The Rising of the Sun—the Crossing of the Jordan
And now we come to the end of John's Gospel. This is signaled by a stop sign which reads "but these are written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ" as "the woman" of 4:29 did "the Son of God" as "the blind man" of 9:35-38 did "and that believing you might have life through His name." By believing we become sheep, and the Lord our shepherd. He calls His own sheep by name, and leads them out. So they are no longer looked at as sinners but sheep. John 10 is the end of God's ways with the sinner John 20 the end of His ways with the saint. In between we had the tabernacle scenes for God's ways are made known to us once we understand that this world is a desert. But John 20 is, morally speaking, the crossing of the Jordan. The Lord entered the Jordan at the beginning of the Gospel to identify Himself with the godly in Israel here in John 20 it is the identification of the godly with His death. Once His sheep are led over the Jordan God's ways end and His purpose is realized bringing them into the land.
Many thoughts converge as this important Gospel closes. John has retraced Israel's desert journey, the tabernacle, and the offering up of the burnt offering. In John 20 the desert is over and our subject as already mentioned is the crossing of the Jordan. Old things have passed away behold all things have become new. That is why John ties together the Genesis account of sin entering the world through a woman with his own account of the Lord's appearance in Manhood to another woman at the sepulcher with sin put away. John's Gospel begins and ends morally with a woman together with a new man who replaces Adam. In Genesis the woman brings sin and death into the world in John she sees them put away, for Christ is risen. The woman at Sychar's well was the beginning of Jesus' journey, and there He was weary. The woman at the cemetery garden was the end, for there He told Mary Magdalene that He was returning to His Father. So the first day of the week on which He spoke to Mary is the new creation day. It is characteristic of Christianity.
Thomas, figure of the Jew, is not present and is unbelieving, so the Lord's solace for the loss of Israel will be the Assembly. After it is raptured from the earth, however, the Jew like Thomas will return to Him saying "My Lord and my God.”
What a rich vista this brings before our eyes. It is too much to deal with adequately. Perhaps we could start by rehearsing what God's ancient people must have done when, for the last time in the desert, they took down the tabernacle. This time it was to be moved out of the desert, across the Jordan and into the Promised Land. That is John 20 in type.
Taking Down the Tabernacle—to Move It Across the Jordan and Into the Promised Land
When God's ancient people crossed the desert the tabernacle went with them. If they moved from one resting place to another the tabernacle was dismantled and erected again. The holy vessels in it its furniture were first covered by Aaron and his sons and afterward carried through the wilderness by the sons of Kohath. Of the various holy vessels, we are particularly interested in how the Ark of the Covenant and the brazen altar were covered, for this sheds light on the closing chapters of John. Well, Aaron and his sons took down the veil and covered the ark with it. Then they put on it a covering of badger skins and spread over it a blue cloth. By so doing the badger skins were hidden and the blue cloth could be seen. They removed the ashes from the brazen altar. Then they spread on it a purple cloth and a covering of badger skins so hiding the purple cloth but exposing the badger skins. The reversed role of the badger skins is meaningful. It might help to understand why if we think of the last time the holy vessels were to be covered in the desert i.e. when the desert was to be left behind, having served its purpose.
The Ark Crossing the Jordan—Jesus As the First and the Last
When God's ancient people crossed the Jordan nothing is told us of the brazen altar or the other holy vessels, or even the tabernacle. The ark alone is mentioned in the record of the crossing in Josh. 4. There are two reasons for this. First of all the ark is a picture of Jesus as the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last. It was first in God's mind in that it was the first article of furniture to be built, before even the tabernacle or anything in it, and it was last in that its passage of the Jordan ended the desert and opened the way to the Promised Land. Secondly its pre eminence over all the other holy vessels, even the brazen altar with which it was linked, tells us of "the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow." The sufferings of Christ are recorded in John 18-19. These are over now, so the ashes have been removed from the brazen altar and a purple cloth has been spread on it. That is God's estimate of the cross sin has been removed from His sight and the One who removed it is to be clothed in purple. But stop! A covering of badger skins is placed over the purple cloth hiding it from man's view. Exactly. God's mind for the future glory and exaltation of Christ is hidden from the world. Man sees only the badger skins. Christ, he says, is only a prophet, the son of Joseph and Mary "He was despised and we esteemed Him not." So the brazen altar fades away and we are left to muse on the ark. In the record of the crossing of the Jordan God directs our attention to the ark alone. It is draped with a blue cloth, which speaks of Christ as the heavenly Man. The cross over, He is the Man in the Glory. Like Stephen we gaze on Him. "But we all, looking on the glory of the Lord, with unveiled face, are transformed according to the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Lord the Spirit" 2 Cor. 3:1818But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. (2 Corinthians 3:18).
