AN INCREDIBLE JOURNEY
by Samuel T Carson
Samuel Carson's website link ... https://www.samueltcarson.com/
Stage One - The Redeemed of the Lord (From Rameses to the Red Sea)
Chapter 1 - In the House of Bondage
"And the Lord said ... I know their sorrows." Exodus 3 verse 7
Exodus begins with Abraham's descendants in dire servitude in the land of Egypt. Under the domination of Pharaoh the king, they had to endure the tyranny of his cruel taskmasters. They were slaves suffering a harsh oppression. They had no strength and left to themselves in their servile state, they had no hope of deliverance.
Parallel to believers: sold under sin
"For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin." Romans 7 verse 14
Genesis gives the family history of Israel, Exodus marks the beginning of their national history.
Genesis 46 and 47 - a great famine in those days and Joseph's brothers who had earlier betrayed him and sold him into servitude were compelled to come and buy corn at the renowned granaries he had established throughout Egypt. Just before this, Joseph had become Lord over all the land but his brothers were totally unaware of his exalted position. When they first came down to Egypt they did not realize who it was they were dealing with, although Joseph recognized them. But he did no immediately make himself known to the brothers. There had to be a time of probing and proving first. When the reunion came it was not an easy one. It took place in an atmosphere charged with deep emotion.
Joseph began by enquiring about Jacob his father. A quite special bond existed between father and son. The token of this bond was the famous coat of man colours. When Joseph learned that his father still survived, he sent chariots and an abundance of provision, to bring him and the entire family down to Egypt.
When the brothers returned home and burst in upon Jacob with the startling news that Joseph was yet alive, it was all too much for the aged patriarch. He was convinced that Joseph had long since died. Some wild beast had surely devoured him. But when he heard Joseph's words of gracious entreaty, and when he saw the provision Joseph had sent to carry him down to Egypt, he was finally persuaded. He said "it is enough: Joseph my son is yet alive; I will go and see him before I die." Genesis 45 verse 28.
In Joseph we see a splendid type of Christ:
Hated by his brothers
Betrayed by his brothers
Sold into hands of Gentiles
Going down into Egypt then down into the prison - a picture of Jesus going down into death
Rising to prominence in Egypt - Jesus' resurrection
Joseph is yet alive .... Jesus is alive today!
Before taking his journey to Egypt, Jacob, now called Israel, sought the guidance of God. He went to Beersheba and sacrificed to the Lord. In a night vision the Lord appeared to him and said "Fear not to go down into Egypt: for I will there make of you a great nation." Genesis 46 verse 3.
At that time Israel was also given several assurances about the future ...
"I will go down with you into Egypt: and I will also surely bring you up again; and Joseph shall put his hand upon your eyes." Genesis 46 verse 4
Having received such promises from the Lord, Israel was reassured, and so he set out on the long journey to Egypt. The total number who migrated at this time: 70. When Exodus begins: 2 million. 200 years later.
Upon his arrival in Egypt, Israel was presented to Pharaoh who, for Joseph's sake, gave him and his sons the best of the land. They settled in the territory of Goshen, sometimes also called Rameses. A fertile area, lying in lower Egypt, and situated to the east of the Nile delta. Later, Israel's people built the city of Rameses which in all probability served as the capital of the region.
I have included a map just to show this area ...
We are not given the personal names of the Pharaohs referred to in the biblical history - Pharaoh was a title given to the kings of ancient Egypt. Besides being different personalities, they may even have represented different dynasties in the long and eventual story of ancient Egypt. We do know, however that the Pharaoh of the oppression was not the Pharaoh who had welcomed Israel and his sons and their families to Egypt and given them the best of the land.
With the passage of time the favourable treatment that had been accorded them at the first began to change. Another king arose, maybe even another dynasty and suspicions grew among the governing classes that in time of war, an alien people in their midst could become a kind of fifth column. Consequently, they lost their liberty and in the end they became cheap labour to build store cities for the Egyptians. It was in that servitude they came under the control of Pharaoh's taskmasters who cruelly oppressed them.
This cruel bondage had actually been anticipated some 400 years before. Genesis 15 verses 13 and 14 "And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance."
The time had now come for that centuries old pledge to be honoured. And it was also time for the promise given to Jacob at Beersheba to be redeemed. "I will go down with you into Egypt, and I will also surely bring you up again." Genesis 46 verse 4) The time had come for God to raise up a much needed deliverer to go before his people.
Psalm 105 verses 17 to 26 "He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant: Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron: Until the time that his word came: the word of the Lord tried him. The king sent and loosed him; even the ruler of the people, and let him go free. He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance: To bind his princes at his pleasure; and teach his senators wisdom. Israel also came into Egypt; and Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham. And he increased his people greatly; and made them stronger than their enemies. He turned their heart to hate his people, to deal subtilly with his servants. He sent Moses his servant; and Aaron whom he had chosen."
In spite of this it would appear that their extended sojourn in Egypt had a pernicious and baneful effect on the people of Israel. They had even become worshippers of strange gods and heathen deities. Several years after the exodus, Joshua exhorted the nation, "Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord." Joshua 24 verse 14 Remember Joshua would have known about this, for he lived in Egypt during the final stages of the servitude.
Moses too was born at that same time. But Moses parents had evidently kept themselves free from the prevailing idolatry and had remained true to the faith of Abraham. Moses' father and mother, Amram and Jochebed, firmly believed that God would demonstrate plainly, that however unfaithful. His people proved themselves to be, he would remain true to his covenant promises.
The world upon which Moses first opened his eyes was clearly a hostile place. An anti-Semitic statute had been adopted by the Egyptian government. It required that all male children born to the Hebrews should be cast into the river. And yet, in a most extraordinary manner, Moses was preserved in those very waters that had destroyed so many. And in the strange and overruling providence of God, he actually came to reside in the Egyptian court for the first 40 years of his life.
During those years he was instructed in all the wisdom of Egypt. He was cultivated in all the royal graces and carefully groomed to succeed to the Egyptian throne. This meant that he would one day take the place of a king whose unswerving conviction was that the deities of his people stood universally supreme. And foremost among those deities was the celebrated Egyptian sun-god, housed in the famous Temple of Phthah, with its gorgeously sculptured galleries. In the context of such an exalted environment Moses must have developed into a very polished and important person indeed.
