Finding the Hidden Jesus

     The entire purpose of the Old Testament is neither history nor law, but to reveal Jesus long before God took on flesh. John the Beloved knew Jesus well! The Book of John in chapter 1 reveals the hidden Jesus. It is obvious from that scripture that "the Word" has great significance. John is identifying "the Word" who spoke throughout  scripture: (1) the Word existed from the beginning, (2) the Word (Truth) was with God, and the Word was God (John 1:2).
    The Word's Power is defined in John 1:3: "All things were made by him." That verse identifies the Word as Creator. John 14:6 says that Jesus is "the way, the truth, and the life. The Word is truth (John 1:1), and "the life" is validated in John 1:4: "In him was life; and the life was the light of men."
    That the light is truth is found in John 1:9. Light shines "the way", thus that same verse completes the description of Jesus- the Way, the Truth, and the Life!
     John 1:14 directly identifies Jesus:

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

     Truth is the Word and is revealed by God's glory - His Light. "The Word was made flesh", was the Son of the Father, and when the Word was spoken, it was "full of grace and truth". Think on that: God was always about grace, not the Law, and what God said was entire truth. Since those verses start with the beginning, the creation claim is truthful! God is the Creator God and anything less robs Him of His identity. People can't have Jesus without crediting him with creation. Denying Jesus the Creator is denying Jesus the Re-Creator of the new heavens and the new earth which are the promised abode for those who are born-again!
    Jesus is hidden in John chapter 1, but even the naïve can find him therein! John revealed the Word as Jesus who at that time was "God with us". Likewise, John revealed where Jesus was since the beginning: He was creating, speaking, and providing grace and truth. Jesus is hidden in ancient scriptures. Isaiah knew Jesus. Like Jesus, Isaiah spoke indirectly. Jesus spoke in parables that most could understand. Isaiah use similes to present the future which only the righteous could discern.
Follows is an example:

Isa 22:20 And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah: 21 And I will clothe him with thy robe, and strengthen him with thy girdle, and I will commit thy government into his hand: and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah. 22 And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open. 23 And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place; and he shall be for a glorious throne to his father's house. 24 And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his father's house, the offspring and the issue, all vessels of small quantity, from the vessels of cups, even to all the vessels of flagons. 25 In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, shall the nail that is fastened in the sure place be removed, and be cut down, and fall; and the burden that was upon it shall be cut off: for the Lord hath spoken it.

  Who do you see in those passages? I see Eliakim. Most people do! He was the son of Hilkiah. He was a real person and a real king! He was not in line for the throne but God caused him to be king. Does that sound familiar? It should because Herod feared Jesus, a pretender to his throne. Likewise, Eliakim was a surprise competitor. Herod knew that Eliakim was given the throne and feared that Jesus was another Eliakim!
     Eliakim was a type of Jesus. His purpose was to reveal Jesus to the Jews. He was born to reveal Jesus to the world. Eliakim's very name means "God stand up" (Abarim Publications: "Eliakim"). Note the similarity to Elohim which is "God" in the plural. My contention is that the singular "El" is the One True God, and that the plural Elohim is God's three aspects: Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. As such, God's full identity is hidden in Eliakim's name. Perhaps, "God stand up" points directly to God in the flesh- Jesus!
     Isaiah continues with verse 23: "And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place; and he shall be for a glorious throne to his father's house." How much clearer could Isaiah be? Jesus was nailed to the surest place ever! He existed (be) for God's glorious throne. King Jesus sits on the throne today. When the righteous see God they are looking at Jesus. Isaiah knew that!
     Jesus as God had all the things of God: "They shall hang upon him all the glory of his father's house" (verse 24). As God is Glory, all that are in His presence are glorious. The flesh is changed from corruptible to incorruptible - glorification. God glorified His Son when he arose from the grave!
     
     Eliakim, to discerning people, is a picture of Jesus. His father's name was Hilkiah. Jews knew full-well what his name meant: "apportion or sharing JHWH". Hilkiah is symbolic of Jehovah (JHVH) who shared or apportioned Himself through Jesus. Thus, we have Hilkiah and Eliakim as representative of Father and Son.  Where is the Holy Spirit in those verses? "(I will) strengthen him with thy girdle, and I will commit thy government into his hand." God's Power is the Holy Spirit. Isaiah defined God, and revealed Jesus to his contemporaries. All they needed was to think on it, and Jesus was revealed just as the Apostle John did after him.
     Look further: God made him and Jesus kings when neither was thought to be in line to the throne (verse 21). Both were of the house of David. Jesus was even called "Son of David" (verse 22). "The key to the house of David" (verse 22) for Eliakim was the throne. For Jesus, it was also a throne. He was made "King" on the cross! Obviously, the cross (key)was upon Jesus's shoulders as he carried his own cross to Calvary. That "key" was the Way to salvation, and only by that "key" can the gate to Heaven be opened and shut (verse 22).
     I think of Paradise of which Adam and Eve were dismissed. Paradise had a hedge around it with only one gate for ingress and egress. There was no backdoor! To enter through the gate back into Paradise required safe passage because it was guarded by cherubim. The "Key" to that guarded gate was the Cross and the password for entry was God's Name - Jesus! Isaiah knew that, and discerning Christians need to know that as well. The Way back into Paradise was revealed. It was God 'standing up" in our place. Salvation was revealed by Isaiah. He was one of the several prophets who were the foundation of the Christian Church:

Ephes 2:19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; 20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord.

      Isaiah was laying the foundation of the Christian Church when he wrote of Eliakim! He placed the Cornerstone to which the Church was built. Cornerstones are the datums from which the entire structure is built. All structures only have one datum and it is the cornerstone. Structures are built in 3-D from the Cornerstone which must be solid, square, plumb, and true. Jesus was the Cornerstone on which the Church was built, and Isaiah revealed the Cornerstone in his sublime way to all that could understand. I understand! The righteous did as well. Verse 25 speaks of Jesus's death and resurrection: "In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, shall the nail that is fastened in the sure place be removed, and be cut down, and fall; and the burden that was upon it shall be cut off."
     Because the nail was removed from Jesus which held him in bondage, mankind would be set free from bondage by removal of that nail. Jesus defeated death for mankind, and the restraining "nails" of bondage fell off and believers were set free!
     Isaiah painted a picture for the Jews in a manner which they understood. God used Hilkiah and Eliakim to announce the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Some understood what Isaiah was saying. Afterward it takes deep thought. Before the life of Jesus only those communing with God knew what God's Plan was!