Daily Devotions

Thursday, April 16, 2026

That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing Him. … And He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into His glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. (Luke 24:13-16, 25-27)

How much I wish I could have been there, to hear Jesus explain everything the Bible has to say about Himself! That would have been a Bible study to remember forever. Because the main theme of the Bible, Old or New Testament, is Jesus; as He Himself says, “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about Me” (John 5:39). Luther made the point this way: “Take Christ out of the Scriptures, and what will you find left in them?” (The Bondage of the Will (Luther’s Works 33:26)).

In fact, we can hear that Bible study, if at second hand. Because those two disciples must have shared what Jesus taught them with the rest of the believers, as Jesus intended they should. And so, even from the earliest days of the Christian church, believers have been busy searching the Old Testament, finding all the places where we see Jesus. And there’s enough there to keep us busy the rest of our lives.

Some of it is straight up prophecy, like Isaiah 53, Psalm 22, and Psalm 16. Those tell us clearly about Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection for us—the way He rescued us and everyone who trusts in Him, so that we might become forgiven, blessed children of God. Some of it is what we call typology—cases where certain people or objects in the Old Testament have an amazing resemblance to some aspect of Jesus’ life and work. Examples would be the snake in the wilderness, the Passover lamb, and King David himself (see Numbers 21:4-9; Exodus 12; Ezekiel 34:22-24; Ezekiel 37:23-28; Jeremiah 30:8-9, and many others).

And then there are the really odd bits, where it seems that Jesus Himself is appearing in the Old Testament, though He has not yet been born among us. Examples of this may include God wrestling with Jacob, the commander who appeared to Joshua, and the fourth man in the furnace (see Genesis 32:22-32; Joshua 5:13-15; Daniel 3:24-25).

If you’re not in the habit of reading the Bible regularly, I encourage you to do so. You will be amazed at what you learn about Jesus our Lord—even in what might seem like the most uninteresting parts!

WE PRAY: Dear Lord, help me to recognize You in Your Word, and to know and love You with all my heart. Amen.

This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo.

Reflection Questions:

1. What are your favorite parts of the Old Testament? Why?
2. What do they tell you about Jesus?
3. Why do you think God spoke about Jesus so often and so clearly so many years before He came?

Today's Readings:

Judges 7-8
Luke 13:23-35

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