GOODNEWSLETTER
Number 377 June29, 2011
SALVATION IN EXODUS
"For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and all ate the same spiritual food; and all drank the same spritual drink from a spiritual rock which followed them; and that rock was CHRIST," Ist Corinthians 10:1-4.
Paul spells out the meaning of salvation in his letter to the Corintians makes it very clear. Stating that Israel worked out the type of salvation by being baptized into the leadership of Moses, Paul gives us ore details. Israel went through the sea, ate and drank spiritual food and, finally, received their spiritual water from the Rock, Paul says. And, we have to see the TYPES in order not to miss what the Rock represented; which is, Christ.
Representation is used a lot in Paul's letters . I don't know about you but, I love to study TYPES, SHADOWS and REPRESENTATIONS from the Word of God. In Exodus, we see salvation presented as a whole; as a finished salvation. Although, only in TYPE, we can't miss what the blood began; what it continued and, how the blood finished Israel's walk to the promised land.
Once the Exodus account becomes clear, we'll see our salvation as being no different - It is complete, finshished and matches beautifully the TYPES and SHADOWS that represented what Christ worked out on our behalf.
But, now we have the true blood and do not have to offer animal sacrifices, anymore. Jesus said, "I have glorified thee on earth: I have finished the work which Thou gave me to do," John 17:4. Thank the Lord for the types. Israel's trek from Egypt to the Promised Land, reveals God's salvation from start to finish. Once the blood of the lamb was applied, Israel was considered separated from Egypt.
Next, God's plan for the nation was to follow Moses. Likewise, we are to follow our Leader, Jesus, the Christ; not in type but in actuality and truth. It's what Jesus said in John 4:24. "God is spirit and those who worhship Him must worship the Father in SPIRIT."
To see salvation from the Exodus picture, all we have to do is take the TYPE or, the template, and place the work of christ within it. The truth is upheld and our doctrine will be complete. It's the Scriptural way of harmonizing the completed work of Christ against the Exodus scene.
Further, we are told by the book of Hebrews that the ministry of Christ is of the TRUE TABERNACLE. He is the HIGH PRIEST (8:2) that supercedes the Old Covenant and it's priests; which, only serve as a "copy and shadow of the heavenly things" (8:5). Thus, the New Covenant that Jesus obtained is "... a more execellent ministry ... He is also the Mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises (8:6). I find it joyous comparing the Old against the New Covenant.
However, faith, in both covenants is considered the same. Hebrews says, "...Beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you, and things that accompany salvation" (6:9). And, Paul wrote the same thing in Ist Corinthians 10:5. "Nevertheless, with most of them (Israel) God was not well-pleased; for they were laid low in the wilderness."
Why? Because, as Paul goes on, "Now these things happened as examples for us, that we should not crave evil things, as they also craved" (10:6). In other words, God takes us to the desert place to lead us onward to His promises. Although, it is no longer in the physical, we still have to leave the world and trust Him in the walk He calls us to begin. We follow Jesus in our living room or, in the same position, we can go back to Egypt. It comes by faith.
Jesus said the exact same thing. Certainly, He take us out of the world? But, do we appreciate our calling? Readomg the Bible presents glorious truth to our hearts and, it will help, a lot! In Chapter 20 of Luke, we are told of the beauty of the resurrection. Luke records Jesus saying, that we shall be "...Like angels, and sons of God, being sons of the resurrection"
(v36).
In verse 37, the Lord gives us more about the hope of the resurrection saying, "But that the dead are raised, even as Moses showed, in the passage about the burning bush, where he (Moses) calls the Lord 'The God of Abraham, Isaac, and the God of Jacob."
Coming to the Lord is coming to life; not physical but, spiritual and eternal. Because of Types and shadows, we can't miss the truth. And, we certainly have a number to read that we can't miss the understanding.
Paul, apparently assumed the church at Corinth to be wise (10:15). He covers the seriousness of their position as church members, one more time. He calls them to understand what it means to be one body by asking, "Is not the cup of blessing which we bless a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is not the bread which we break a sharing the body of Christ? (An obvious, "YES! on both accounts). Paul, continues, "Since there is one bread, we who are many are one body; for we all partake of the one bread.
Therefore, our TYPES and SHADOWS that are referred to by Paul demands that we be holy and separated unto the Lord, alone. Again, Paul goes back to to types and shadows. "Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the alter?" (10:18).
This rhetorical question is to explained our calling. We must be separated from the world. "Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils;" (likewise, the entire supper), Ist Corinthians 10:19-20. Paul teaches us to forsake the world, relying only upon God.
In our walk through the wilderness (the world), we are seeking to "inherit the kingdom" (Mt 7:21). But, we must see things as Scripture records. While, "All things are lawful" to Paul (10:23a), "...all things are not expedient" (10:23b). All things are not profitable to service and, often, things will hinder one's walk.
After partaking of the Rock; that is, drinking and eating from Christ, walking spiritually means that our only fellowship is with the brethren who love Jesus as we do. Those within the church that Christ established have a closeness worth keeping, too. Jesus said, "the gates of hell shall not prevail against the church," Matthew 28:20, and, when we study history, we see that Brethren have stood for this beloved truth of the local, independent church
And, we must, as well. Our position is this: Once the blood is applied, a person is saved, eternally. However, the walk does not stop at the cross; it has to be carried. Throughout the Exodus passage, we see Salvation unfold because Israel continued to walk toward God's calling. Exodus presents a beautiful teaching; which, pictures what Christ did on man's behalf. We must learn it well.
There is one interesting point that Paul makes, however. Just before he teaches on the Lord's Supper, Paul states, "Be imitators of me, just as I am of Christ" (I Cor. 11:1) Since, there is a difference between the type and the real, we must get out the Old Covenant and scan the territory. It is then that we'll see Jesus is all the types. Let's be imitators of Christ.