Types of the Messiah - Edwards - VI

Required reading

Continue Types of the Messiah in Vol 2 of the Works by Jonathan Edwards (Available from Amazon or free here) by reading up to the paragraph 'With respect to the legal sacrifices, the evidence that they were types of the Messiah is very strong; which will appear if we consider the following things.'

My summary

This week we read about types of the Messiah from:

(i) the restoration of the Jews;

(ii) the exiles;

(iii) barren women;

(iv) the names of principal people;

(v) the enemies of the Messiah;

(vi) sin;

(vii) the Israelite army;

(viii) prophecies of the kingdom;

(ix) persons like Moses, Melchizedek, Joshua and Zerubbabel;

(x) the ceremonial law.

What grabbed me

I liked the comments on the link of the ceremonial law to the Messiah:

'If the things of the ceremonial law were pleasing to God, and were not pleasing on their own account, or by reason of any thing that God saw in them; then it must be on account of something else that they represent, and because they some way stand in stead of them. For instance, when God went out through the land of Egypt to smite the first-born, and saw the blood of the paschal lamb on the door-posts of a house, it is represented as being something pleasing to God, for the sake of which he would spare the inhabitants of that house. But the Old Testament reveals, that blood was not at all pleasing on its own account. For that declares that God hath no delight in the blood of beasts; and therefore the way in which it was something pleasing to God, must be its being something which represented or stood in stead of something that was truly in itself pleasing. So the sweet savour that was made in offering incense is spoken of as something sweet and pleasant to God; and a white clean garment as something pure, and so pleasing to God. But we know that these things were not pleasant or acceptable on their own account, and therefore it must be only as related to something else that was so. But in what way is a sweet smell related to any thing really sweet to God, except as it is a type, or has some signification of it? And which way has the purity of a garment any relation to spiritual purity, but as it has a representation of it?'

The shadows are only pleasing to God because of the substance.

Next week's reading

Conclude Types of the Messiah in Vol 2 of the Works by Jonathan Edwards (Available from Amazon or free here).'

Now it's your turn

Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.