The People's Passover at the Red Sea and the Jordan
To understand the meaning of the Passover we must trace it to its origin in Egypt. Here the blood of the Passover lamb sheltered the firstborn of the children of Israel from God's judgment, for they were sinners as much as the Egyptians who perished, not being sheltered by blood. God insisted on the blood for salvation, for He said "when I see the blood I will pass over you." In itself the blood of a lamb was worthless. Its value at that time was that it looked forward to Christ, the Lamb of God, whose blood was to be shed for sinners "Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us" 1 Cor. 5:77Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: (1 Corinthians 5:7).
The Passover in Egypt is called "the Lord's Passover" Ex. 12:11,11And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the Lord's passover. (Exodus 12:11) while the Passover at the Red Sea and the Jordan is called "the people's Passover.” Actually it is one Passover with certain features of it distinguished for our instruction. The people passed over the Red Sea and the Jordan in the protecting power of the Passover lamb's blood shed in Egypt. That is why no blood is shed at the Red Sea or the Jordan for Christ cannot suffer twice for sins. Now to distinguish between these three views of the Passover, the shedding of blood in Egypt illustrates the truth of forgiveness of sins through the precious blood of Christ. The Red Sea is more the salvation of our bodies, something which you could understand if you saw Pharaoh's army coming near you. These two things have a common link in that only God can forgive our sins or raise our bodies if we die. The Jordan is what we do in gratitude for what God did for us we identify ourselves with the death of Christ.
Having said this we might also note that the Red Sea and the Jordan are remarkably linked. The Red Sea cut Israel off from Egypt the Jordan cut them off from the desert. Egypt in Scripture is a figure of the glory of the world its allurements and attractions, and so the scene of Satan's ways with man in the flesh; the desert is the world as the scene of God's ways with redeemed man (a born again soul sees the world as it really is a desert, and passes on to another world the glory). Whenever God cuts us off from anything He gives us something better. We must not limit these things to Israel though they are illustrative of the Christian's experiences also.
What then does the desert teach us? It was certainly a better place than Egypt for God's people. Here God poured out His heart of love to them. There were no tyrants with whips to make them work harder, and God supplied all their temporal needs. Best of all He dwelt among them. In exchange for God's goodness they murmured and rebelled against Him. The desert journey was all unbelief. Still it was a teaching school. Israel did not graduate i.e. did not cross the Jordan until they learned the lesson that all the good was of God all the evil of themselves.
The desert was part of God's ways to make the goodness of His heart known, and expose the evil of the people's. In spite of that His purpose was to bless them. That is why He overlooked the desert, and in His purposes saw His people as entering the Red Sea and coming out the Jordan. He still does today, for Israel's God is ours. Once you have crossed the Jordan you are in the land. That means that our enemies must be dispossessed of their usurped spheres in heaven and earth a thought Scripture fully anticipated at both the Red Sea and the Jordan. Once these thoughts are understood it becomes clear why John 20 is a picture of the church period which had not yet dawned. This stretches from the day of Pentecost to the second coming of Christ. God visualizes two things during this period attachment to the Person of Christ by the Church and the temporary blindness of Israel to their Messiah. As a consequence of this we are blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ but Israel's earthly blessings are deferred. Such is the inlet to John 20.
How God Comforts Christ for the Loss of Israel
In resurrection the Lord does not reveal Himself to unbelieving Israel. The figure of Israel's rejection of their Messiah is Thomas called Didymus. He was not present when Jesus came into the midst just as the Jewish nation has missed the blessing of the Lord's presence in the Church period. The other disciples witness to Thomas that they had seen the Lord. He scorns their testimony, just as the Jews do today. Eight days elapse before the disciples are assembled together again. This time Thomas is with them. The Lord once more appears in the midst. Kinney says eight is habah, the coming One in Psa. 118:2626Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord: we have blessed you out of the house of the Lord. (Psalm 118:26). On this appearance the Lord reproaches Thomas "because you have seen Me you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen, and yet have believed." In the future Israel will accept Christ and will mourn "when they look on Me whom they have pierced" Zech. 11:13, 12:10— 13:6. This agrees with what Thomas said `Except I shall see in His hands the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into His side, I will not believe.”
