The faith which rises above difficulties, and is strong in the power of God in face of the apparently overwhelming and adverse resources of man, is next set out.
“By faith he forsook Egypt, not afraid of the wrath of the king; for he persevered as seeing the Invisible” (Heb. 11:27).
It is the more striking and instructive, because we know at first how far it was otherwise. Then he consulted his eyes and “looked this way and that way; and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.” When an unjust and heartless Israelite gave him soon to learn that it was no secret, “Moses feared and said, Surely this thing is known” (Ex. 2:14). Such is the most heroic man, that no flesh may glory; but he that glorieth let him glory in the Lord. So we see in one that seemed to be a pillar and was named of the Lord honorably in accordance: yet did Peter fail miserably wherein he was most confident, and grace, when natural force was gone, intervened to effect all he vainly hoped in himself and let him know long beforehand that so it would be for his cheer. How wholesome these lessons are! For the believer too readily assumes that he acts in faith when he is trusting his own thoughts and feelings, and so falls under rebuke. We need to look to and lean on the Lord habitually and in detail. So did Moses at length when he forsook Egypt, not afraid of the wrath of the king. The great secret is added; for he persevered as seeing the Invisible. It is something to realize that He sees me; but there is might in my seeing Him.
“By faith he [lit. hath] instituted the passover and the sprinkling of the blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them. By faith they passed through the Red Sea as through dry [land]; of which the Egyptians made trial and were swallowed up” (Heb. 11:28-29).
A previous difficulty is now faced, the most solemn which can arise between God and the creature; for it is about sin. And the creature when awakened owns its sins, and accepts now in faith His judgment of them as He reveals it; while unbelief palliates and puts off till destruction falls. This was the question raised for Israel in view of Jehovah smiting the firstborn throughout Egypt. Were not the sons of Israel obnoxious too? Could God slur over sin in their favor? Impossible: God cannot deny Himself. Sin must be judged adequately in His eyes. Thus only can He righteously secure from judgment, which otherwise must surprise the guilty to their inevitable ruin.
Therefore was the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood. Its standing value lay not in the mere rite, but in the truth it attested; for its most unique feature, the putting of the blood upon the door posts, was never repeated. What a witness to the one offering which avails forever, in the midst of a system of many and manifold sacrifices till He came Whose death vindicated and fulfilled it! Sin was only judged with absolute perfection in the Lamb of God; and herein was God glorified.
So here “When I see the blood, I will pass over you.” Jehovah was executing judgment (pledge on a small scale of what was to be complete by-and-by; and the seen blood of the lamb staid His hand. He that destroyed the firstborn did not touch those who had it for a token on their houses. Faith is not our estimate of the Lamb's blood, but resting on His estimate of it. How blessed for every believer!
But God has given us more comfort still, though nothing can be morally deeper than what the Passover expresses. In it, however, God was judging sin and kept outside by the sprinkled blood. But in Christ's death and resurrection we have more: God intervening manifestly as Saviour, and not only as Judge, God turning the waters of death which overwhelm the enemy into ramparts of victory, where He is for us in van or rear. Such is the force of the Red Sea typically: not God staid and kept outside by the Lamb's blood, but now, with that basis laid, His power on our behalf in Christ dead and risen. We believe on Him that raised up from the dead our Lord Jesus, Who was delivered for our offenses and was raised again for our justification. The type of redemption was not complete till the passage of the Red Sea was added to the Passover.
Many souls stop short at the Passover and lose consequently the assurance of God for them. This may be faith, but “the gospel of our salvation” goes farther and they should receive it simply and heartily. So even, in the type of Exodus, however safe Israel was on the paschal night, only at the Red Sea do we hear “Stand still, and see the salvation of Jehovah.” Truly Jehovah saved “that day.” Salvation in the gospel sense goes far beyond safety or life, though many to their own loss make it less; and how does not Christ's work in death and resurrection suffer unwitting disparagement thereby! The word of truth supplies all defects of ignorance or of prejudice.
How impressive too is the Holy Spirit's allusion to the Egyptians essaying to cross the Red Sea and drowned! It is just what a large form of unbelief follows in Christendom. They have adopted the idea of salvation, and we may add of heaven, and strive without faith, without Christ, in their natural state, to claim the hope—at any rate on a deathbed. We do not hear of a single Egyptian sprinkling his doorpost with a lamb's blood. People would like to be saved, without confessing their sins or God's judgment of them in the cross of Christ, which is the sole righteous ground of their remission.