Israel’s Story and Jesus’ Fulfillment
| Historical Event | Deliverance and Messiah figures | Jewish Hope/Theme | Jesus’ Parallels/Fulfillment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exodus from Egypt | Liberation from slavery, covenant at Sinai, promised land. Moses — deliverer, lawgiver, mediator. | God rescues his people; Passover celebrated annually as identity marker. Tabernacle built (Exod. 40) as God’s dwelling; later becomes Solomon’s Temple. | – Jesus as the new Moses (teaching on the mountain, signs/wonders). – His death and resurrection as a new Passover/Exodus (liberation from sin and death). – The Lord’s Supper reframes Passover. |
| Return from Babylonian Exile | Israel restored to the land after exile, temple rebuilt, but hopes unfulfilled. Zerubbabel (Davidic heir), Joshua (high priest), and Isaiah’s Servant (prophetic figure). Even Cyrus called God’s “anointed” (Isa. 45:1). | Longing for full covenant renewal, forgiveness, and God’s kingdom to return. Temple rebuilt (Ezra 3; Hag. 1–2), but lacking God’s visible glory; hopes remain unfulfilled. | – Jesus proclaims “the kingdom of God is at hand.” – He offers forgiveness of sins as the sign exile is ending. – Seen as God’s presence returning to Zion. |
| Maccabean Revolt (against Greeks) | Deliverance from Antiochus IV, temple desecrated then rededicated.(Hanukkah). Judas Maccabeus (“the hammer”), military liberator. | God vindicates his people through zeal and victory in battle. Cleansing/ rededication of Temple (1 Macc. 4:36–59); celebrated at Hanukkah. | – People expect a military Messiah. – Jesus redefines victory: not by sword but through the cross. – Temple redefined around himself as God’s dwelling. |
| Roman Occupation (1st century) | Israel under Caesar’s rule; heavy taxation, oppression, violent suppression. Messianic expectations intensify. Various messianic pretenders (e.g., Judas the Galilean, Theudas), but all failed. | Hope for Messiah to overthrow Rome and restore David’s throne. Herod’s grand Temple stands, but many still long for God’s true return (Mal. 3:1). | – Jesus resists violent revolution. – Proclaims a kingdom “not of this world” but breaking in now. – His resurrection signals victory over Rome’s greatest weapon: death itself. – Church as God’s new Temple (1 Cor. 3:16; Eph. 2:19–22). – Final vision: no temple, because God & the Lamb are its temple (Rev. 21:22). |
Redemption
Christians view these events as being precursors, in an incomplete way, the mission of Jesus to redeem the whole of Creation from the slavery to rebellion from God.
The “big 4” events in the pre-Christian history of Israel are the Exodus from Egypt, the Exile in Babylon, the persecution by the Syrian Greeks and the subjugation by the Romans.