I write about Stuff

“Then Jesus said to them, ‘You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures. Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his glory?’ Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” — Luke 24:25–27

The question sounds simple at first: Did Jesus exist before Bethlehem? Was there a Christ before Christmas, before shepherds and angels and a manger under a Middle Eastern sky?

Scripture answers with a resounding yes.

Bethlehem marks the moment of the incarnation—when the eternal Son of God took on flesh and entered human history as a baby. But it is not the moment Jesus began. He has no beginning. He is eternal because He is God. And once we grasp that truth, the whole Bible opens up in a new and breathtaking way.

Jesus before the manger

We divide our Bibles into Old Testament and New Testament, and we divide history into BC and AD. It’s easy to assume Jesus belongs to the New Testament side of the story. But the truth is far richer: there is no such thing as “before Christ,” because nothing existed before Him.

John opens his Gospel with this sweeping declaration: “In the beginning the Word already existed… and the Word was God.” Paul echoes it in Colossians: “He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together.”

Jesus is not a late arrival in God’s story. He is the Author, the Centre, the Thread that runs through every page.

Jesus in the Old Testament

This month’s theme—Jesus in the Old Testament—invites us to see Scripture as one unified story of redemption. The Old Testament is not a prelude or a warm‑up act. It is a tapestry of promises, prophecies, patterns, and people pointing forward to Christ.

The disciples on the road to Emmaus had all the right information, but they lacked the right interpretation. They knew the Scriptures, but they hadn’t connected the dots. So Jesus Himself walked with them, opened the Scriptures, and showed them how everything—Moses, the prophets, the psalms—had been whispering His name all along.

Imagine that walk. Imagine hearing Jesus explain where He appears in Genesis, in Exodus, in the poetry of David, in the visions of Isaiah, in the laments of Jeremiah. Imagine realising that the suffering, death, and resurrection they had just witnessed were not a tragic detour but the very heart of God’s plan.

Jesus throughout the story

From Genesis to Revelation, the message is consistent: we are never alone. Jesus has always been present, always active, always working out God’s plan of salvation.

• He appears to Abraham as the mysterious visitor.
• He wrestles with Jacob through the night.
• He stands with the three men in the fiery furnace.
• He fills the prophets’ visions with hope and promise.
• And after His resurrection, He promises His disciples, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

The Old Testament is not a story of God waiting for Jesus to arrive. It is the story of Jesus preparing the world for His coming.

Why this matters

Seeing Jesus in the Old Testament deepens our understanding of God’s faithfulness. It shows us that salvation was never Plan B. It reveals a God who writes history with intention, who keeps His promises, and who has been drawing near to His people from the very beginning.

It also reminds us that Jesus is not distant or detached. He has always been present—before creation, in the pages of Scripture, in the lives of His people, and in the quiet corners of our own stories today.

Reflection Question

What glimpses of God’s plan of salvation do you see in the Old Testament, and how do they deepen your understanding of Jesus?

Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank You that You are eternal, unchanging, and present from the beginning. Open my eyes to see You in the whole story of Scripture. Help me recognise Your faithfulness in the past so I can trust You in the present. Draw me deeper into the wonder of Your salvation and the assurance that You are with me always. Amen.