If you have the time Google Phthah - it is very interesting!
Unknown to the Egyptians but clearly ordained by God, Pharaoh's palace during those early years had become an academy, in which this future deliverer of God's chosen people was tutored by his godly mother. Having been appointed his childhood nurse, she carefully instilled into his mind all the ways of Israel's God, and all the promises given to the fathers.
The bible tells us that when Moses was 40 he fell from favour with Egypt's ruling elite. It happened because he had intervened and killed an Egyptian who he came across oppressing an Israelite. This incident became the catalyst that brought into focus all the things he had been taught by his mother. It was probably the time of greatest crisis in his entire life. He had to choose between his people's God and the tantalising prospects offered by Egypt.
Moses was faced with the most stupendous decision he would ever make. He chose wisely, and decided to renounce Egypt's quite substantial material advantages, for other and greater treasure. He esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt. We are told that he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing him who is invisible.
"By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible." Hebrews 11 verses 24 to 27
Leaving Egypt, Moses sought refuge in the land of Midian, which lay to the west of the Gulf of Akaba and to the east of Mount Horeb. It was while in Midian, alone and in exile, and resting one day by a well, that he found himself drawn into conflict. 7 young women came to draw water for their father's flock, but the local shepherds opposed them. Once again, Moses had to take sides and instinctively, he stood up for the women and against the shepherds. In the end, one of those young women became his wife. her name was Zipporah.
A further 40 years is passed over in silence and then we find Moses tending his father-in-law's sheep in the Midian desert. "Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb." Exodus 3 verse 1
Although passed over in silence, those years spent as a shepherd in the wilderness of Midian proved to be a magnificent preparation for the task God had for Moses to do. The second 40 years of his life had been spent in a university, different from any in Egypt. He had been in God's school.
Stephen, the first Christian martyr, in his forthright defence before the Sanhedrin many years later, referred to that time. he told how "For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not. And the next day he shewed himself unto them as they strove, and would have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye wrong one to another? But he that did his neighbour wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us? Wilt thou kill me, as thou diddest the Egyptian yesterday? Then fled Moses at this saying, and was a stranger in the land of Madian, where he begat two sons. And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sinai an angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in a bush. When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight: and as he drew near to behold it, the voice of the Lord came unto him, Saying, I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Then Moses trembled, and durst not behold. Then said the Lord to him, Put off thy shoes from thy feet: for the place where thou standest is holy ground. I have seen, I have seen the affliction of my people which is in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning, and am come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send thee into Egypt. This Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge? the same did God send to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel which appeared to him in the bush." Acts 7 verses 35 to 45
But Moses had to learn that deliverance would come, not from the east or from the west, nor by his own hand but by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush. It took 40 years for Moses to learn that the really important thing was not what he would do for God, but what God would do through him.
While tending his flock in the region of mount Horeb one day a flaming thorn bush caught Moses' attention. Although the bush burned it was not consumed and intrigued by this, he turned aside to investigate. As he did so a voice told him to take off his shoes for he was standing on holy ground. He soon became aware that he stood in the very presence of "the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob." Exodus 3 verse 6
This turning aside became another pivotal point in Moses' experience, for it was at this time he received his great commission. He was assigned the task of going back to Egypt to effect the deliverance of his people. Moreover, this was the occasion of an encounter with God, the reality of which he never forgot. Some 40 years later, when he addressed his people for the last time, he still spoke of "the good will of him who dwelt in the bush." Deuteronomy 33 verse 16
The burning bush speaks of Jesus. As God dwelt in the bush so "the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us." John 1 verse 14. And as God spoke through the bush, so "God ... has in these last days spoken unto us in his Son." Hebrews 1 verse 2. Moreover, just as the bush was not consumed, so we read that the humanity of the Lord Jesus saw no corruption - "Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption." Acts 2 verse 27
Besides pointing us to Christ, however, the burning bush in all probability was also symbolic of the sufferings of the children of Israel. At that time their afflictions were great indeed, but so too was the preserving power of God. Their very continuance then, as indeed it also is today, was a testimony to the faithfulness of their covenant-keeping God. The history records, "The more they (the Egyptians) afflicted them, the more they (the Israelites) multiplied and grew." Exodus 1 verse 12
Standing before that burning bush, Moses heard the God of his fathers speak in tones of tenderest love. The Lord disclosed to him in considerable detail his gracious purpose for his people. "And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites." Exodus 3 verses 7 and 8
Moses understood the significance of these words. He knew that this was the long awaited signal that the promised deliverance was at last about to take place. Every word was in perfect accord with the covenant made with Abraham, and confirmed to Isaac and yet again to Jacob. Moreover the whole statement was directly relevant to his oppressed people's need. What was about to happen must have surprised even their best imaginings.
The message Moses received at Horeb was also a trailblazer of the gospel of our salvation through Christ. The thing that really stands out is that God had come down in grace to deliver his people. Later, when the tabernacle would be set up, God would come down in glory to dwell among his people. These 2 significant things mark the perimeters of the book of Exodus. They probably find their New Testament answer first, in the coming of the Saviour and then in the coming of the Spirit at Pentecost.
In the deliverance announced through the burning bush we are able to hear an echo of the angels' message to the Bethlehem shepherds at the time of our Saviour's birth "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour who is Christ the Lord." Luke 2 verse 11. In language almost identical to what Moses heard, the Lord Jesus said "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly" John 10 verse 10. And again "The Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." Luke 19 verse 10
At Horeb Moses was told that the deliverance, when it came, would effectively be in 3 parts:
through the wilderness and
finally they would be brought into the promised land.
We are being saved from the power of sin
One day we shall be saved from the very presence of sin
Nine judgement plagues fell upon Egypt in quick succession, profoundly impacting the land. Then the crunch came; there would be one more plague. But before the 10th and final plague the Lord said He would put a difference between the Egyptians and the Israelites, "That you may know how that the Lord does put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel." Exodus 11 verse 7
A redemption was about to take place that would put a difference between some people who would be saved and other people who would perish. That redemption, of course, was a figure of a far greater redemption. It pointed forward to the sacrifice of Calvary when Christ "obtained eternal redemption for us" Hebrews 9 verse 12.
