In our last chapter we had before us Israel under the shelter of the blood. What human language could suitably unfold the deep blessedness of being screened from the judgment of God by the blood of the lamb—of being within that hallowed circle where wrath and judgment can never come?
But blessed as this is, there is much more than this. There is far more comprehended in the salvation of God than deliverance from judgment and wrath. We may have the fullest assurance that our sins are forgiven, that God will never enter into judgment with us on account of our sins, and yet be very far indeed from the enjoyment of the true Christian position. We may be filled with all manner of fears about ourselves—fears occasioned by the consciousness of indwelling sin, the power of Satan, the influence of the world. All these things may crop up before us with the gravest apprehensions.
Thus, for example, when we turn to Exodus 14, we find Israel in the deepest distress, and almost overwhelmed with fear. It would seem as if they had for the moment lost sight of the fact that they had been under the cover of the blood. Let us look at the passage.
"And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baal-zephon: before it shall ye encamp by the sea. For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in. And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will be honored upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD. And they did so.
And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, Why have we done this, that we have left Israel go from serving us?"—mark these words—"And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him: and he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them. And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with a high hand. But 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, besides Pi-hahiroth, before Baal-zephon. And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD."
Now we may feel disposed to ask, Are these the people whom we have seen so recently feeding in perfect safety under the cover of the blood? The very same. Whence then these fears, this intense alarm, this agonizing cry? Did they really think that Jehovah was going to judge and destroy them after all? Not exactly. Of what then were they afraid? Of perishing in the wilderness after all. "And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? Is not this the word that we did tell thee, in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness."
All this was most gloomy and depressing. Their poor hearts seem to fluctuate between "graves in Egypt" and death in the wilderness. There is no sense of deliverance, no adequate knowledge either of God's purposes or of God's salvation. All seems utter darkness, almost bordering on hopeless despair. They are thoroughly hemmed in and "shut up." They seem in a worse plight than ever. They heartily wish themselves back again amidst the brick kilns and stubble fields of Egypt. Desert sands on either side of them; the sea in front; Pharaoh and all his terrific hosts behind!
The case seemed perfectly hopeless; and hopeless it was so far as they were concerned. They were utterly powerless, and they were being made, to realize it; and this is a very painful process to go through, but very wholesome and valuable, yes, most necessary for all. We must all in one way or another learn the force, meaning, and depth of that phrase, "without strength." It is exactly in proportion as we find out what it is to be without strength, that we are prepared to appreciate God's "due time."
But, we may here inquire, Is there anything in the history of God's people now answering to Israel's experience at the Red Sea? Doubtless there is, for we are told that the things which happened to Israel are our examples, or types. And most surely the scene at the Red Sea is full of instruction for us. How often do we find the children of God plunged in the very depths of distress and darkness as to their state and prospects! It is not that they question the love of God, or the efficacy of the blood of Jesus, nor yet that God will reckon their sins to them, or enter into judgment with them. But still they have no sense of full deliverance. They do not see the application of the death of Christ to their evil nature. They do not realize the glorious truth that by that death they are completely delivered from this present evil world, from the dominion of sin, and from the power of Satan. They see that the blood of Jesus screens them from the judgment of God, but they do not see that they are "dead to sin"; that their "old man is crucified with Christ"; that not only have their sins been put upon Christ at the cross, but they themselves, as sinful children of Adam, have been by the act of God identified with Christ in His death; that God pronounces them dead and risen with Christ. (See Col. 3:1-41If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:1‑4); Rom. 6.) But if this precious truth is not apprehended by faith, there is no bright, happy, emancipating sense of full and everlasting salvation. They are, to speak according to our type, at Egypt's side of the Red Sea, and in danger of falling into the hands of the prince of this world. They do not see "all their enemies dead on the seashore." They cannot sing the song of redemption. No one can sing it until he stands by faith on the wilderness side of the Red Sea, or, in other words, until he sees his complete deliverance from sin, the world, and Satan—the great foes of every child of God.
Thus, in contemplating the facts of Israel's history as recorded in the first fifteen chapters of Exodus, we observe that they did not raise a single note of praise until they had passed through the Red Sea. We hear the cry of sore distress under the cruel lash of Pharaoh's taskmasters, and amid the grievous toil of Egypt's brick kilns. And we hear the cry of terror when they stood "between Migdol and the sea." All this we hear, but not one note of praise, not a single accent of triumph until the waters of the Red Sea rolled between them and the land of bondage and of death, and they saw all the power of the enemy broken and gone. "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. Then sang Moses and the children of Israel."
