typological snippets II

In the same collection of essays Francis Foulkes writes

we should not look back to this part of the Bible just for the history of the Jewish religion, nor just for moral examples, nor just for its messianic prophecy, nor to see the excelence of the faith of Israel in contrast to the religious faith andf understanding of the other nations of antiquity... We look to the Old testament to see God in his grace revealing himself in the history of Israel in preperation for the sending of his Son, the Incarnate Word and the Saviour of the world.

We study the Old Testament typologically, for we study it to gain a theological understanding of history; and that theological understanding is christological understanding, for it is only in Christ that the history of Israel, or of any nation or individual, past or present, is able to find its meaning. (370-1)