"I know that my Redeemer lives" Job 19 verse 25
"When the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his son ... to redeem." Galatians 4 verses 4 and 5
Redemption has 2 criteria at its root. In the first place it means to buy or to buy back and secondly, it means to set free. In scripture, therefore, it is presented both as a price needing to be paid and as a power needing to be displayed. In the case of the children of Israel, they were not only redeemed from the judgment of God they were also set free from the dominion of Pharaoh. The former involved the death of the passover lamb, and the latter the putting forth of divine power in a way not previously seen.
The final Egyptian plague would involve the death of every firstborn throughout all the land, from the king in his palace to the felon in his prison. At midnight the destroying angel would pass through the land, and the firstborn would be slain. But a way of deliverance had been divinely revealed, and Moses proclaimed it to his people. In the 10th day of the month every household must take a lamb; a lamb for an house. After 3 days, during which time its suitability would have been proved, the lamb was to be killed and its blood sprinkled on the lintel and the doorposts of their houses.
To Cain and Abel, the first children of our first parents, God had made known a way back to himself from the dark paths of sin. it was through the slain lamb and the shed blood. And when, at length, the Lord of Glory appeared in human form to put away sin, the forerunner identified him as "The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." John 1 verse 29
Isaiah said "He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth" Isaiah 53 verse 7
Philip the evangelist, was quick to show the ambassador for Ethiopia how this prophecy was fulfilled in Christ - Acts 8 verse 32.
In the book of Revelation, John was caught up into heaven and saw the throne of God. "I beheld and lo in the midst of the throne ... stood a lamb as though it had been slain." Revelation 5 verse 6.
At the beginning of the bible and at its end, as well as all the way through, we have this constant witness to the lamb.
With great clarity, the apostle Peter proclaimed the dying of God's Lamb and the shedding of his precious blood, as the only basis of our redemption. He wrote "Forasmuch as you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver and gold ... But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot." 1 Peter 1 verses 18 and 19
"For even Christ, our passover, is sacrificed for us" 1 Corinthians 5 verse 7
In all generations spiritual minds have discerned in the passover lamb precious insights into the character of our Lord Jesus Christ. The lamb's every detail is like a fingerpost pointing forward to him.
Just before that first passover the Lord gave a promise to Moses that must have been uncommonly precious in the ears of every Israelite. It would have struck a chord of blessed assurance. The Lord said, "When I see the blood, I will pass over you and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt." Exodus 12 verse 13 That pledge would enable the children of Israel, to anticipate that fateful midnight hour in Egypt, with calm assurance and quiet confidence. Without fear or trepidation, they could rest on the Lord's word and be heartened by it.
We too have been given exceeding great and precious promises - 2 Peter 1 verse 4.
"In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace." Ephesians 1 verse 7 Because we are in Christ, as all the firstborn of Israel were in houses sprinkled with the blood, we have both redemption and the forgiveness of sins. Our enjoyment of these things and our peace, is found in simply resting on what God says in his word.
The passover not only brought the Egyptian servitude to an end, it also signalled the beginning of a long and eventful journey for the people newly redeemed. And in addition, it signaled an important change in their calendar. Israel's new year would no longer begin with the month Tishri, sometimes called Ethanim, the month of harvest, but with Abib, the month of green years. This change would be significant for the redeemed people. It would be a perpetual reminder to them that redemption lay at the centre of their new relationship with the Lord. Throughout their history every new year would henceforth be illumined by the memory of the Lord's passover and of their deliverance from Egypt.
Early in the morning, following the passover, Pharaoh and his people pressed the children of Israel to take their flocks and their herds, and be gone; for they said "We are all dead men." This meant that in the end the exodus was a hasty affair. "And they baked unleavened cakes ... it was not leavened, because they were thrust out of Egypt and could not tarry." Exodus 12 verse 39
There were 3 dimensions to Israel's exodus.
We know God brought them out - this is repeatedly stressed in scripture. "By the strength of hand the Lord brought us out from Egypt from the house of bondage." Exodus 13 verse 14
God brought them out and Pharaoh thrust them out, but we are also told that they went out. Of their own voluntary will they turned their backs on Egypt. "When Israel went out Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language." Psalm 114 verse 1
We readily concede that our salvation was all of God. It was God who saved us. But after that we soon began to feel that we no longer belonged in this world; it seemed that the world itself had become alien to us, and we to it. We had become strangers and pilgrims in the earth - 1 Peter 2 verse 11. And then we heard the Saviour's call, Follow me, and of our own volition we responded, and like Israel leaving Egypt, we separated ourselves unto him, bearing his reproach.
Leaving Rameses the people came to Succoth where they lodged in makeshift dwellings or booths. When Jewish people keep the feast of tabernacles they will often vacate their regular houses and move into temporary booths, for 7 days of the feast. In this way they keep alive the memory of their forefathers' release from Egypt and the time of their first encampment at Succoth - Leviticus 23 verses 41 and 42.
Two ordinances were established at Succoth. First - feast of unleavened bread. This was connected with the observance of the passover, for passover was also the first day of unleavened bread. It represents the life of the redeemed.
A 7 day feast and in preparation for it, all traces of leaven were painstakingly purged from their dwellings. In the New Testament, leaven is consistently used as a figure of what is evil - 1 Corinthians 5 verse 8. The parable of the 3 measures of meal - Matthew 13 verse 33 is sometimes thought to be an exception to this rule, but when rightly understood it actually confirms the principle. Unleavened bread proclaims the redeemed person's life as a life of separation from evil, not just for one day of the week but for one every day.
The second ordinance established was the setting apart of the firstborn for the Lord. "Every firstling ... shall be the Lord's" Exodus 13 verse 12. The slaying of the firstborn of the Egyptians and the sanctifying of the firstborn of the Israelites, combined to emphasize the claims of God. it is a principle that holds to this day, for the Lord still has claims upon the lives of his people. An ancient proverb says, "Honour the Lord with your substance and with the firstfruits of all your increase." Proverbs 3 verse 9
The tribe of Levi was later substituted for the firstborn of all the families of Israel. "The Levites shall be mind. They are wholly given unto me from among the children of Israel." Numbers 8 verses 14 and 16. The Levites took the place of all who had been delivered from death by the blood of the slain lamb. Levi was then chosen to become the priestly tribe and was made responsible for the proper functioning of the tabernacle and the carrying through of its various services.