Now what is the simple application of all this to us as Christians? What grand lesson are we to learn from the scenes on the shores of the Red Sea? In a word, of what is the Red Sea a type? And what is the difference between the bloodstained lintel and the divided sea?
The Red Sea is the type of the death of Christ in its application to all our spiritual enemies—sin, the world, and Satan. By the death of Christ the believer is completely and forever delivered from the power of sin. He is, alas! conscious of the presence of sin, but its power is gone. He has died to sin in the death of Christ, and what power has sin over a dead man? It is the privilege of the Christian to reckon himself as much delivered from the dominion of sin as a man lying dead on the floor. What power has sin over such a one? None whatever. No more has it over the Christian. Sin dwells in the believer, and it will do so to the end of the chapter; but its rule is gone. Christ has wrested the scepter from the grasp of our old master, and shivered it to atoms. It is not merely that His blood has purged our sins, but His death has broken the power of sin for the believer.
It is one thing to know that our sins are forgiven, and another thing altogether to know that "the body of sin is destroyed"—its rule ended—its dominion gone. Many will tell you that they do not question the forgiveness of past sins, but they do not know what to say as to indwelling sin. They fear lest, after all, that may come against them and bring them into judgment. Such persons are, to use the figure, "between Migdol and the Red Sea." They have not learned the doctrine of Romans 6. They have not as yet, in their spiritual intelligence and apprehension, reached the resurrection side of the Red Sea. They do not know what it is to be dead to sin and alive to God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
How do I know this? Is it because I feel it? Certainly not. How could I feel it? How could I realize it? How could I ever have the self-consciousness of it while in the body? Impossible. But God tells me I have died in the death of Christ. I believe it. I do not reason about it. I do not stagger at it because I cannot find any evidence of its truth in myself. I take God at His word. I reckon myself to be what He tells me I am. I do not endeavor to struggle and strive and work myself into a sinless state which is impossible. Neither do I imagine myself to be in it, which were a deceit and a delusion; but by a simple, childlike faith I take the blessed ground which faith assigns me, in association with a dead Christ. I look at Christ there, and see in Him, according to God's Word, the true expression of where I am, in the divine Presence. I do not reason from myself upward, but I reason from God downward. This makes all the difference. It is just the difference between unbelief and faith—between law and grace—between human religion and divine Christianity. If I reason from self, how can I have any right thought of what is in the heart of God?—all my conclusions must be utterly false. But if, on the other hand, I listen to God and believe His Word, my conclusions are divinely sound. Abraham did not look at himself and the improbability, even the impossibility of having a son in his old age, but he believed God and gave glory to Him. And it was counted to him for righteousness.
Furthermore, it is a grand and essential point for the soul to apprehend that Christ is the only definition of the believer's place before God. This gives immense power, liberty, and blessing. "As He is, so are we in this world" (1 John 4:1717Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. (1 John 4:17)). This is something perfectly wonderful! Let us ponder it. Let us think of a poor, wretched, guilty slave of sin, a bond-slave of Satan, a votary of the world, exposed to an eternal hell—such a one taken up by sovereign grace, delivered completely from the grasp of Satan, the dominion of sin, the power of this present evil world, pardoned, washed, justified, brought nigh to God, accepted in Christ, and perfectly and forever identified with Him, so that the Holy Spirit can say, as Christ is, so is he in this world!
All this seems too good to be true; and, most assuredly, it is too good for us to get; but, blessed be the God of all grace, and blessed be the Christ of God! it is not too good for Him to give. God gives like Himself. He will be God, in spite of our unworthiness and Satan's opposition. He will act in a way worthy of Himself, and worthy of the Son of His love. Were it a question of our deservings, we could only think of the deepest and darkest pit of hell. But seeing it is a question of what is worthy of God to give, and that He gives according to His estimate of the worthiness of Christ, then, verily, we can think of the very highest place in heaven. The glory of God and the worthiness of His Son are involved in His dealings with us; and hence everything that could possibly stand in the way of our eternal blessedness has been disposed of in such a manner as to secure the divine glory, and furnish a triumphant answer to every plea of the enemy. Is it a question of trespass? He has forgiven us all trespasses. Is it a question of sin? He has condemned sin at the cross, and thus put it away. Is it a question of guilt? It is canceled by the blood of the cross. Is it a question of death? He has taken away its sting, and actually made it part of our property. Is it a question of Satan? He has destroyed him by annulling all his power. Is it a question of the world? He has delivered us from it and snapped every link which connected us with it.
Oh, that the blessed Spirit may open the eyes of God's people, and give them to see their proper place, their full and eternal deliverance in association with Christ who died for them, and in whom they have died, and thus passed out of the power of all their enemies!