King Yeshua in the Torah
A Thread Woven From Beginning to End
Many people approach the Torah (Genesis through Deuteronomy) as if it is merely a historical or legal document with no connection to Yeshua (Jesus). They believe that Yeshua is strictly a New Testament figure, disconnected from the foundation of Scripture. But nothing could be further from the truth. They perceive Him as a figure solely of the New Testament. Yet, Yeshua’s presence is intricately woven throughout the Torah. From the creation of the world to the final words of Moses, the Messiah is revealed in profound and sometimes hidden ways. When we read the Torah with eyes to see, we encounter Yeshua as the heartbeat of the story from the very beginning. He is present, revealing the heart and plan of God long before His incarnation in Bethlehem.
The Word from the Beginning
"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." (Genesis 1:1)
Yeshua is the Word of God made flesh (John 1:14). When God spoke creation into being, it was through His Word—Yeshua. Colossians 1:16 tells us, "For in Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth." The Torah begins with Yeshua, the Word through whom all things exist.
The Promise of a Redeemer
In Genesis, we meet Yeshua in the story of Abraham’s interaction with Melchizedek, the king of Salem and priest of the Most High God. In Genesis 14:18-20, Melchizedek brings bread and wine and blesses Abraham, foreshadowing Yeshua’s role as both King and High Priest.
Psalm 110:4 proclaims, “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek,” a prophecy directly tied to Yeshua in Hebrews 7. The bread and wine offered by Melchizedek prefigure the Last Supper, where Yeshua offered Himself as the ultimate sacrifice for humanity’s redemption. Through this encounter, we see a foreshadowing of the Messiah’s eternal priesthood and His work of reconciliation.
Later in Genesis, Yeshua is revealed in the life of Joseph, a striking picture of the suffering and exalted Messiah. Joseph is beloved by his father, betrayed by his brothers, falsely accused, and ultimately raised to a position of authority where he saves nations from death.
Like Yeshua, Joseph was rejected by his own but became the instrument of their salvation. Yeshua endured betrayal and suffering to reconcile humanity to God. As Joseph revealed himself to his brothers and forgave them, Yeshua reveals Himself to us with grace and mercy. Joseph’s life points to the Messiah, showing that God’s plan of redemption is woven into every story.
A Picture of the Sacrifice
In Genesis 22, we see a striking picture of Yeshua in the Akedah—the binding of Isaac. Abraham is asked to sacrifice his beloved son, a foreshadowing of the Father giving His only Son. Isaac carries the wood for the offering, just as Yeshua carried His own cross.
At the last moment, God provides a ram caught in the thicket as a substitute. This foreshadows Yeshua as the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29).
He is the ladder
In Genesis 28:12, Jacob dreams of a ladder (or staircase) reaching from earth to heaven, with angels ascending and descending “on Him” (bo in Hebrew). The use of the word bo emphasizes that the movement of the angels is centered “on Him,” pointing to a deeper Messianic truth. This vision finds its fulfillment in John 1:51, where Yeshua tells Nathanael, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” Yeshua reveals that He is the ladder—the connection between heaven and earth. The angels’ activity highlights His divine authority and mediatorial role, showing that He is the living gateway to God. Jacob’s vision was not just about the covenant promises of land and descendants; it pointed to the ultimate promise fulfilled in Yeshua, the Messiah who bridges heaven and earth for all humanity.
The Passover Lamb
In Exodus, the institution of Passover reveals Yeshua's role as our Redeemer. The blood of the lamb on the doorposts protected the Israelites from death, just as Yeshua's blood covers and saves us from eternal death.
Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 5:7,
"Messiah, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed."
The Torah's imagery and instructions for the Passover point directly to Yeshua's atoning death.
God Dwelling Among Us
The instructions for building the Tabernacle in Exodus 25-40 reveal God's desire to dwell with His people. Every detail of the Tabernacle points to Yeshua.
The Ark of the Covenant: Yeshua is the mercy seat where God meets with humanity.
The Menorah: He is the Light of the World (John 8:12).
The Bread of the Presence: Yeshua is the Bread of Life (John 6:35).
John 1:14 tells us that the Word “tabernacled” among us, drawing a direct line from the wilderness Tabernacle to Yeshua dwelling with His people. The Greek word used here is eskēnōsen (ἐσκήνωσεν), derived from the root skēnē (σκηνή), meaning “tent” or “tabernacle,” echoing the imagery of God dwelling with the Israelites in the wilderness. This Greek term parallels the Hebrew concept of the Mishkan (Tabernacle) found in the Torah, where God’s presence resided among His people. The Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, uses skēnē to refer to the Tabernacle, reinforcing the connection between Yeshua’s incarnation and God’s dwelling with Israel. Just as God’s glory filled the Tabernacle in Exodus 40:34, the glory of God was made manifest in Yeshua, who took on flesh and lived among us, embodying the very presence of God.
The Prophecies of Moses
In Deuteronomy 18:15, Moses says, "The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to Him."
Yeshua is that prophet, fulfilling Moses' role as mediator between God and humanity. Where Moses brought the law, Yeshua brought its fullness, grace, and truth.
The Scarlet Thread
The Torah is not a separate, standalone part of Scripture; it is the foundation upon which all of God’s Word is built. Yeshua Himself said, "If you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me" (John 5:46).
From the Garden of Eden to the wilderness wanderings, from the sacrifices to the Tabernacle, Yeshua is woven throughout the Torah like a scarlet thread. He is not a New Testament afterthought—He is the eternal plan of God revealed through every word of Scripture.
When we open the Torah with this understanding, it becomes a living testimony of Yeshua’s identity and mission. The Torah is not just history; it is His story.
May we have eyes to see Him on every page.
Shalom and blessings,
Dr. Charli Brown