Later still, when the land of Canaan was divided among the tribes, no inheritance was given to the Levites. "Levi has no part nor inheritance with his brethren; the Lord is his inheritance." Deuteronomy 10 verse 9. But the Levites were given 48 cities, including the 6 cities of refuge. Significantly, these cities were scattered throughout all the tribes. This may well have been what Jacob meant when he spoke prophetically of Levi "I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel." Genesis 49 verse 7
In addition to these 2 ordinances, a third thing is mentioned in connection with Succoth. For the first time, we read of the pillar of cloud by day and of fire by night. This was God's gift to his people for their guidance. The redeemed were not left to their own devices. "The Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night; He took not away the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people." Exodus 13 verses 21 and 22
CHAPTER 3 - DELIVERED FROM PHARAOH'S POWER
"He led them forth by the right way." Psalm 107 verse 7
From Succoth the children of Israel moved on to a position between Migdol and the Red Sea. The stage was now set for the other side of their redemption to be accomplished. On the human level their new position was a rather disingenuous choice of location. They were surrounded by the wilderness, they had mountains on either side of them, and before them lay the sea. They found themselves in what appeared to be a rather invidious cul-de-sac.
Yet they were there in the will of God and the narrative shows that the Lord had a predetermined purpose in bringing his people to that unpromising place. In fact, the whole scene is a notable example of how God moves in mysterious ways His wonders to perform. The record stands as an enduring testimony to the Lord's care for his own.
There was a nearer way, but he who knows the end from the beginning, knew the dangers it held. He also knew his people through and through, and he knew that they were not yet ready to face those dangers. We are comforted by the knowledge that with the same watchfulness the Lord leads his people still. "For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust." (Psalm 103 verse 14)
It is not surprising that Pharaoh saw in their parlous situation an opportunity to bring the Israelites once more under his control. It seemed that they had lost their way, and had become entangled in the wilderness. The Egyptian king was sure that nothing could rescue these fugitives, hampered as they were with large numbers of women and children. He would quickly reassert his authority over the people he had oppressed for so long.
Having recovered somewhat from the effects of the final plague, Pharaoh decided to pursue his prey. "The Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea." (Exodus 14 verse 9) But the Lord, who had brought Israel out of Egypt, and guided them to this place, was also in control of their destiny. He would entice Pharaoh and his armies to their destruction. And in this unlikely place he would fulfil his declared purpose for the people he had redeemed.
A way was miraculously opened for Moses and his people to pass through the sea as on dry land. Presumptuously their pursuers decided to follow them, and while they were still in the sea, the Lord took off the wheels of the Egyptian chariots. And when it was too late to call a retreat, the Lord commanded Moses to stretch out his hand over the sea so that the waters returned to their strength.
The waters rolled the Egyptians and they were drowned and the next morning their dead bodies were washed up on the shore. "Thus the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the seashore. And Israel saw that great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians; and the people feared the Lord, and believed the Lord and his servant Moses." (Exodus 14 verses 30 and 31)
The word "thus" refers, not just to the fact of their deliverance, but also to the manner of it. God had been acting all along in a way consistent with his own character. His understanding of everyone involved in the great drama says a lot about his mercy and his wisdom.
Pharaoh was the chief protagonist. He had been given ample opportunity to avoid the suffering that had come upon his people. Before its display in the happenings at the Red Sea, the power of Jehovah had been clearly demonstrated in the plagues that had fallen on Egypt. But Pharaoh had hardened his heart. And in the end God hardened Pharaoh's heart. As for the children of Israel, they had nothing to glory in except the Lord. For their deliverance had been effected, not by their own exertions, but by his stretched out arm alone.
Just as the power of Pharaoh and of Egypt was broken at the Red Sea, so the power of Satan and of sin was broken by the Lord Jesus in his cross. "Having spoiled principlaities and powers, he made a show of them openly triumphing over them in (the cross)." (Colossians 2 verse 15). After the Red Sea, Pharaoh could no longer claim any dominion over Israel; nor can Satan today have any claim upon believers in the risen Lord Jesus - "If the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed." (John 8 verse 36)
But the people of Israel had not been set free to do their own thing. When at the first, Moses stood before Pharaoh he demanded his people's freedom in these terms: "Thus says the Lord, Let my people go, that they may serve me." (Exodus 8 verse 1). They had not been free to serve God in Egypt, certainly not according to his purpose for them, but now they were free indeed.
Delivered from the house of bondage and the yoke of Pharaoh, they were now free to serve the living and the true God. And like Israel after the Red Sea, we too are free, we are free from the enslaving power of sin, but we are not free to do our own thing. The tyranny of self would not be freedom. But we have been set free to walk with Christ in a new kind of life, and to serve him all our days.
The parallel betweeen them and us is really very precise. Paul wrote "All our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea. And were all baptised unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea" (1 Corinthians 10 verses 1 and 2). This has its modern counterpart in Christian baptism. Going down into the waters of baptism, believers signify their identification with Christ in his death and coming up again, they signify their identification with him in his resurrection.
Our new position following conversion: God now looks on us as having died with Christ and as having been raised again with him. "Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be (unemployed), that henceforth we should not serve sin." (Romans 6 verse 6). This is the primary idea symblically expressed in the baptismal act.
The practical expession of these things in the believer's personal life, however, must be a matter of faith. "Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Let no sin, therefore, reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. Neither yield your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin, but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God." (Romans 6 verses 11 to 13)
Stage Two - The Life of Faith (From the Red Sea to Sinai)
Chapter 4 - Across the Sea
"He made known his ways unto Moses, His acts unto the children of Israel." Psalm 103 verse 7
With the overthrow of Pharaoh an entirely new vista opened up before the children of Israel. Besides enticing Egypt's armies to their destruction, the Lord had important things to teach his people. And their education in those things was scheduled to begin immediately at the Red Sea. Basic to everything else was the importance of faith. In all his dealings with them, the Lord's primary purpose would now be to develop and strengthen their faith.
