and demonstrates how those themes point to Jesus, and how He is the fulfillment of these themes. I went through this study with a friend, and we took our time, but both really, really liked this study. The Lord did a great job of lining up the sections we read with what we were working through personally at the time, and we found regular encouragement and hope in this study.
April 21, 2023
This was a wonderful study that brought together so many special connections between the OT and Jesus. This is one I'll reference back to as I continue my studies of the Bible. I did this study in a group at church and it worked really well in that setting. Highly highly recommend this one not only for more Jesus but also if you are in a place in life where you need encouragement. It's like sitting down with an old friend and being reminded that Jesus has always and will continue to be with us.
February 14, 2022
This study was eye opening in many ways, and brought to life details about the old testament that I had either not noticed or not understood before.
Loved going through it with our Bible study group and would definitely recommend to other small groups, just be warned many of the discussion type questions are personal and may be hard to openly talk about.
Loved going through it with our Bible study group and would definitely recommend to other small groups, just be warned many of the discussion type questions are personal and may be hard to openly talk about.
February 11, 2022
Participated in this Bible Study with Proverbs 31 Ministries.
My favorite of all the studies I did. It really helped me understand some scriptures and loved seeing the OT things fulfilled in the NT.
I'm saving this book.
My favorite of all the studies I did. It really helped me understand some scriptures and loved seeing the OT things fulfilled in the NT.
I'm saving this book.
February 11, 2022
This is a great overview of Genesis, Exodus, Jonah and some of Isaiah in the Old Testament. You also look as some verses in the New Testament that shows Jesus in the Old Testament books. When done correctly this could be a wonderful book to use to help you study God's Word.
September 28, 2022
This was an outstanding study of seeing Jesus in the OT. Lysa TerKeurst and Joel Muddamalle are brilliant together. Joel provides the theology while Lysa nails things home at a personal level and how it applies to one's life.
February 8, 2022
Wonderful Book!
February 11, 2022
Very intense, but very good bible study.
February 11, 2022
Excellent study guide!
February 11, 2022
This is a wonderful Bible study showing how Jesus provision and protection has been from the beginning of time.
February 12, 2022
An in depth study of seeing Jesus in the Old Testament. From prophecies, patterns, provisions and protections. If we can see him in the Old Testament, He is with us now, too.
February 13, 2022
Excellent Bible study!!! I know that I will come back to it again and again. So good.
February 16, 2022
This study was outstanding. Easy to read and easy to understand. I enjoyed it immensely.
March 1, 2022
This book is fantastic if you’re willing to take the time and look up the Bible verses it recommends and journal responses.
March 7, 2022
Completed as an online Bible study
April 30, 2022
A powerful study that has caused me to re-think about the OT. I really enjoyed the perspectives in each day of study and the questions were insightful and helped me apply the lesson to my own life.
June 9, 2022
3.5 stars
June 11, 2022
Excellent Bible Study!!! Finished reading February 12, 2022
January 17, 2023
This is such a great study of the old testament. I struggle with reading the old testament so this was a great help and so encouraging in my walk with Jesus.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews