The history of God's ancient people, from Egypt to Canaan, is fraught with richest instruction, especially when it is understood that their history was formed by a divine hand, molded for a certain purpose. They were a typical people; and concerning this part of their history, it is written, "Now all these things happened unto them for types :and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come" (i Cor. 10:ii).
In the land of Egypt we learn of their degradation and bondage. Eleven chapters describe their real condition – their burdens, their sorrows and their bitter tears (Ex. 1:-11:); but God, whose compassions are great and fail not, beheld their condition; His heart was moved, and He remembered His covenant with their fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, "and God had respect unto them" (Ex. 2:24, 25).
In the person of Moses, God raised up a deliverer, a savior, and sent him to them on an errand, an errand of mercy and of love, with power. When we reach chapter twelve of that very remarkable book, we find a great change-the dawn of a new day for that favored people whom Jehovah claimed as His own.
First:The Passover (Ex. xii ).
In this chapter God brings in a new beginning- openly connecting that people with His Name. His
purpose was to bring them out of Egypt, through the desert, and into the land of promise-the land that "flowed with milk and honey" (chap. 3:8). The first lesson He would teach them was the need of a passover lamb. Our chapter describes that lamb fully, and enforces the need on the part of each to see that the blood of the lamb was sprinkled upon the door-posts of his house. For, it must be remembered, they were sinners as were the Egyptians, they were idolaters as were also the Egyptians, and in these things there was no difference; but when God spoke, they heard and obeyed His voice (chap. 4:29-31); hence, God said, "I will put a division (literally, a redemption, margin) between My people and thy people" (chap. 8:23). At this point we see the people turning to God from idols, as did the new converts at Thessalonica at an after date (i Thess. 1:9). They also accepted God's appointed way as did Abel before them (Gen. 4:4), and God provided a place of safety for His people upon that dark night, when He executed judgment upon the land of Egypt.
The lamb was God's appointed means of safety- of deliverance from judgment. The blood upon the door-posts outside was sufficient for God's eye to rest upon-" When I see the blood, I will pass over you." And this people, taken up in God's sovereign grace, could, behind the blood-stained lintel, rest satisfied, in perfect safety, and feast upon the lamb roast with fire, with the unleavened bread, and the bitter herbs.
In all this we see a clear, plain picture of Christ. " For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us " (i Cor. 5:7). The blood gave Israel safety and peace ; the blood of Christ secures salvation and
peace, through the forgiveness of sins and the gift of eternal life to every soul to-day who hears and believes the message, receiving the incorruptible word of God into the heart by faith.
Thus, Israel start on their journey a redeemed people, and that memorial month was for them "the beginning of months." So with us, when the soul accepts God's Lamb, there is a new beginning, a new birth, a new life, a new relationship-all based upon the blood of Christ, God's Lamb. Blessed start! Blessed journey, and blessed end!
Second:The Red Sea (Ex. 14:).
We leave the place of Israel's birth, the scene of their slavery-"the house of bondage"-and under the guiding of the Shekinah cloud we journey to the Red Sea. For, be it remembered, the cloud guided them in all the journey from the place where the blood was sprinkled (Ex. 14:21)-type of the Holy Spirit indwelling and guiding God's people now, consequent upon new birth and redemption by the blood (Rom. 5:5; i Cor. 6:19; Gal. 3:2; 4:6; Eph. 1:13).
At the Red Sea they encamped "before Pi-hahi-roth"("door of liberty"). The Red Sea was that door of liberty-God's appointed way of deliverance for them from the bondage of Egypt and Pharaoh, as the passover-lamb had been from divine judgment. Thus we see in their history a double deliverance:one secured them from God's wrath against their sins ; the other, from the terrible rule of Pharaoh.
That proud, haughty ruler had made them his slaves. They formed part of his dominion, and this extended as far as the Red Sea; but when God opened up the Sea and passed Israel through, they were free. Before this they groaned and wept; now, delivered, they rejoiced and sang (Ex. 15:).