Because faith is so pivotal to the spiritual life, the Lord resolved that Israel should learn its implications in the context of real life situations, rather than in a merely theoretical way. However, it is extremely doubtful if the people ever really understood this and their very dullness is a challenge to us. How true it is that like them, we too can pass through the most severe testings without deriving any real spiritual profit from the experience.
Time and again the Lord brought them under intense pressures of one kind and another. They were caused to feel the pangs of hunger and of thirst and at times they even despaired of life itself. "Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble and he delivered them out of their distresses. And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation." (Psalm 107 verses 6 and 7)
They witnessed the mighty works of the Lord at the Red Sea, and during their time in the wilderness. But it is not unreasonable to conclude that only Moses, and perhaps a few others, had the discernment necessary to see the principles underlying those mighty works. This seems to be the thought behind the scripture which says, He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel." (Psalm 103 verse 7)
They could marvel at his deliverances and many times they would say, "Oh, that men would praise the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful works to the children of men." (Psalm 107 verses 8, 15, 21, 31) But for all that, they never seemed to quite understand the ways of God. It is clear that they saw his acts, but it is equally clear that they profited little from what they saw.
Having just emerged from a lifetime of slavery and deprivation, the children of Israel were in urgent need of discipline and training. They had never before known the freedom they now enjoyed. For that reason "God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines although that was near" (Exodus 13 verse 17). Admittedly the long way round had its difficulties, but had they gone by the near way, they would have been precipitated into problems for which they were wholly unprepared.
"He led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation" (Psalm 107 verse 7). Their experience teaches us that the near way is not always the best way. It is so important to remember this, especially when the Lord seems to be leading us in what appear to be roundabout ways. Since his ways are all wise, we can be confident that the Lord will not direct our steps into any danger without some prior preparation.
God was already preparing a successor to Moses in the person of Joshua.
The children of Israel were now engaged, on the basis of a living faith, to walk with the Lord across a trackless desert. As a priority they will need to understand that faith has just 2 resources, namely (i) God himself and (ii) his word. These were Noah's resources when he built the ark. It was just the same with Abraham when he left Mesopotamia to go into Canaan. Now it would be no different for Moses and his people as they set out on their incredible journey.
The generation that came out of Egypt was slow to appreciate these things. Instead of trusting him we are told, "They tempted God .. Yea, they spoke against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness" (Psalm 78 verses 18 and 19). The New Testament discloses that it was their unbelief that prevented them from entering Canaan: unbelief was the reason why they perished in the wilderness.
It was by faith they are said to have passed through the Red Sea as on dry land. But the really significant thing is that the next recorded evidence of faith in action was at Jericho, some 50 years later, when the walls came tumbling down (Hebrews 11 verses 29 and 30). It seems that at every turn they needed to learn over and over again the meaning of faith, even in its most elementary form.
At the Red Sea they were also taught that there are 2 sides to faith. At times faith is passive and at other times it is active. Distinguishing between these 2 features of faith will always require real discernment and a deep exercise of heart.
At the Red Sea, when the children of Israel looked and saw Pharaoh and his hosts pursuing them from behind, they cried out in fear. But Moses quietly turned to the Lord. He would learn from the Lord what the people must do. The first charge God gave them called forth a passive faith. "Fear not, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord." (Exodus 14 verse 13). They must wait upon God. And experience teaches us that this is the first attribute of faith.
But the Lord's second instruction was entirely different. "Speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward" (Exodus 14 verse 15) The need now was for an active faith. The narrative, records how they went forward, and it shows how God honoured them as they went. And at the same time he honoured his word, for the people were miraculously delivered from their foes. The first charge called for something they could easily do, they could stand still but the second charge called for something that required the intervention of God.
It was a truly exhilarating moment for the children of Israel when they stood on the wilderness shore of the Red Sea. It was a moment of glorious vision. "Israel saw that great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians" (Exodus 14 verse 31) Having witnessed such an astonishing display of God's power, they could now look forward to the further outworking of his plans. He would bring them to their promised haven, and establish them in the land of their desire. If God was for them, who could be against them?
This was a moment to be savoured and they rightly lifted up their voices in thanksgiving. with one heart and voice, and without reserve they sung the song of Moses. "I will sing unto the Lord for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider has he thrown into the sea." (Exodus 15 verse 1)
It was a glad and jubilant paean of praise: a finely tuned expression of gratitude to God for such a spectacular manifestation of his goodness. Their plight had been extreme indeed but the Lord had been their strength and he had brought them through in triumph. At the Red Sea Pharaoh had been given the final answer to his proud retort at the first, "Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go?" With all their hearts they must sing unto the Lord.
Chapter 5 - We walk by Faith
"Without faith it is impossible to please him." Hebrews 11 verse 6
Israel's singing before long gave way to sighing From the sea they moved on to a place called Marah, which means bitter. Being thirsty, they hastened to drink of the water that was there. But the water at Marah was the brackish water of the Red Sea Probably it had seeped through the ground and gathered in this hollow spot int eh wilderness. It was so bitter they could not drink it. What would they do? What about the women and the children? Their disappointment soon boiled over and their impulsive reaction was to murmur against Moses, but his reaction was always to wait upon the Lord.
Even in this situation the Lord was seeking to progress the people's spiritual education. Since the 2 resources of faith are God himself and his word, it follows tht the 2 characteristics of faith are dependence on God and obedience to his word. These are the things God would teach his people at Marah and not only at Marah, but the whole journey through.
At Marah, the people had to learn again their dependence on God. They had no resources of their own and Marah simply revealed this weakness and proved that the wilderness could not supply their need. They must look up to the God who had delivered them from Egypt who had brought them through the sea and who had pledged to bring them to the promised land.
"The Lord showed him (Moses) a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet." (Exodus 15 verse 25). Spiritual minds have always seen in that tree, a type of the Saviour, who was cut off out of the land of the living. The spiritual lesson or our souls is fairly obvious. As Moses brought that tree into the bitter waters of Marah, so we must bring the Lord into all our disappointments. To do so is to find that he sweetness every bitter cup. prayer enables us to do this, for prayer is an expression of our dependence on God. prayer is the exercise that opens the door and admits the Lord to our areas of need.
