Testimonies
Stories Revealing the End Times Journey
The Old Testament contains stories that foreshadowed Jesus. The events of Jesus’ life were revealed from the beginning typologically, especially in Israel.
Isaiah 40v10,
“I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come.”
As God revealed Jesus, he was also revealing His plan for the end, because “The testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of prophecy.” — Rev 19v10b.
Moses' Story
Moses is the closest example of Jesus. The three part pattern of Jesus’ life is revealed in the life of Moses:
Moses was born while Pharaoh was killing the children. When only three months old he was placed in a little ark on the Nile River to escape.
Moses lived in Egypt - like world government, and also in the wilderness caring for his father-in-law’s sheep.
The Exodus brought freedom from slavery, and was a great victory for Israel - crossing over from Egypt towards the Promised Land.
The little boat that baby Moses was placed in was an “ark” — (Hebrew: תֵּ֣בַת - tebah) Exodus 2v2 & 5. This connects with the story of Noah’s flood.
Noah’s Story
The story of Noah's flood relates to birth and baptism.
The Hebrew word used for ark — “tebah”, connects with the story of the birth of Moses, and Moses’ escape from the slaughter of the infants connects directly with the birth of Jesus.
Noah's family escaped the flood in the ark. Like a birth, it was called a baptism (1 Pet 3v20-21). Then God established a covenant with all flesh (Gen 6-9).
Nimrod was a mighty warrior on the earth. He established great centres of power and built the great city (Gen 10v8-12). Nimrod was the great world ruler when men built the Tower of Babel (Gen 11).
God acted in judgement, creating the confusion of the languages to put a stop to the works of mankind, and God scattered all the nations (Gen 11v1-9).
Scattering and gathering relates to death and resurrection:
Death is a scattering event, symbolised by God’s judgement at the tower of Babel. When we die, our work is done and we depart. We are separated or scattered from our loved ones.
Resurrection is a gathering event. In Christ we are “gathered” to our people, (Gen 25v8, 17, 35v29 etc.) When Jesus returns he will gather all his people from the very ends of the earth. (Mat 24v31, Mark 13v27, 1 Thess 4v17).
Prophecy begins at birth, so the flood is particularly interesting.
Escaping a Flood of War
“The end will come like a Flood: War will continue until the end…” (Dan 9v26)
Apocalyptically, the flood represents war, famine and plague. There are many examples to consider. Two key passages that describe an end times war as a flood include:
Revelation 12 — (flood v15-16)
Daniel 11v36-44 — (flood v40)
Jesus told us not to be alarmed by wars and rumours of war because ‘the end is yet to come’. These are just ‘the beginning of birth pains’. (Mat 24v6-8). This calamity doesn’t bring the end… not straight away. Rather it is like a call to repentance, and for many it will be a kind of birth.
