Resurrection in the Old Testament

I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will take His stand on the earth. Even after my skin is destroyed, yet from my flesh I shall see God.

–Job 19:25–26

In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul made a case for the resurrection of Jesus Christ. How do we know Jesus really rose from the dead?

To answer this question, Paul said, first of all, we should look at the evidence of Scripture. In verses 3–4, Paul gave a summary of the Christian message: “I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” Notice the phrase “according to the Scriptures.” Paul was saying that the crucifixion, burial, and resurrection of Jesus all took place as the Scriptures foretold.

Paul was referring to the Old Testament Scriptures, because the New Testament epistles had not yet been written. For example, the Old Testament foretold that Jesus would die for our sins. Isaiah 53:5–6 says, “He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him.” Hundreds of years before the crucifixion, this passage and many others prophesied that the Messiah would die for our sins.

The Old Testament also foretold that Jesus would be buried. In Isaiah 53:9, Isaiah prophesied that Jesus would be buried in the tomb of a rich man.

Finally, the Old Testament foretold that Jesus would rise from the dead. You may be wondering, Where do we find the resurrection in the Old Testament? The theme of resurrection is woven throughout the Old Testament. For example, Psalm 16:10 says, “You will not abandon my soul to Sheol; nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.” In other words, before the Messiah’s body could decay, the Lord would raise it up. Or remember what Job said: “I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will take His stand on the earth. Even after my skin is destroyed, yet from my flesh I shall see God” (Job 19:25–26). Job understood that the resurrection was a central part of the Messiah’s message. The resurrection was not an afterthought; it was prophesied in the Old Testament.

Today’s devotion is adapted from “Simple Answers to Sincere Questions” by Dr. Robert Jeffress, 2011, and “If Christ Has Not Been Raised” by Dr. Jeffress, 2012.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org.