Now the Lord's position in resurrection is more than Israel's rejection of Him. He has lost them for a time the nation whom He loved. So God compensates Him for this temporary loss by giving Him the Church to comfort Him. This is prefigured in the life of Joseph a distinct type of Christ. As Genesis opens the serpent tried to make God a liar by saying "Ye shall not surely die." As Genesis closes Joseph, among the best of men, dies and is put in a coffin. As John opens the true Joseph offers the water of eternal life to the woman at the well. As John closes the true Joseph is risen, victorious over death. Instructive as these beginnings and endings are, there is much to learn about what came between them the story of Joseph's life. This is divided between his relations with the Gentiles and his brethren, the children of Israel.
.. The house of Israel: Joseph was "a man in whom the Spirit of God is" in Pharaoh's words Gen. 41:3838And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is? (Genesis 41:38) so his experiences foreshadow what happened to the true Joseph later. "The archers have sorely grieved him and shot at him and hated him" Gen. 49:2323The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him: (Genesis 49:23). The archers speak of distant warfare. Joseph's brethren stripped him of his coat and threw him into a pit without water. Then they sold him for twenty pieces of silver. These experiences roughly parallel what was to happen to Christ later. Still the archers could not reach His person. Instead all the house of Israel the sun and the moon and the eleven stars must bow down to the true Joseph. But at the moment Israel does not acknowledge Christ as the true Joseph.
.. The Gentiles: Jacob said "Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well whose branches run over the wall" Gen. 49:2222Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall: (Genesis 49:22). So the Lord Jesus Christ the true Joseph came to Sychar's well fulfilling these words Jacob spoke on his death bed. Joseph's branches ran over the wall of partition separating Jew from Gentile. He became a fruitful bough to the Gentiles, offering them the water of eternal life. Jacob was dead and so was the Jew who spurned the offer, so Paul says "seeing you... judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, lo we turn to the Gentiles" Acts 13:4646Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. (Acts 13:46). They accepted the ongoing offer of the gospel. John's Gospel ends with service, Luke's with worship the two great features of eternal life. But blessed as these things are God wanted something to comfort Christ. He would give Him a bride. This is the Church, the collective side of things.
It is left to Pharaoh type here of God the Father to give us a picture of the Church the Father's gift to Christ. Joseph has lost his brethren as Christ has lost Israel. Pharaoh comforts him by giving him a wife called Asenath. She bears him two sons. May the type be true in us. May He be satisfied with our love. May it be constant to Him.
The Garden and the Graveyard
We now turn to another scene the opened tomb at the rising of the sun. It is another beginning, with Christ in resurrection speaking to Mary Magdalene first, and not directly to the apostles. She became a conduit the messenger of the Lord to inform them of what He said, but she herself heard it first from His own lips. She was a woman, and only a woman could receive such a message from the risen Lord.
Sin came in to this world because a woman listened to the serpent's voice rather than to the voice of the Lord God. Since the wages of sin is death the whole world became a graveyard. The serpent's lie "Ye shall not surely die" opens the book of Genesis but at the end of that book Joseph, one of the best of men, was buried in a coffin in Egypt. Is there no hope for man, then? Yes, when man sinned God promised a deliverer, the woman's seed. Although 4000 years rolled on until Christ the woman's seed came into the world, the Gospel of John begins as though the Garden of Eden were yesterday. It opens with the Lord telling Nicodemus that "as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up" (i.e. crucified) "that everyone who believes on Him should not perish but have eternal life." So at the cross the spotless woman's seed, Jesus Christ, who knew no sin, was made sin for us. He died for our sins that we might have eternal life. Thus John's Gospel ends with Christ's victory over Satan complete. The serpent had deceived the woman in a garden and turned the world into a graveyard. Such is the setting of the Lord's words to Mary Magdalene a graveyard and a garden, with Himself the victor over death and the serpent. In the beginning the woman had listened to the serpent's words in a garden here another woman in another garden listens to the voice of the Son of God.
The End of the Lord's Journey
The Lord's words to Mary Magdalene at the sepulcher announced the end of His journey. That journey was not what men think it was from the manger to the cross. Not at all—it was from the Father to the Father. We have the Lord's words for that statement "I came forth from the Father and am come into the world again I leave the world and go to the Father" John 16:2828I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father. (John 16:28). John traces that journey for us from the woman at the well in John 4 to the woman at the sepulcher in John 20. In John 4 Jesus was weary with His journey as He sat on the well in John 20 a woman sees Him standing and He tells her that His journey is almost over. "I ascend to My Father" He says, letting us know that the heavens will be opened to receive Him just as the sepulcher has been opened to testify that it can no longer receive Him.
Now that the Lord's journey is over we can look back at it and see that many other things have been opened too. In summary the Lord has opened the doors of Satan's prison to free us and has thrown open the doors of His Father's house to welcome us. Between these two great openings He has opened our spiritual understanding and the affections of our hearts so we may be happy with Him in His Father's house.
