What the OT Prophets had at that time were the TYPES and SHADOWS that all pointed to the one true Redeemer. If they understood the purpose of the types and shadows, then they understood the Redeemer and His necessary coming. They understood the temporary nature of their sacrifices - pushing all things forward to Christ's day. Perhaps these things are best summed up in these verses:
John 5:38 And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he sent, him ye believe not.
John 5:39 Ye search the scriptures, because ye think that in them ye have eternal life; and these are they which bear witness of me;
John 5:40 and ye will not come to me, that ye may have life.
The OT Prophets may not have known Jesus by name but they knew there was a coming Redeemer, the Anointed one of God and probably understood that only God could appease God's Justice.
Hence, as you pointed out, Jesus our Lord was and is the Word. Therefore, believing the Truth of God, is the same as believing in Jesus. Since Jesus and the Word are one and the same. The truth points to Christ and the truth is Christ. And Scripture clearly states, that we must worship God in Spirit and Truth. also, the Truth takes center stage with the lost:
2Th 2:10 and with all deceit of unrighteousness for them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2Th 2:12 that they all might be judged who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness
So I think one could say, that the OT Saints believing in God's Word, was reckoned as believing in Jesus the Christ.
“What the OT Prophets had at that time were the TYPES and SHADOWS that all pointed to the one true Redeemer”
well No that’s what we have in scripture
“In the beginning
God created the heaven and the earth.”
Genesis 1:1 KJV
That actually happened brother the earth we dwell On was created by God.
“And the
LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground,
and
breathed into his nostrils the breath of life;
and
man became a living soul.”
Genesis 2:7 KJV
This actually happened God created mans body and breathed the spirit of life into man and man became a living soul
What I’m saying is this is Jesus but he’s
hidden in the scriptures we have
“And
they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife
hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.
And
the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?”
Genesis 3:8-9 KJV
it’s not that Jesus wasn’t always The lord it’s that Moses five books have a veil over them and he’s hidden
What I’m saying is now that we have the gospel we can view that like this knowing his name
“Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and
be not faithless, but believing. And
Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.
Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me,
thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.”
John 20:27-29
In the ot when you have a reference to the Lord God , your talking about Jesus but it’s intentionally hiding his name and doctrine until the appointed time of redemption
See this is how Abraham related to God
“And
the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day; and he lift up his eyes and looked, and,
lo, three men stood by him: and when
he saw them, he ran to meet
them from the tent door, and
bowed himself toward the ground, and said, My Lord, ( as addressing one )
if now I have found favour in
thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:
…. And
he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. ( speaking as one )
And
the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went
with them to bring them on the way.
And
the LORD said, ( as of one ) Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;
I will go down now,( as of one ) and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know. And
the men turned their faces( as of two ) from thence, and went toward Sodom:
but
Abraham stood yet before the LORD. ( one )And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?
….And
the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.”
Genesis 18:1-3, 9-10, 16-17, 20-23, 33 KJV
See we’re talking about before God chose Moses four hundred years after this time the only way for Israel to relate to God is through Moses and his law because they requested it
before that you have Abraham’s relationship with Jesus but it’s not written about for us until you hear the gospel Enoch , Noah , Moses , Elijah , David they all believed in Jesus thousands of years before he came because God said it was going to happen
We believe two thousand years after because God said it would happen
Jesus is the creator those things just aren’t there to teach us the gospel it’s a record of mankind’s relationship with God and why we need salvation
enoch walked with Jesus He did this
“Verily, verily, I say unto you,
If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.”
John 8:51 KJV
It’s just that we don’t ever hear what he believed because it’s hidden we only see that they called upon his name , we’re upright and obedient men faithful and preached about righteousness ( which is the gospel ) they walked with him and were translated
enoch , Noah Abraham all were approved of God and are elders of his eternal kingdom