1 Parables and Types and Shadows

God often uses parables, types, and shadows in Scripture to teach us about Himself and His ways. These methods help us understand deeper meanings. For example, in the parable of the vineyard, the owner represents God the Father, and his son represents Yeshua. In the story of Joseph and Pharaoh, Joseph represents Yeshua, and Pharaoh represents the Father. Similarly, in the story of Abraham and Isaac, Abraham represents the Father, and Isaac represents Yeshua. These stories show that God the Father and Yeshua the Son are two separate persons. Parables and types and shadows. Through these scriptures God often uses various methods to teach us about himself and his ways, using types and antitypes, shadow stories, patterns, analogies, parables, allegories, metaphors etc. These methods are often used to help us to understand lessons with deeper meanings. We will be looking into some of these methods in this study, especially in relation to Adam and Eve. So let us first of all take a look at a few examples. Analogy. A comparison between things that have similar features often used to help explain a principle or idea. Example. John 15 1-2 I am the true vine, and my father is the gardener. Every branch in me that bears no fruit he takes away, and every branch that bears fruit he prunes, so that it bears more fruit. As we know this is Yeshua speaking of himself as the true vine, his father as the gardener and us as the branches. In this analogy Yeshua uses metaphoric symbolism to help us to understand the idea that we as branches need to stay connected to Yeshua the vine to be nourished and bear good fruit. We can also see that in this analogy the father as the gardener and Yeshua as the vine are understood as two different persons. The gardener is not both the vine and the gardener. So now let us look at a parable and see what we can learn from it. The parable of the vineyard and the vine dresses. Matthew 21 33-39 Here another parable. There was a certain man, a householder, who planted a vineyard and placed a hedge around it, and dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower, and he leased it to farmers and went abroad. And when the season of the fruits drew near, he sent his servants to the farmers to receive its fruits. And the farmers took his servants and beat one, and they killed one, and they stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them. And at last he sent his son to them, saying, They shall respect my son. But when the farmers saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and let us possess his inheritance. And they took him, and they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. Therefore when the master of the vineyard comes, what shall he do to those farmers? So who is the master of the vineyard and who is his son the heir? Obviously in the parable the servants represent the prophets, the master is the father and his son the heir is Yeshua. This is clarified in Hebrews chapter 1 where we see some similar verses giving a literal version of these events. Hebrews 1 1-2 Elohim, having of old spoken in many portions and many ways to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by the Son, whom he has appointed heir of all, through whom also he made the ages. We believe that this parable reflects the true relationship between God the Father and Yeshua his beloved Son as two different persons who are Father and Son. Now let us look at another story where we can see a type of Yeshua and a type of the Father. Genesis 41 38-45 And Pharaoh said to his servants, Could we find another like him, a man in whom is the spirit of Elohim? Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, Since Elohim has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. Be over my house, you yourself, and at your mouth all my people shall kiss. Only in the throne I am greater than you. And Pharaoh said to Joseph, See, I have set you over all the land of Mitsrayim. And Pharaoh took his seal ring off his hand and put it on Joseph's hand. And he dressed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. And he had him ride in the second chariot which he had. And they cried out before him, Bow the knee. And he set him over all the land of Mitsrayim. And Pharaoh said to Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without a word from you let no man lift his hand or foot in all the land of Mitsrayim. And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphnath-paneah. And he gave him as a wife Asenath, the daughter of Potipharah, priest of On. And Joseph went out over all the land of Mitsrayim. We must understand that types and shadow pictures are only types in some ways. All typologies break down at some point, so we wouldn't expect every detail to be the same. As many believers will be aware, Joseph is a type of Yeshua, the son of God. We also believe that in some respects Pharaoh is a type of the father, like how he is the only one greater in regard to the throne. Although obviously in this shadow story Pharaoh isn't the actual father of Joseph. Also we shouldn't get concerned that the character of the father and Pharaoh are completely different in so many other ways. Like we said we wouldn't expect every detail to be the same. In this story we see that how the father being greater than the son is like how Joseph is second in command to Pharaoh. We can see in 1 Corinthians how God the father is the only one greater in authority than his son. However the son is second only to his father and has authority over every man. 1 Corinthians 11 3 And I wish you to know that the head of every man is the Messiah, and the head of woman is the man, and the head of Messiah is Elohim. In Philippians chapter 2 we see how Elohim has exalted Yeshua and gave him a new name at which every knee should bow. In the shadow story we see in a similar way how Joseph was exalted by Pharaoh and given a new name and made ruler over all the land and they cried bow the knee. Philippians 2 9 to 10 Elohim therefore has highly exalted him and given him the name which is above every name that at the name of Yeshua every knee should bow of those in heaven and of those on earth and of those under the earth. Pharaoh also gave Joseph a wife as the father is preparing a bride for his son. Matthew 22 2 The reign of the heavens is like a man, a sovereign who made a wedding feast for his son. In this story are Pharaoh and Joseph two different people? As we are sure you will agree they are and we believe this account again points very clearly to the father and the son being two separate persons. For our final example we will look at the story of Abraham and Isaac. Genesis 22 And it came to be after these events that Elohim tried Abraham and said to him Abraham and he said here I am and he said take your son now your only son Yitzhak whom you love and go to the land of Moriah and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I command you. And Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey and took two of his young men with him and Yitzhak his son and he split the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place which Elohim had commanded him. And on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place from a distance so Abraham said to his young men stay here with the donkey while the boy and I go over there and worship and come back to you. And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Yitzhak his son and he took the fire in his hand and a knife and the two of them went together. And Yitzhak spoke to Abraham his father and said my father and he said here I am my son and he said see the fire and the wood but where is the lamb for a burnt offering and Abraham said my son Elohim does provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering and the two of them went together. And they came to the place which Elohim had commanded him and Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order and he bound Yitzhak his son and laid him on the altar upon the wood. And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son but the messenger of Yodhi Bape called him from the heavens and said Abraham Abraham and he said here I am and he said do not lay your hand on the boy nor touch him for now I know that you fear Elohim seeing you have not withheld your son your only son for me. And Abraham lifted his eyes and looked and saw behind him a ram caught in a bush by its horns and Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son. Here in the account of Abraham and Isaac we once again see a type and shallow story of the father and son where the father Abraham has to sacrifice Isaac his only begotten son of Sarah. We see similarities of how Isaac carried the wood and Yeshua carried his cross and how both Isaac and Yeshua were willing sacrifices. The location on Mount Moriah is also believed to be the same location where Yeshua was crucified at Golgotha. We can see some scriptural examples of how this is a type and shadow of the father and son in John 3 16 and 1 John 4 10. John 3 16 for Elohim so loved the world that he gave his only brought forth son so that everyone who believes in him should not perish but possess everlasting life. 1 John 4 10 in this is love not that we loved Elohim but that he loved us and sent his son to be an atoning offering for our sins. We hope that you would agree with us by now that these type and shallow stories in the scriptures are telling us about the relationship between the father and the son a relationship clearly between two persons. Summary parables and types and shadows Elohim uses parables types and shadow pictures to teach us about him and his ways. The parable of the vineyard owner and his son reflects the true relationship between God the father and his son. We saw how Yosef was a type of Yeshua and Pharaoh was a type of the father. In the story Yosef was second to the Pharaoh only in regards to the throne. We saw in a prophetic shadow picture how Abraham was a type of the father and Isaac a type of Yeshua when Abraham took his only begotten son to sacrifice him. In all these types and shallow stories the people representing Elohim and Yeshua are two persons.