The adumbrations across Scripture all point to Jesus.

Adumbration-a foreshadowing, a prophetic shadow, a hint of what's to come. Every type, every prophecy, every ceremony in the Old Testament casts a shadow forward. And when you trace that shadow to its source, you find Christ.

The entire Bible is about Him. From Genesis to Revelation, every story, every law, every sacrifice points to one Person: Jesus.

"And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself." - Luke 24:27

"For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." - Revelation 19:10

This is the test. This is the standard. The culmination of all prophecy is to testify about Jesus.

True prophecy doesn't center on you. It doesn't elevate a nation, a movement, or a political agenda. It doesn't make you the hero of the story. True prophecy exalts Christ.

If a prophecy-whether Old Testament type or modern-day utterance-doesn't point to Jesus, it fails the biblical test. If it doesn't reveal His character, His work, His glory, or His return, it's not from God.

The Old Testament is filled with adumbrations-shadows that find their substance in Christ:

• Adam - The first man, but Christ is the second Adam who brings life (Romans 5:14)
• Abel's sacrifice - The blood of a lamb accepted by God, pointing to the Lamb of God (Genesis 4:4; John 1:29)
• Isaac on the altar - The beloved son offered as a sacrifice, spared at the last moment-but Jesus was not (Genesis 22)
• The Passover lamb - Blood on the doorposts to save from death, fulfilled in Christ our Passover (Exodus 12; 1 Corinthians 5:7)
• The bronze serpent - Lifted up in the wilderness so that those who look might live (Numbers 21:9; John 3:14)
• The manna - Bread from heaven sustaining Israel, fulfilled in Jesus the Bread of Life (Exodus 16; John 6:35)
• The rock that provided water - Struck once, water flowed-Christ, the spiritual Rock (Exodus 17:6; 1 Corinthians 10:4)
• The scapegoat - Carrying the sins of the people into the wilderness (Leviticus 16:21-22)
• David, the shepherd-king - The one after God's heart, a shadow of the King who would rule forever (1 Samuel 16; Luke 1:32-33)
• Jonah in the fish - Three days and three nights, prefiguring Christ's death and resurrection (Jonah 1:17; Matthew 12:40)

Every shadow points forward. Every type finds its fulfillment. All of Scripture is about Jesus.

"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

Jesus Himself said the Scriptures testify about Him. Not just the "prophecies" in the technical sense-all of Scripture. The Law. The Prophets. The Writings. Every word points to Christ.

On the Emmaus road, the resurrected Jesus didn't say, "Let me tell you about yourselves." He didn't give them a motivational speech. He opened the Scriptures and showed them Himself:

"And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself." - Luke 24:27

Moses testified about Jesus. Isaiah testified about Jesus. David testified about Jesus. Zechariah testified about Jesus. The entire canon bears witness to Christ.

This principle doesn't just apply to Old Testament interpretation. It applies to every prophetic word spoken today.

If someone claims to speak for God but the word doesn't ultimately point to Jesus-His person, His work, His return, His glory-discard it.

False prophecy often has these characteristics:

• It centers on you. "God says you're about to get rich, promoted, blessed." Where's Jesus?
• It's vague and flattering. "I see breakthrough coming." What does that have to do with Christ?
• It's politically partisan. "God says this candidate will save the nation." How does this testify about Jesus?
• It majors on predictions, not Christ. "In 2026, three things will happen..." Why isn't Jesus mentioned?

"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world." - 1 John 4:1

The test is simple: Does it testify about Jesus?

If not, it's not from God. Discard it.

When prophecy is truly from God, it does what all Scripture does: it reveals Jesus.

It doesn't just predict the future-it points to the One who holds the future. It doesn't just address circumstances-it directs you to the Savior who transcends circumstances. It doesn't make you the hero-it makes Christ the hero.

True prophecy:

• Exalts Christ's character
• Proclaims His finished work
• Calls people to repentance and faith in Him
• Builds up the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 14:3-4)
• Points to His return and eternal reign

"He must increase, but I must decrease." - John 3:30

If a prophetic word makes you bigger and Jesus smaller, it's not from God.

Read the Bible looking for Jesus. He's in every book. Every sacrifice. Every prophet. Every king. Every event. The entire story is about Him.

And when you hear a prophetic word-whether from a preacher, a "prophet," or a friend-ask one question: Does this testify about Jesus?

If it does, receive it, test it, hold it up to Scripture. If it doesn't, discard it without hesitation.

Because the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. And anything that doesn't point to Him isn't worth hearing.

"Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son." - Hebrews 1:1-2

The final Word has been spoken. And His name is Jesus.