Here we can compare scripture with scripture again, and find the beautiful analogy between the Old Testament and the New. In the New Testament we learn of the reign, rule, or dominion, of Sin (Rom, 5:21; 6:6; 7:23), which has sway in the whole human race-in every human heart away from God. Pharaoh's dominion had a limit, and so has that of Sin:one ruled as far as the Red Sea; the other, as far as death; but in either case the rule extends no further. The Red Sea is thus another illustration of Christ's death; only, His people being now linked with Him by the Spirit, they pass through death in Him. This is God's appointed way of deliverance for them from the world (Egypt), and from the power, rule and dominion of Sin (Pharaoh). This lesson is fully given in Rom. 6:
Thus as Israel passed through the Red Sea and were free, so we pass through death in Christ and are crucified to the world-separated from it forever, and freed from the dominion of sin under which the world is. It can be easily seen that this is a further lesson for us to learn than that of forgiveness of sins and justification, as in Rom. 3:, 4:, and 5:, just as the Red Sea lesson differs from that of the passover. All believers have, as Israel, in God's sight passed through the Red Sea. All have been crucified with Christ, and no longer live as sinners before God. As sinners, they "are dead" (Col. 3:3) Many be-believers may not have grasped this truth in their souls, and thus lose the blessing which surely follows every ray of light which enters the human soul. Israel were free from the dominion of Pharaoh, and we are free from the dominion of sin; not yet free from the presence of sin, for it still exists within us, as all around us, but we are free from its rule. So we are enjoined "let not therefore sin reign in your mortal body " (Rom. 6:12). This truth gives great rest to the soul, when apprehended. It gives rest in God's way not in the way many think, 1:e., give battle to indwelling sin with the hope to exterminate it. The principle of evil we all inherit from natural birth abides as long as we abide here; but when the believer grasps the Red Sea lessons, with their application as set forth in the sixth chapter of Romans, its fruits are both deliverance and sanctification.
This is experimental progress from what we have in Rom. 3:-5:, but progress of faith, as the Red Sea was a further lesson for Israel from the passover. Many are confused in their minds as to these different and important steps in the Christian course, and thus lose much blessing. It is of immense importance we should learn that the truth of the passover, and of Rom. 3:-5:which corresponds with it, is for the establishment of our relationship with God. The first moment the soul accepts Christ, there is forgiveness of sins (Acts 13:38); there is deliverance from wrath to come (i Thess. 1:10); there is no future judgment (Jno. 5:24), for all these questions are settled, and the relationship, as born of God, is all established-the eternal issues are settled forever between the soul and God. But this is not all. There is the wilderness to go through-the sin that still dwells in us, the world full of sin all about us, and a holy walk with God through it all incumbent upon us. It is for this the truth of the Red Sea, with its corresponding lessons in Rom. 6:and 7:, has been given to us. May there be earnestness to grasp, and profit by, these divine provisions.
After Israel passed the Sea, Pharaoh's rule passed away from them. That slavery, under his dominion, was a thing of the past, and now Moses, God's deliverer, was the appointed ruler and guide of that people across the desert to Canaan. Muses took the place of Pharaoh.
The same in Rom. 6::the rule of sin is broken- annulled by the death of Christ. We are delivered from sin, as the old ruler, and free now to serve another-Him who is alive, risen-Jesus Christ our Lord.* *The reader will do well to read with care this whole chapter in the epistle to the Romans. Sins are the great question of chaps, 3:, 4:, and up to chap. 5:11. Then, from chap. 5:12 to 6:23, the subject is not guilt, not sins, but the evil principle within, that produced those sins. That evil principle within is called "sin."* We have, as Israel, changed masters, and are free to serve righteousness, to serve Christ the Lord. Glorious and blessed is this further deliverance, proclaimed to a people already under the shelter of the blood-who may be already rejoicing in the forgiveness of sins. The progress is progress experimentally, progress in the truth, progress in the faith; and this is also progress in sanctification, according to John 17:17-" Sanctify them through Thy truth:Thy Word is truth." A. E. B.
(To be continued, D. V).