There are a couple of quirky things about me. I love puzzles. That’s not unique, But I love old puzzles. In fact, when I was a kid, I would love to solve the “hidden pictures” page in a kid’s publication called “Highlights Magazine.” Later, somebody showed me a “Where’s Waldo” book. Hidden within a picture of literally hundreds of people and objects, there was this dude, Waldo, dressed in a red and white shirt and hat. It sounds easy, but, if you’ve tried it, you know it takes some focus. But once you see Waldo, you can’t un-see him. You’ll often say to yourself, “How did I miss Waldo? He’s so obvious!”
I find that there is a principle there that can be applied to the Bible. The Bible is made up of Old and New Testaments. These texts include historical accounts, hymns, parables, didactic letters, sermons, poetry, and prophecies. The Old Testament is 39 books written before Jesus. The New Testament is 27 books written after Jesus. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 applies to both, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” Now, here’s the “Where’s Waldo” point. When you study the Old Testament in light of the New Testament, you begin to see Jesus Christ everywhere. In fact, here’s a definition of the Bible from Miles Van Pelt, of Reformed Theological Seminary, “Jesus and the Kingdom of Heaven; every story, every page from the beginning of Genesis to the end of Revelation!”
We know the Bible is about Jesus because of what he says to the two disciples on the Road to Emmaus. In Luke 24:27 it says, “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.”
Miles Van Pelt got me looking for Jesus in the Old Testament. Psalm 72 explains how Jesus is found in this part of the Old Testament, which “helps us look ahead to a ‘greater’ David, a future king”. Sooooo, why not go on an adventure today. Check out the Old Testament. Once you see Jesus there, you’ll wonder how you ever missed Him in the past.