.. Opening the doors of Satan's prison: The world is Satan's house and man's prison. In this he stores his possessions furniture, the things of the world, and people, his slaves. He guards his possessions jealously, and he is a strong, well armed man. However the Lord is a stronger man. He overcomes the strong man and frees us from bondage to him. Paul tells us about this "forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same, that through death he might destroy him who had the power of death, that is the devil, and deliver those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage" Heb. 2:14,1514Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. (Hebrews 2:14‑15).
This took place at the cross where Satan was overcome, the doors of His house were opened, and we were freed from serving him. Many things were opened at the cross. The soldier pierced the side of Christ and His blood flowed out God opened the way to His presence by tearing the veil of the temple in two. Paul links these two things together in Heb. 10:19, 2019Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; (Hebrews 10:19‑20) "Having therefore brethren boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He has dedicated for us through the veil, that is to say His flesh." Then outside in the world where Jesus died the rocks were opened, a witness to the judgment He bore for us. The type of this was Moses at Horeb smiting the rock Ex. 17:66Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. (Exodus 17:6) and "is there any rock like our God?" 1 Sam. 2:22There is none holy as the Lord: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God. (1 Samuel 2:2). Even the centurion's mouth was opened to declare "truly this Man was the Son of God.”
“Rock of Ages, cleft for sin,
Grace has hid us safe within
Where the water and the blood
From Thy riven side which flowed
Are of sin the double cure
Cleansing from its guilt and power.”
But Christ is the Savior of the body as well as the soul. So other things are opened. The women find the Lord's tomb opened, for Christ has been raised from among the dead "and become the firstfruits of those who slept" 1 Cor. 15:2020But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. (1 Corinthians 15:20). That is the divine order Christ first, then His saints. So after His resurrection "the graves were opened and many bodies of the saints who slept arose" Matt. 27:52,5352And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, 53And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. (Matthew 27:52‑53).
The opening of all these things we have been considering tells us that our deliverance from the strong man's power is complete. We have overcome through the blood of the Lamb.
.. Opening our spiritual understanding: On the evening of the first day of the week Jesus drew near Cleopas and another person most likely his wife as they walked to their home. He opened the Scriptures to them, causing "our heart to burn within us." That tells us that He opened their heart too, for they invited Him into their home. When we open our home to the Lord it is a sign that we love Him. Lydia opened her house to Paul and his fellow servants. So did Martha one reason why "the Lord loved Martha." The two at Emmaus experienced that love for a fleeting moment when "their eyes were opened and they knew Him, and He vanished out of their sight.”
We have reproduced here by permission, a beautiful poem by a Christian lady from Saskatchewan, who wishes to remain anonymous. Its contents breathe the opening of our spiritual understanding to the preciousness of Christ.
My Theme
Speak to me now of Christ! my soul is weary
Of fightings, fears, and words that have no end;
Hungry and thirsty am I yea, and longing
For sweet refreshment He alone can send.
Speak to me now of Christ! not your opinion
Comparing man to man but leads to strife;
Of Jesus let me hear my soul's Beloved,
Whose words speak comfort, peace, eternal life!
Speak to me now of Christ, Who lowly suffered
Enduring spitting, scourging, grief and shame
Who, when accused and cursed, He answered nothing
He is my Savior let me hear His Name!
Speak to me now of Christ, Who, heavy laden
Bore the dread cross up Calvary's cruel hill.
The Lord of life! He died in bitter anguish
For my vile sins His own life blood did spill.
Speak to me now of Christ, Who spoke to Mary,
That resurrection morn of death's defeat,
Revealing to her heart that secret, "Father”
I now ascend, and, in Me, you are meet.
Speak to me now of Christ, Who now is seated,
Crowned with all glory on the Father's throne.
His eye still on the desert, lone and dreary,
He watches every footstep of His own.
Speak to me now of Christ, Who soon is coming
To take us home, where sight can never dim,
Where all his own, with tongues and hearts uniting,
In one eternal song, shall speak of Him!
And when I speak, let me speak well of Jesus,
The altogether lovely One, my Friend
My every thought of Him brings peace and comfort
He loves me, and will love me to the end.
.. Opened heavens and an opened door: The Lord told the couple at Emmaus that He must suffer these things and enter into His glory. So the heavens must be opened to receive Him. But like the corn of wheat He will not abide alone. "In My Father's house are many mansions...I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there ye may be also" John 14:2, 32In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. (John 14:2‑3). The other side of the truth is that we will rise to meet Him. John writes "After that I looked and behold a door was opened in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me, which said come up here" Rev. 4:11After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter. (Revelation 4:1).