A type is a person, event, or object in the Old Testament that serves as a picture or illustration of a New Testament truth.
Scripture itself identifies Adam as a figure of Christ (Romans 5:14), and Paul says Old Testament events were written for our learning (Romans 15:4). Les Feldick regularly explains types as Old Testament pictures that have New Testament doctrine symbolically attached to them, such as the crossing of the Jordan picturing Christ's death, burial, and resurrection.
Romans 5:14 — This verse directly defines the concept of a type by calling Adam a figure of him that was to come.
Romans 15:4 — This verse explains why Old Testament types were written: for our learning and understanding of New Testament truth.
The Bible explicitly says the things written in the Old Testament were written for our learning: "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope" (Romans 15:4). The apostle Paul also identifies Adam as a type of Christ: "Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come" (Romans 5:14). The New Testament also connects Adam and Christ as the first and last Adam: "And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit" (1 Corinthians 15:45). These passages show that Old Testament people and events can be designed by God to point forward to New Testament realities.
Les teaches that a type is a picture or illustration of New Testament truth. He opens Romans 15:4 and stresses that the Old Testament was "written for our learning" — not for our doctrine necessarily, but to give us background for the New Testament doctrines revealed through Paul. According to Les, everything taught out of the Old Testament has a New Testament doctrine symbolically attached to it. He gives multiple examples. Adam is described as "the figure, or the type, or a picture of Him that was to come" (Clip 1). Isaac meeting his bride is called "a beautiful picture" of Christ leaving heaven and meeting the church in the clouds (Clip 2). Israel crossing the Jordan on dry ground is compared to our coming through the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ (Clip 3). The Passover lamb is also used as an Old Testament picture that enhances our understanding of Christ as the Lamb of God (Clip 4). Les also emphasizes that the Old Testament program was for Israel and had no hint of the church age. The types are not the basis of New Testament doctrine but are pictures that help us understand it more clearly.
Les points to Adam as a type of Christ: "Adam is the figure, or the type, or a picture of Him that was to come" (Clip 1). He also uses Isaac meeting Rebekah as a beautiful picture of Christ leaving heaven and calling up His bride (Clip 2). Israel's crossing of the Jordan is described as a picture of coming through the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ (Clip 3). Les also references the Passover lamb from Exodus 12, noting that these Old Testament pictures enhance what we understand in the New Testament (Clip 4). Scripture itself identifies Adam as the figure of Christ in Romans 5:14.
Les emphasizes Romans 15:4: "whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning." He says we study the Old Testament to pick up the background for all the doctrines that are going to come, especially from the pen of the apostle Paul (Clip 0). He also says the Old Testament was written for learning, not necessarily for doctrine — the types and pictures enhance what we have to understand in the New (Clip 4). In addition, Les explains that the Old Testament program had in mind God's program for Israel, not the church, yet these events are pictures for us (Clip 2).
Les says, "Everything that we try to teach out of the Old Testament has a New Testament doctrine symbolically attached to it" (Clip 3). He does not teach types as if every detail carries doctrine; rather, the Old Testament was written for our learning and the pictures enhance New Testament truth (Clip 4). He also makes clear that the Old Testament program was Israel's program and contained no hint of the church age, so types should not be forced into church-age prophecy (Clip 2).
Old Testament Written for Learning
Les reads Romans 15:4 and explains that the Old Testament was written for our learning to provide the background for New Testament doctrine.
Adam as a Type of Christ
Les explains that Adam is the figure, type, or picture of Him that was to come, and points to 1 Corinthians 15 to show the first Adam and last Adam connection.
Isaac as a Picture of Christ
Les uses Isaac meeting his bride as a beautiful picture of Christ leaving heaven and meeting the church in the clouds.
Crossing the Jordan as a Picture of the Gospel
Les teaches that Israel crossing the Jordan on dry ground is a picture of our coming through the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.
The Passover Lamb as a Type
Les uses the Passover lamb to show how Old Testament pictures enhance our understanding of New Testament truth, especially Christ as the Lamb of God.
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All right, let's read on. Verse 6. Now the Old Testament economy, when it comes to forgiveness and salvation, as I've said so often, is hard to put your thumb on it. It's just hard to reckon some of these things. They had salvation, no doubt about it, but it wasn't as delineated as we see it now in Paul's teaching.
Romans 15:4: For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
Paul states that Old Testament events and types were recorded for our learning and hope.
Romans 5:14: Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.
This verse explicitly calls Adam the figure, or type, of Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:45: And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
This verse shows the biblical connection between Adam as the first man and Christ as the last Adam, supporting the typology Les teaches.
A type is a person, event, or object that pictures or illustrates a greater truth. Paul calls Adam a 'figure' of Christ in Romans 5:14, and Les describes types as pictures of New Testament truth.
Les follows Romans 15:4, where Paul says the Old Testament was written for our learning. He uses types to help believers understand the background and symbolic pictures that enhance New Testament doctrine.
Les uses Adam as a type of Christ, Isaac meeting his bride as a picture of Christ and the church, Israel crossing the Jordan as a picture of death, burial, and resurrection, and the Passover lamb as a picture of Christ the Lamb of God.
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