Where is Jesus in THIS part of the Bible?

We say all the time that “all the Bible aims at Jesus,” but not every verse in Scripture mentions Jesus by name. The vast majority of the Old Testament don’t seem to whisper a word about him at all. But every passage belongs to the grand redemptive story that centers on Him. Jesus is the fulcrum all the weight of the Bible’s storyline is centered upon. Even when Jesus isn’t directly visible, the shadows, signposts, and themes all echo His presence.
Here’s a helpful lens for reading any passage through a gospel-centered framework (Credit to Bryan Chapell, from whose teaching this originates)
- It reveals our need for redemption.
Scripture consistently shows us the depth of human brokenness - in both testaments.
Example: Genesis 3 — The fall of Adam and Eve doesn't mention Jesus, but it reveals the fracture between God and man, the entry of sin into the world, and our deep need for a Redeemer. We lost paradise.
Example: Judges 2 — Israel’s repeated cycle of sin, oppression, crying out, and deliverance highlights our inability to save ourselves and points to our need for a final, faithful Savior who won't merely deliver us temporarily but transform us entirely.
- It demonstrates God’s character in providing grace.
Even in moments of failure or judgment, God is never without mercy. It is His character to save.
Example: Exodus 34:6–7 — After Israel’s golden calf rebellion, God reveals Himself as “merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.” It’s a moment saturated with grace—even in the aftermath of sin.
Example: Hosea 3 — God tells Hosea to love his unfaithful wife again, just as the Lord loves His people. It’s a raw, tangible picture of grace: undeserved, costly, and unrelenting.
- It ultimately anticipates or flows from Jesus.
Every promise and foreshadow leads to Him—or reflects His work after the cross.
Example: Isaiah 53 — The Suffering Servant bears our griefs and is pierced for our transgressions. Though written centuries before Jesus’ birth, it paints the clearest picture of His atoning death.
Example: Psalm 23 — On the other side of the cross, we now read “The Lord is my Shepherd” with greater clarity, knowing that Jesus called Himself the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep (John 10:11).
Example: Judges 16 -- Samson’s outstretched arms brought judgment on Israel’s enemies, but Jesus’ outstretched arms absorbed judgment to rescue his enemies. One died destroying more sinners in his death than in his life, as the other died redeeming sinners in his death.
All Scripture tells one story: the story of redemption in Jesus Christ. Whether it’s revealing the problem, unveiling God’s gracious character and heart, or foreshadowing the solution—every page presses us toward Christ.
As Tim Keller once said: "Jesus is the true and better Adam, Abraham, Isaac, Moses, Job, David, Esther, Jonah… every hero, every rescue, every sacrifice is pointing to Him."
And as Charles Spurgeon once said: "I have never yet found a text that had not a road to Christ in it, and if I do find one that has no such road, I will make one; I will go over hedge and ditch but I would get at my Master, for the sermon cannot do any good unless there is a savor of Christ in it."
So, as you read your Bible, keep your eyes open, it’s bigger than the moment your reading about. It’s part of the most glorious story ever told.