Two key features of biblical typology are historical correspondence and escalation.
Historical correspondence has to do with the way people, events or institutions match or correlate to one another. For example, both Noah and Moses were preserved in an ark through waters in which people died.
Escalation has to do with a progression from the initial instance (archetype) and how these patterns increase in intensity or find their fulfillment in an ultimate and final expression.
FORESHADOWING FIGURES: PEOPLE, EVENTS & INSTITUTIONS
These are real events that have real resemblance.
(1). People - Pharaoh trying to kill baby Moses corresponds to Herod trying to kill baby Jesus. Moses and His parents were strangers in Egypt just as Jesus and His parents were. God summoned Moses to lead his firstborn (Israel). God gave a dream to Joseph that led to Jesus (God's Son) being led out of Egypt. Moses led Israel through the Red Sea into the wilderness where they were tempted and failed. Jesus was baptized in the Jordan and led by the Spirit in the wilderness to be tempted by Satan and did not fail. Moses went up on Mt. Sinai and received the Law and gave it to the people. Jesus went up on a mount ang gave the Law of Christ. These are all historical events.
The escalation occurs in that Moses led a people out of the slavery of Egypt while Jesus leads people out of the slavery of sin. Moses led people to the promised land which was a shadow of the new Eden while Jesus leads people to the new heaven on the new earth.
(2). Events - At the Exodus Moses was attacked by the seed of the serpent, rejected by Israel, took a Gentile wife then returned to lead them out of Egypt. The 10th plague came upon Egypt and Israel was spared because of their participation in the Passover. Israel was baptized into Moses in the cloud and sea, then ate manna from heaven and drank water from a rock. Israel entered into a covenant with Yahweh and the nation received instructions on how to build the tabernacle.
Jesus was preserved from an attack from Satan's seed, rejected by Israel, All Israel will be saved at Jesus' return. For now, Jesus has a predominantly Gentile bride. Jesus is our Passover Lamb, and we are baptized into Him. We eat the true bread from heaven and drink of Christ. We have His law in the better New Covenant. At His instruction, the church is being built into a larger temple through gospel proclamation.
Jesus' death and resurrection point to a final cosmic death and renewal. The trumpet and bowl judgments correspond to the plagues in Egypt.
(3). Institutions - The priesthood and sacrificial system foreshadow and point towards the reality of Christ. Hebrews 5-7 lay out this teaching. He's a better Moses, David, Priest, Sacrifice. He has a better Law and Covenant.
NOT ONE OF HIS BONES SHALL BE BROKEN
Sometimes people, events and institutions are interwoven.
Most of us would assume that the OT predicted that none of Jesus’ bones would be broken based on John 19:36. Exodus 12:46 is the passage that John cites. Yet it’s not a prediction. It’s regarding the Passover Lamb. John claims that Jesus is the fulfillment of that passage.
Like David, John may be using OT Scripture to describe the way God saves (Psalm 34:20). Psalm 18 & 34 are about how God has saved David and he uses the Exodus as a template for the salvation of God. Exodus is an archetype. That means that David’s deliverance is installment of the typological pattern that has an ultimate end in Christ (John 19:36). John is not saying that Exodus 12:46 predicts anything. He’s saying that Jesus fulfills the typological pattern set forth by God in the OT. Jesus is the anti-type of the Exodus events and Passover Lamb.
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