The second characteristic of faith is obedience! This too, was on the curriculum at Marah. The Lord established an ordinance there. He said, "if you will diligently hearken unto the voice of the Lord your God and will do that which is right in his sight, and will give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statues, I will put none of these diseases upon you, which I have brought upon the Egyptians; for I am the Lord that heals you." (Exodus 15 verse 2). These words remind us of how the Lord said to the disciples "If you love me, keep my commandments" (John 14 verse 15)
The living God attaches supreme importance to his will being done in earth as it is heaven. God's will cannot be set aside with imputing. The story of the elect nation from then until now, has been a catalogue of severe chastening And for what reason? Simply because his people persistently failed in this matter of obedience to the Lord.
From Marah the people journeyed to Elim. This was an oasis in the desert. it was an idyllic spot. There were 12 wells of water and 70 palm trees at Elim. They could relax at Elim for there were no pressures on them in that leafy place.
This must have been a welcome respite from the exertions they had been through. But we do not read of any profit for their souls at Elim. They did not sense any need there, nor did they prove the Lord's grace and power. Moreover, they did not see any of the acts of God there, and much less did they learn more of his ways.
The next 2 points on their journey brought them to, (i) the wilderness of Sin (Exodus 16) and (ii) the valley of Rephidim (Exodus 17). In the former they first received the manna to eat and in the latter the Lord gave them water from the smitten rock to quench their thirst. In both these situations they wonderfully proved the goodness and mercy of their God. The necessities of life were in short supply in that inhospitable and arid desert, but this was simply an opportunity for the Lord to show them that he could meet their need.
In the giving and receiving of the manna they were also taught the importance of dependence and obedience. The manna was given and gathered on a daily basis. if someone gathered more than a daily portion, perhaps enough to see them through the next day as well, that night it bred worms and stank. The manna was not given to be stored, it was given to be used and used on a daily basis. This called for the exercise of a daily dependence on God to supply their need. The life of faith is like that, it is a daily experience of trust in God.
On the 6th day, however, they were taught something of the other characteristic of faith. On that day they were told to gather a double portion of the manna. In view of what had happened when they gathered the double portion on an earlier day, some might have argued against this command. But the instruction they received called for a simple and specific obedience because the manna was not given on the sabbath or seventh day.
That the manna prefigured the Lord Jesus is repeatedly stressed in the New Testament. Jesus himself said, "Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness and are dead ... I am the living bread that came down from heaven; if any man shall eat of this bread, he shall live forever" (John verses 49 to 51). Even the minutiae of the manna, its size, its shade and its shape, in fact is every detail, like every detail of the passover lamb, speaks to us of the unique person of our Saviour.
The manna first came down from heaven, and lay upon the face of the wilderness. Then a portion of it was stored, as a memorial in a golden pot. This pot was eventually deposited in the Ark of the Covenant. And since the Ark stood in the most holy place, the immediate presence of God, the stored manna was said to have been laid up before the Lord (Exodus 16 verse 33).
In all these details we are able to discern types or pictures of the Lord Jesus. In the manna coming down from heaven, we are able to see him coming into this world. The manna upon the face of the wilderness reminds us of our Saviour's pathway through this scene. And then, the manna laid up before the Lord presages how he went back into heaven. The apostle Peter declared, "God has made that same Jesus ... both Lord and Christ" (Acts 2 verse 36). The story of the manna, therefore, brings us ultimately to the great truth of the Lordship of Christ.
On the other hand, the valley of Rephidim and the water that flowed from the smitten rock bring us to that other foundation truth, the gift of the Spirit. The Lordship of Christ is the objective side of things and the gift of the Spirit is the subjective side. Taken together these 2 truths are the pillars upon which a strong faith can be built.
The Lord promised his disciples "I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; even the Spirit of truth" (John 14 verses 16 and 17). This promise accorded with another assertion from our Lord's lips, "In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. he that believeth on me, as the scripture has said, out of his (heart) shall flow rivers of living water (But this spoke he of the Spirit, whom they that believe on him should receive, for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified)" (John 7 verses 37 to 39).
The promise was fulfilled at Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was given to indwell believers. And the Hoy Spirit was only given after the Saviour had first been "smitten of God" and then raised from the dead and glorified Israel drinking of the water that flowed from the smitten rock in Rephidim, clearly foreshadowed these things. For at Rephidim the order was exactly the same, the water was only given after the rock had first been smitten
Because Calvary and Pentecost, in that order, are now historical facts, today's believers in the Lord Jesus receive the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit at the point of conversion. "Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptised, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2 verse 8). Later when the people of Israel crossed over the river Arnon, they were given water to drink from the springing well of Beer (See Numbers 21 verses 16 to 18). But the message there seems to be about the fulness of the Spirit being our enjoyed portion. The water from the smitten rock in Rephidim is about the Gift of the Spirit.
Chapter 6 - Rephidim - The First Battle
"Who through faith subdued kingdoms" Hebrews 11 verse 33
Israel's first enemy chose to launch an attack at Rephidim. "Then came Amalek and fought with Israel in Rephidim" (Exodus 17 verse 8) The later history shows that Amalek continued to be an implacable foe, ever ready to strike at the people of Israel, especially in times of national weakness. When this first encounter ended in Amalek's defeat, the Lord swore that he will "have war with Amalek from generation to generation" (Exodus 17 verse 16)
Some years later, Balaam was moved to declare "Amalek was the first of the nations; but his latter end shall be that he perish forever." (Numbers 24 verse 20). The expression the first of the nations did not mean that Amalek was preeminent among the nations of that region, a kind of superpower of the time. it meant rather that since the encounter in the valley of Rephidim was the first such attack, Amalek had become known as Israel's number 1 enemy.
The various references to Amalek, who was a descendant of Esau, leave us in no doubt that Amalek is a type of the flesh. "for he flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh." (Galatians 5 verse 17) The universal experience of believers throughout the ages has been that the enmity between flesh and Spirit continues without remission like the war between Amalek and Israel from generation to generation. This first attack and its very timing is recorded as a salutary warning to all who tread the heavenly path.
The war with Amalek graphically illustrates the 2 arenas where faith must operate. One is public and the other private. The public arena is seen in Joshua fighting in the valley. Because the Christian life is a life of conflict, the language of the New Testament is frequently the language of conflict - Ephesians 6 verse 11 exhorts us to "Put on the whole armour of God that we may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil."
