TORAH DESIGNS IN MATTHEW

Torah designs, or patterns following the themes of the first five books of the Bible, are not limited to the Old Testament. They are also found throughout the New Testament. The Gospel of Matthew is a good place to start.

The pattern repeats itself through the book. Chapters one, six, eleven, etc. follow the Genesis theme. Chapters two, seven, etc. follow the Exodus theme, and so on through all books of the Torah. To review, the themes of the Torah are:
1) Genesis - the beginning, the sin of man
2) Exodus - deliverance, redemption
3) Leviticus - sanctification, setting apart
4) Numbers - the wilderness, focus on sin
5) Deuteronomy - the establishment of the kingdom

Some of the chapter themes may be obscure. Others just leap out at you. Matthew chapter one is the beginning and gives the genealogy of Jesus. Chapter two is the deliverance of Jesus by escaping to Egypt. In Chapter three John the Baptist is setting people apart for the coming Messiah. In chapter four Jesus is in the wilderness! Chapter five includes the Beatitudes which begin and end with a promise of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Chapter ten describes Jesus sending out the Disciples with instructions to preach that the Kingdom of Heaven is near. In Matthew 13:11 Jesus tells the Disciples that they are set apart; they have knowledge not given to others. Chapter fourteen tells of Jesus going to a solitary place, probably in the wilderness.

Chapter sixteen begins with the scribes and Pharisees attempting to test Jesus and Jesus warning the Disciples about the “yeast of the Pharisees”. Yeast symbolizes sin; the sin of man. In chapter seventeen Jesus promises Elijah will come and restore all things; or the deliverance of the Jews. Jesus tells the Disciples that little children are set apart or sanctified in chapter eighteen. He also states that their guardian angels are set part, or have the attention of God (Matthew 18:11) Chapter twenty begins with a parable about the Kingdom.

The beginning of Holy Week is found in chapter twenty-one. In chapter twenty-three the scribes and Pharisees are set apart by the Lord Jesus for condemnation. Matthew chapter twenty-four describes testing of the Jews, just as they were tested in the wilderness. All of chapter twenty-five is about the coming Kingdom.

The sin of man, as they plot to kill Jesus, is found in chapter twenty-six. Chapter twenty-seven is about our deliverance through the crucifixion of Jesus. In the final chapter, twenty-eight, Jesus is sanctified and taken home to be with the Lord as the firstfruits of resurrection. (First Corinthians 15:20)

These patterns, and others, are found throughout the Word of God and are His Signature. May His Name be praised now and forever.

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