Was the Gospel's Seed Sown in the Tanakh's Soil?
Could the message of the Gospels begin long before the New Covenant?
Many assume the Gospels — the “good news” — begins with the book of Matthew. But what if its roots are much deeper? What if the message of redemption, sacrifice, and new life was already planted in the very soil of the Hebrew Scriptures?
Hints of Redemption in Genesis
“And the L-RD G-d made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.”
—Genesis 3:21
The first covering of shame required a sacrifice. From the very beginning, the concept of atonement — one life in place of another — emerges. The Good News doesn’t interrupt the story. It fulfills it.
The Binding of Isaac: A Father, A Son, A Sacrifice
Abraham is told to offer up Isaac, his beloved son. And just before the sacrifice, G-d provides a ram — a substitute. This isn’t just a test of faith. It’s a prophetic echo of a Father who would one day offer His Son for the world.
The Passover Lamb: Salvation Through Blood
In Exodus, every Israelite household is saved not by strength or merit, but by the blood of a lamb placed on their doorposts. The angel of death passes over. It’s a moment of judgment, and mercy — and a powerful foreshadowing of the tree.
The Prophets Saw It Coming
Isaiah spoke of one who would be “pierced for our transgressions” (Isaiah 53). Jeremiah foretold a new covenant. Ezekiel spoke of new hearts. All pointed to a Messianic renewal rooted in the very soil of the Tanakh.
A Seed That Grew Into the Good News
The Good News isn’t a foreign plant. It’s a seed that was sown in the rich, prophetic ground of the Hebrew Bible. In Yeshua, the promises bloom.
Could it be that the Good News was always part of the plan?
“When I saw how the Good News connects to the Torah, my whole understanding of Scripture changed.”
— Daniel T., Messianic believer