I remember as a little girl getting ready for bed and waiting for my parents to come and say goodnight. I would stare out my door into the hallway, anticipating their entrance. One way I knew they were close was the presence of their shadow suddenly creeping around the corner and growing larger and larger until I could see them in person. Their shadow literally foreshadowed their arrival into my room.

Their shadow was a joyful sight but only because it pointed to the thing I was truly excited to see—my parents! Even though their shadow was merely that—a shadow—it preceded their arrival and prepared me for the long-awaited time of being tucked in for bed. As simple as this idea of foreshadowing is, it serves as an excellent object lesson to illustrate a theological concept known as typology.

What Is Biblical Typology?

French theologian Jean Daniélou describes typology as “show[ing] how past events are a figure of events to come.”¹ Essentially, a “type” is an earlier biblical reality that foreshadows something greater to come. The type is like the shadow that preceded my parents’ arrival.

Typology is not only a theological concept but also a guide and framework that informs how we read the Bible altogether. The Bible is filled with Old Testament types that are later fulfilled in the New Testament. To give a few examples, Adam, the Exodus, Moses, and the Passover Lamb are all types finding their greater fulfillment in Christ, who was revealed fully in the New Testament. As believers in Christ and as those seeking to grow as theologians, biblical typology is an excellent tool to add to our toolbelt of methods and approaches for understanding the Bible.

It should be noted, however, that not everything in the Old Testament is meant to be interpreted as a type. Essential to each Old Testament type is that it is grounded in the author’s intended meaning and the overall storyline of Scripture, rather than in arbitrary or imaginative connections. True types are rooted in real historical persons, events, or institutions that God sovereignly designed to point forward to a greater fulfillment. When used responsibly, biblical typology helps readers see the unity of Scripture and appreciate how God’s redemptive plan unfolds from Genesis to Revelation, culminating in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Prayer, discernment, and further research are all important when considering types in the Scriptures.

Moses as a Shadow of Christ: Biblical Typology in Action

To home in on a specific example, Moses is known as one of the greatest Hebrew prophets. He is recognized by many as the author of the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible. Not only is he known for his important contributions to documenting the works of God, but he is also remembered as the deliverer God used to lead Israel out of Egyptian bondage.

Yet Moses was never intended to be the final deliverer. His life points beyond itself to someone greater. Consider the following parallels:

Like Moses, Jesus was born during a time when a ruler sought to kill Hebrew children (Exodus 1–2, Matthew 2).

Like Moses, Jesus came to deliver God’s people from slavery; however, while Moses delivered Israel from physical oppression in Egypt, Jesus delivers sinners from the far greater bondage of sin and death.

As Moses acted as a mediator between God and Israel, Jesus is the perfect Mediator who fully reconciles humanity to God (1 Timothy 2:5).

Moses led God’s people through the waters of the Red Sea toward freedom. Jesus, through His death and resurrection, leads His people into eternal life (John 3:16).

Moses received God’s law on Mount Sinai and gave it to the people. Jesus fulfilled that very Law and revealed its deepest meaning.

Moses faithfully served in God’s house as a servant, but Christ is the Son over God's house (Hebrews 3:1–6).

These connections are not accidental. They demonstrate God’s intentional design throughout redemptive history. Moses was a shadow, and Jesus is the substance (Colossians 2:17). Moses was a faithful servant, and Jesus is the perfect Son. Moses delivered Israel for a time, and Jesus secures an eternal salvation.

Why Biblical Typology Matters for Bible Study

Even when there is use of the Old Testament with no apparent interest in prophetic fulfillment, there appears to be a redemptive-historical rationale at work behind the scenes. —G. K. Beale²

Reading the Bible through the lens of biblical typology helps us appreciate the remarkable unity of Scripture. Although the Bible was written by dozens of human authors over many centuries, it tells one coherent story about God’s plan to redeem His people through Christ.

Typology also helps us see Jesus more clearly. As we read the Old Testament, we are not merely studying ancient history or moral examples. We are witnessing God's unfolding plan of redemption that ultimately culminates in Christ. The stories, people, events, and institutions of the Old Testament often serve as signposts and shadows directing our attention toward Him.

Additionally, typology encourages deeper Bible study. It invites us to slow down and observe how God weaves themes and patterns throughout Scripture. As G. K. Beale notes, even when New Testament authors are not explicitly discussing prophecy, a redemptive-historical rationale often operates beneath the surface. God’s design is intentional from beginning to end.

Most importantly, typology reminds us that the Bible is ultimately about Jesus. From Genesis to Revelation, God is revealing His character, His purposes, and His plan to save sinners through His Son.

Conclusion: Seeing the Shadows of Christ in the Old Testament

When I was a child, the shadow in the hallway signaled that my parents were coming. The shadow itself wasn’t the destination—it simply prepared me for the greater people that were about to appear.

Similarly, many people, events, and institutions in the Old Testament serve as shadows pointing us toward Christ. They are important, but they are not the final fulfillment; rather, they anticipate the One who is. Moses predicted this fulfillment in Christ himself, saying, “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him” (Deuteronomy 18:15). Peter later quotes Moses in Acts 3:22 to illustrate that Jesus is in fact the fulfillment of Moses’s prediction.

As you read your Bible, remember that the story is not a collection of disconnected accounts. It is one grand narrative of redemption. And throughout that story, God has graciously left shadows that prepare us to behold the greater reality: Jesus Christ, the fulfillment of God’s redemptive plan from the very beginning.

Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself.  For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. —Hebrews 3:3–4, NIV

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Notes:

1. Jean Daniélou, From Shadows to Reality: Studies in the Biblical Typology of the Fathers, trans. Wulstan Hibberd (Ex Fontibus, 2018), 12.
2. G. K. Beale, “Did Jesus and His Followers Preach the Right Doctrine from the Wrong Texts? An Examination of the Presuppositions of Jesus’ and the Apostles’ Exegetical Method,” in The Right Doctrine from the Wrong Texts?: Essays on the Use of the Old Testament in the New, ed. G. K. Beale (Baker Books, 1994), 398.

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Author Bio

Patricia Vachula is a Ph.D. student in Biblical Exposition at Liberty University. She is passionate about studying and unpacking Scripture within its literary and historical context and delights in helping others engage the Bible faithfully and clearly. She is originally from Long Island, New York, and now resides in Lynchburg, Virginia.

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