| A Heavenly Treasure by Eric Blick, September 19, 2025
Luke 24:27: “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, [Jesus] interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.”
How am I supposed to read the Bible? When I read of King David and how he lead Israel in strong ways, described as a “man after God’s heart”, and writing much of what we read today as the Psalms, should I be inspired to be like him more? Should I leave with WWDD – what would David do? Should I live crushed under the weight of never measuring up to him? Should I read about his life and learn that I should protect my marriage and family from adultery – that adultery is sin against God and has devastating impacts on so many?
Reading the Bible like this makes it first and foremost about me, and I was never meant to be at the center of this book. This is really no different than reading the Bible like Aesop’s Fables that many of us read as kids, stories to teach a moral meaning. Yes, godly living is important, but is there a better way to read the Bible?
Jesus teaches us how to read all of the Bible, both the New AND Old Testaments. After Jesus is killed on the cross then resurrected from the dead, he joins a couple of people for a walk on the way to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. These two were so confused as they pondered all they witnessed the last week: Jesus entering Jerusalem as a king on a donkey, his mickey-mouse trial, his brutal death by crucifixion, and somehow hearing that he was raised from the dead? They thought Jesus was going to redeem Israel, but he died. He died by the hands of those he was supposed to redeem. And as far as they knew he was still dead, or at least his body was missing from the grave he was in. With this “stranger”, these two talk through how they are feeling and how confused they are in all that they saw, trying to make sense of everything. In Luke chapter 24 verse 16 it says that “their eyes were kept from recognizing him.” They do not know that the counselor who walks with them listening to them on this walk is, in fact, Jesus himself.
After listening to them for a while, how does Jesus respond? What does he say? Does he just answer their confused questions surrounding the events over the last 72 hours? No. He does something amazing. Instead of focusing on the last few days, he tells the story of the last thousands of years. He could have said, “Well, on Wednesday I was betrayed, and it hurt. Thursday was brutal. I died later that week, and I am the Messiah, now raised from the dead and talking to you!”
Jesus says that all of Scripture is about him. Instead of answering their immediate questions, Jesus pulls the lens of the camera back, as it were, and shows them that he has been the focal point of all of Scripture back to Genesis. He talks about his death and resurrection in light of the entire storyline of Scripture. Luke tells us that this is what Jesus said to the two he was walking with in chapter 24:
“O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! [26] Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” [27] And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.”
The point of Moses leading the Israelite slaves out of Egypt with the 10 plagues was not for us to merely admire Moses and inspire us to be more like him as a great leader. It was to show that there is a greater Moses coming who would not only lead his people out of physical bondage but out of cosmic, spiritual bondage to sin into the true promised land of dwelling in deep rest with God. That is how God delivers his own. Moses spoke thousands of years prior of Jesus’ coming.
Luke is doing the same thing as Jesus did. Luke’s gospel has many ties and references and quotes from all over the Old Testament to make this very point: all of Scripture points to Jesus. Jesus fulfills all of it, not just the New Testament. Starting in Luke 9:51-19:14, Luke chronicles Jesus’ final trip to Jerusalem from the North. Luke is careful even to copy the language of the geography and journey of the exit of the Israelites from Egypt. He is comparing that to Christ heading on his final trip to Jerusalem to die as the ultimate Passover Lamb giving us the ultimate freedom from the slavery that sin brings. Jesus does not just appear on this scene in history, but he is promised and foreshadowed and hoped for throughout all the Old Testament.
Jesus is the better Passover lamb whose blood over the doorposts of our hearts causes the Angel of Death to now pass over us. He is the better Samson who gives real judgment and deliverance for his people. He is the better David who sits on David’s throne for all eternity. He is the better priest who intercedes for us to God. The long awaited Messiah has arrived exactly in ways that were prophesied and in ways that are completely missed by so many at his coming. Jesus is the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. That is the story and grand narrative that Jesus unpacks for these two on the road to Emmaus. Jesus is the long-hoped for Savior-King of the nations who fulfills all the Old Testament.
The entire Bible is about the sovereign Creator of all things. It all points to him and is about him. God has faithfully revealed who he is to us over thousands of years. Are we seeing Jesus just as a baby who arrives on the scene two-thirds of the way through our Bible, or do we see him pointed to all the way through the Old Testament? Can we get better at reading the Old Testament to know and love our Savior deeper? As good and flawed as King David was, I am meant to see through him a more clear picture of Jesus, the better David who delivers me, protects me, places me in his kingdom for his glory and my joy, and leads me in and out to find great pasture as the Good Shepherd.
Prayer:
Father, you are a great God, mighty to create and mighty to save. Forgive me for reading Scripture with me at the center and making it more about me. Help me to see that Christ is even greater and more lovely than I have let myself think. Show me more of how all of Scripture is about him, the great Savior-King who suffered so that I may live and thrive and have fellowship with you.
In Christ’s name,
AMEN!
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