Journey of the Israelites (Part II)

Lesson Content

The escape into the wilderness and crossing the Red Sea Having observed the Passover, the Israelites left Rameses and began their journey on foot (Exo. 12:37). This speaks of humility which is seen at the beginning of our spiritual life, when we are first saved.

After leaving Rameses, they pitched their camp in the following places till they reached the Red Sea:

1. Succoth: (Exo.12:37; Num.33:5) — Here they were given the commandment to sanctify the firstborn unto the Lord (Exo.13:2). This was because it was the firstborn who were preserved by the observance of the Passover. Even so, “Of his own will begat he [God] us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures” (Jam.1:18).

2. Etham: (Exo.13:20; Num.33:6) — Etham means ‘fortress’. This speaks of our faith toward God after the initial experience of the joy of salvation. The Lord then becomes our strength, our rock and fortress etc. (Psa.18:1,2). The Lord went before them in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. This speaks of how God guides us, when we put our trust in Him whether it be day or night.

3. Pihahiroth: (Exo.14:2; Num.33:7,8) — This was a valley where there was an abundance of reeds. In this place, the children of Israel saw the Red Sea before them and behind, the Egyptian army pursuing them. They realized this to be an ordeal and began to waver like the reeds and regretted having left Egypt (Exo.14:11,12). Even so, because of the nature of sin that dwelleth in a man which is a warring law in his members, even after he is saved, he is liable to waver and return to the world (Rom.7:18-23). Before God could deliver them, they had to:

(i) Cry out to God (Exo.14:10). Even so, vexed by our sinful nature, we come to a place where we cry out — “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” (Rom.7:24). (ii) Put their faith in the Lord and obey the counsel of God given to Moses (Exo.4:30,31). In the same way, we must put our trust in the Lord and be prepared to obey the counsel of God given to the apostles, namely, water baptism.

4. Crossing the Red Sea: While they were by the Red Sea, God gave them two commands:

(i) “.. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you today: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen today, ye shall see them again no more forever” (Exo.14:13). In water baptism, we die to our sinful nature and are buried into the death of Christ (Rom. 6:2-4). Thereafter we continue to reckon ourselves dead to sin (Rom.6:11). Then our sinful nature is condemned in the flesh (Rom.8:3). (ii) “Go forward” (Exo.14:15). When the children of Israel were told to go forward, they obeyed. We are also asked to go forward. When we obey the counsel of God by taking water baptism, we become partakers of the will of Christ Who was obedient unto death. Thus we become alive unto God to work righteousness (Rom. 6:11-13). Having crossed the Red Sea, they sanga song of victory saying, “... he [the Lord] hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea” (Exo.15:1). Even so, at baptism, the old man with his body of sin is buried into the death of Christ. We begin to live an overcoming life (Rom.6:4-7,9).

Moral

We should not be satisfied only with the initial joy of salvation but we must be willing to obey the counsel of God in water baptism and desire an overcoming life.