The encounter with Amalek was very far from being a pushover. On the contrary, the battle raged to and fro. Sometimes Israel was in the ascendency, and then at other times it was Amalek. What Joshua did not realise at the time, although it was impressed upon him afterwards, was that the battle in the valley was actually determined by what was happening elsewhere. Another drama was taking place away from the scene of the fighting.
Moses had ascended the mount, where he lifted up holy hands in intercession. While Moses' hands were raised, Joshua prevailed. But when his hands grew heavy and fell by his side then Amalek prevailed. The teaching is unmistakable. I tis only as faith is exercised before God in the secret place of prayer, that faith will be triumphant in the continuous war that engages believers. "This is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith." (1 John 5 verse 4). The Lord instructed Moses not only to record the vent, but also to rehearse it in the ears of Joshua. This was important, for Joshua had to be made aware of the fact that the victory was the Lord's.
It is an interesting detail, that since Moses hands tended to grow heavy, he was joined by 2 friends, Aaron and Hur. their task was to support his hands until the going down of the sun. Moses standing alone, might be thought of in terms of a believer engaged in personal prayer. Those who engage in it most, know best how quickly weariness can set in. When Moses was joined by the others, it meant that 2 or 3 were now engaged in the same exercise. In this we have a fine picture of corporate prayer.
Chapter 7 - The Law and the Sanctuary
"Judah was his sanctuary and Israel his dominion" Psalm 114 verse 2
After the victory over Amalek there was a brief interlude in the journey. During this interlude, Moses' father-in-law came from Midian and paid a brief visit to the camp. "And Moses told Jethro his father-in-law all that the Lord had done unto Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake ... and how the Lord delivered them. And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the Lord had done to Israel ... And Jethro said, Blessed be the Lord, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians ... now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods." (Exodus 18 verses 8 to 11)
Although Moses entreated him to join them in their journey, Jethro was personally outside of all these things. The final word about him is that he went his way into his own land. In like manner, there are many within Christendom today who, like Jethro, both hear and know and then go their own way, not willing to cast in their lot with the people of God. They are like Esau, that profane person, who lightly cast aside his birthright and afterward found no place of repentance, though he sought it with tears (Hebrews 12 verses 16 and 17). Esau and Jethro appear to have been cast in the same mould.
Israel's next move brought them to Sinai where they received the law and built the tabernacle. The people were reminded of how God had dealt with them and how, on the basis of redemption. He had brought them to himself. "you have seen what I did to the Egyptians and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself" (Exodus 19 verse 4). The 10 statements of the moral law were also made at that time.
God did not give them the law while they were still in the house of bondage. Nor did he bargain with them and say, if you will do these things then I will deliver you. On the contrary, he dealt with them in pure grace. Their redemption was not conditioned on their own efforts, but now as redeemed ones, the Lord asked for their obedience.
The law was written with the finger of God and it was holy, just and good. The people responded immediately and said "All that the Lord has spoken we will do" (Exodus 19 verse 8). While their response may have been sincere, it completely underestimated their own propensity towards sin and wrong. Even before Moses came down from the mount, they had broken the very law they had pledged to maintain. They had violated the law in both its first and second statements and thus they were guilty of all. Happily the moral law was followed by the ceremonial law which revealed how such failure could be dealt with.
Judging by their celebration song at the Red Sea, Israel's first thought after their deliverance, was of a house for the Lord. "The Lord is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation; he is my God and I will prepare him an habitation" (Exodus 15 verse 2) The thought itself was of God and it now found its visible expression in the tabernacle. Moses was reminded repeatedly to make the tabernacle according to the pattern that he had seen on the mount. And when it was completed and set up, it was done "according to all that the Lord commanded (Moses)." (Exodus 40 verse 16)
The ideas behind both the law and the tabernacle are enshrined in one of the "Hallel" psalms or hymns of praise, which are still sung at Passover. Before the passover meal the people sing, "When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language, Judah was his sanctuary, and Israel his dominion" (Psalm 114 verses 1 and 2). His sanctuary called for their worship and his dominion required their obedience. In a word, they were to be a people who, of their own voluntary will, would obey and serve the Lord.
These are the features the Lord still looks for in all who name his name. In many fellowships today new Christians are viewed simply as potential workers, but that is not how God views them. He sees them first of all as worshippers. As they worship the God of their salvation, they will discover the service they should render. Such service will then be from the heart; it will be rendered in obedience to God's will and to his glory.
Since the tabernacle worship was a sacrificial system, the people were also given details of the priesthood, and of its attendant offerings. And it was here, at Sinai, that they were instructed in the various uses and services those ordinances were designated to fulfil.
Throughout the remainder of the wilderness period the tabernacle was pitched wherever the people camped. When they eventually entered the land it was pitched at Shiloh, and it remained there, until it was superseded by Solomon's magnificent temple in Jerusalem.
The tabernacle was Israel's house of God. It was to Israel what the local church is to believers today. Both the law and the tabernacle revealed at Sinai therefore, were deeply significant for Israel and their relation to each other makes them impressively meaningful for us as well.
While they were still in the plains of Sinai the people displayed, in a very striking way, their innate capacity for idolatry. They devised a god of their own. They set up a golden calf and worshipped it in place of Jehovah. They said, "These are your gods, O Israel, which brought you up out of the land of Egypt" (Exodus 32 verse 4) Many have debated Aaron's involvement in this incident, some accusing him and others excusing him. One thing is clear, Aaron's weakness at this point made it easier for the people to behave as they did.
The reason for their unseemly conduct was Moses' delay in coming down from the mount, but the true reason was that they had turned away in heart from the Lord. In this incident there is much for us to learn because we too have found that "the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17 verse 9)
The words of the law had been read and they had committed themselves without reserve to obey them. Their commitment had even been established in a covenant sealed in sacrificial blood. And then came this terrible offence which brought upon their heads the full weight of the broken law.
Around 3000 men perished that day and the Lord threatened to withdraw. His presence from the congregation. He would still drive out the enemy and give them the land on the basis of the promise he had made to their fathers, but now he would be content simply to send an angel before them.
But Moses could not accept such a state of affairs. However much he had the land before him, Moses prized even more the presence of the Lord with his people. Now and not for the only time in this incredible journey, we find him pleading Israel's cause as their advocate with God. He said, "If your presence go not with me, carry us not up from here" (Exodus 33 verse 15) The Lord graciously heard his cry and renewed to him the assurance of his presence. "He said, My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest." (Exodus 33 verse 14) In this sweet assurance Moses and his people would soon leave Sinai and proceed to the next stage of their pilgrimage.
A consciousness of his presence with them in the onward march of life is what God's people have always coveted above everything else.
Sinai is probably the best point at which to ascribe nationhood to Israel. From Sinai onward they had their own legal system and were therefore in a position to govern themselves. But their law was God's law. It was given to them as a redeemed people to obey God. And in the same way the sanctuary, or tabernacle, was given to them that they might worship God, the God who had fulfilled his covenant in delivering them from Egypt. The considerable time spent at Sinai had not been wasted. The people were now better equipped for their onward march to Canaan.
Stage 3 - The Spiritual Mind and the Carnal Mind
(From Sinai to Kadesh Barnea)
Chapter 8 - Marching On
"To be spiritually minded is life and peace" Romans 8 verse 6
About 2 years had been spent at Sinai and the time had now come for the people to move on. The third stage of their journey beckoned, the stage that would bring them to the wilderness of Paran, which was just south of Canaan and due west of Edom. It would be from Paran and specifically from Kadesh Barnea, that the people would send men to spy out the land.
The total journey from Sinai to the promised land should have taken about 11 days (see Deuteronomy 1 verses 2 and 3). In the event, it stretched out to some 38 years. The reason for that excessive delay is the story of this eventful third leg of the journey. Now the emphasis is on the spiritual condition of the people themselves.
In every age certain moral and spiritual conditions have been necessary for the cultivation and exercise of faith. Those conditions were present to some degree as the people set out on the third stage of the journey. Alas they were soon to be tragically dissipated. When they left Sinai the people might reasonably be described as a spiritually minded people. But before long they were seized by a mean and capricious spirit, that completely undermined their spiritual condition.
While at Sinai 2 things had been clearly established for their guidance. From the beginning, the pillar of cloud by day and of fire by night, was the visible symbol of God's presence with them. But at this point the pillar seems to have taken on a new and added significance. Its movement would now determine their length of stay in any given location. From that point forward, when the cloud moved they would move, when the cloud stopped they would stop, and while the cloud lingered they would tarry.
The pillar of cloud is said to have occupied 3 different positions in relation to the camp. Sometimes it went before to guide them. At other times it stood behind to guard them. And then at times it hovered over the camp to govern them. This meant that all their movements, throughout the entire journey, were governed by the pillar of cloud and of fire.
This marvellous position took away from the people any responsibility about when or where they should move. It meant that they were never left to their own devices. All that was required of them was a simple and candid obedience. In this way, God provided much needed direction for his people. As a pilgrim people they certainly stood in need of such guidance, for they trod an uncertain path through a wild and trackless wilderness.
The Holy Spirit is specifically given to believers to guide them into all truth and to lead them in right paths. Evidently there is a parallel to be drawn between the cloud and the Spirit. Of those wilderness days Paul wrote, "They were all baptised unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea" (1 Corinthians 10 verse 2). And of our own day he went on to say "By one Spirit were we all baptised into one body." (1 Corinthians 12 verse 13)
Having received the gift of the Spirit, we are now to be led by the Spirit. "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God" (Romans 8 verse 14). In this respect the Lord Jesus is our perfect exemplar, for as he passed through this world, it is recorded of him that he too was led by the Spirit. "And Jesus ... was led by the Spirit into the wilderness" (Luke 4 verse 1)
The pillar of cloud and of fire accompanied the children of Israel from the first day of their journey. In the same way, from the beginning of our Christian experience we have the presence of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Moreover, just as the cloud remained with them all the way through until they entered Canaan, so the Saviour promised that the Holy Spirit will abide with us forever. (John 14 verse 16). However lonely we may feel at times, we are never alone in the journey of faith.
In addition to being guided by the pillar of cloud and of fire, they were also guided by the silver trumpets (Numbers 10 verses 1 to 10) Stress is laid upon the fact that while there were 2 trumpets, there was just 1 instrument. "Make thee 2 trumpets of silver, of a whole piece shalt thou make them." It is not difficult to see in the silver trumpets striking images of the written word of God. We have only one bible, but it is given to us in 2 Testaments. We must value it as a whole and we must learn to distinguish between its parts.
While the trumpets were used at other times, their main purpose was to arouse the camp. A certain note would indicate when the whole assembly was to be gathered. A different note would indicate when the journey was to be resumed. The priests sounded the trumpets and the people were instructed to keep their ears attuned and be able to distinguish between the various sounds. In this way all their meetings and marchings were regulated by the silver trumpets.
In the same way we must listen to the Lord as he speaks to us through his word. The entire book is there for our guidance and as we ponder at its pages; phrases and sentences and sometimes whole verses will stand out before us. They will strike us like the different notes from the silver trumpets. In this way, the Lord through his word, will direct our paths. And we should constantly avail ourselves of this wonderful provision. The psalmist surely spoke for us all when he said, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." (Psalm 119 verse 105)
It was surely a marvellous spectacle when the people set out from Sinai to come to the wilderness of Paran. The sound of the silver trumpets would have been heard, loud and clear. And then, with standards unfurled, the entire camp would be on the move, always careful to follow the pillar of cloud going on before. They moved in a precise and orderly fashion. "In the first place went the standard of the camp of the children of Judah, according to their armies ... And the standard of the camp of Reuben set forward according to their armies ..." (Numbers 10 verses 14 and 18)
"At the commandment of the Lord they rested in the tents, and at the commandment of the Lord they journeyed they kept the charge of the Lord, at the commandment of the Lord by the hand of Moses" (Numbers 9 verse 23) Many centuries later, their New Testament counterparts were the believers who formed the church at Colosse in Asia Minor. To them Paul wrote "For though I am absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ" (Colossians 2 verse 5)
At the time of their departure from Sinai, the children of Israel were a reasonably spiritually minded people. But this was soon to change. And had we been speaking to them a little later, we might well have used the words of another and said "You did run well; who did hinder you that you should not obey the truth?" (Galatians 5 verse 7)
