When God communicated to Moses His intention to deliver His people from the bondage of the Egyptians, He spoke of this deliverance in a twofold way. Not only would He "deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians," but He would "bring them up out of that land" (Exod. 3:88And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites. (Exodus 3:8)). Thus early Jehovah made it clear that He never intended to set His people free from the bondage of Pharaoh that they might remain in Egypt, but expressly to take them out of it.
The Spirit of God has recorded for us, accurately, the occasion on which each of these undertakings was accomplished; for chapter 12 closes with this distinct statement: "The selfsame day,... the LORD did bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their armies," while chapter 14 closes equally distinctly with the announcement, "Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians." In this distinct way Jehovah fulfilled in detail His gracious word to Moses on behalf of His captive people; for "God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob." Chap. 2: 24.
The first stage in their journeyings from Egypt, under divine guidance, brought the people to Succoth (chap. 12: 37); the second to "Etham, in the edge of the wilderness" (chap. 13:20); a necessary stage, for the wilderness must be entered at some point.
But there were two dangers peculiar to this camping ground. First, it was so near to Egypt that it was a very easy matter to return to that land. Second, there was nothing to hinder their oppressors from following after, to recapture the freshly liberated people.
To secure the two special objects before Jehovah—separation from the land and deliverance from the hand of the Egyptian—yet another stage was necessary; namely, their reaching Marah, wherefore the first time the Israelites were properly in "the wilderness," separated as well as delivered. But between Etham and Marah, what took place? First, the power of Jehovah was marvelously shown in the judgment of the Egyptians.
Second, the deliverance of the people was accomplished.
Third, an impassable barrier effected their permanent separation from the land of the Egyptians.
Under the immediate sense of the final judgment of the oppressor, and their own national deliverance, it is not surprising that the pressure of praise found expression in that marvelous triumph song of chapter 15. There too they celebrate the power and excellency of Jehovah, while they even anticipate triumphs yet to come. "Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of Thine inheritance." So they sang. Alas! how soon from those very lips came the sad reversal of their passing convictions.
By the Red Sea deliverance, Israel was consequently fairly launched into the wilderness. Their return into Egypt, by the pathway of waters through which Jehovah had brought them, was a physical impossibility. The waters which rolled over their oppressors, it must be carefully noted, equally rolled between them and the land out of which they had been brought. The identical event that accomplished their liberation, accomplished also their separation from the land of Egypt.
On this latter point, it is noteworthy that the song of redemption is silent. Nor is the reason difficult to discover. As a people, they would have been satisfied, when set free from bondage, to remain in the land "by the fleshpots" and "eat bread to the full," as is clearly proved from Exod. 16:33And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger. (Exodus 16:3). Egypt, while truly the scene of their bondage and misery, was also the scene of the gratification of their fleshly inclinations and desires. But between them and the possibility of gratifying these desires, there now rolled the waters of separation, which were also the waters of judgment and deliverance.
It is clear that at the "edge of the wilderness," the experience of the Israelites did not and could not include these three wonderful dealings of Jehovah with their enemies and with themselves. There was consequently a vast characteristic difference between their experiences at "the edge of the wilderness," and "in the wilderness" in its full meaning.
Turning now to the application of the type to the believer of the present day, we read in 1 Cor. 10:66Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. (1 Corinthians 10:6), "Now these things were our examples"; that is, the things that happened to the Israelites -not the Israelites themselves.
There is doubtless, therefore, instruction of a practical and profitable nature beneath these special incidents which befell Israel. May the gracious Lord give us hearts to appreciate, and grace to profit by, the lessons therein contained.
It is clear from the type that our God has no intention of leaving His redeemed ones, after they have been sheltered under the blood of Christ from His own righteous judgment, any longer in this Egypt-world.
This is a point of extreme importance. In the selfsame night of shelter beneath the blood, God brings His redeemed ones out of Egypt (that is, the world) to "the edge of the wilderness." But at this stage, the world, so to speak, is easy of access. There is no apparent barrier lying between the believer and his return to the scene in which all his gratifications have hitherto been found.
Though a necessary stage in the journey, this is no lengthy halting place according to the mind of God.
The three aspects of the Red Sea already alluded to-judgment, deliverance, and separation—are clearly represented in the death of Christ. The scripture in the New Testament for the first two of these is 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): "That through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them, who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage." The scripture for the last is found in Gal. 1:44Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: (Galatians 1:4): "Who [Christ] gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world." For these, among other reasons, the Red Sea aspect of Christ's death is sometimes spoken of.
The blessed Savior has thus completely fulfilled the type, and by His death brought about judgment for the enemy, and deliverance and separation for the believer.
But separation, since it conflicts with natural inclinations and desires in the direction of the world, is not so readily entered into as the two former aspects of Christ's death, which do not fail to furnish ground for praise and thanksgiving.
Nevertheless, it is of immense importance to seek to understand spiritually that the death which accomplishes our liberation according to God also accomplishes our separation. This can only be divinely learned by diligently following the guidance of God, as Israel followed the guidance of the pillar of fire and cloud in the wilderness.
When, under divine guidance, the Marah stage has been reached in the soul's history, the death of Christ practically forms for the believer a real barrier between him and the world. Hence the important difference between "the edge of the wilderness," and "the wilderness" in its full sense.
When the former stage only has been spiritually reached, links with the world are either not yet broken, or are easily taken up by the believer, and that because he has not yet seen his separation from it through the death of Christ. It is sorrowful indeed to reflect upon the years during which the soul has still lingered at "the edge of the wilderness," contrary to God's express purpose and desire, instead of diligently following the distinct guidance of God, by means of which the soul that follows is led on step by step.
If truly at Marah, separation from the world according to the inclinations and desires of the natural mind is practically discovered to be "bitter"; yet the cross of Christ, of which the tree is a symbol, makes the bitter sweet. There is sweetness sensibly realized in that which separates, since it only separates from that which must hinder and mar the soul's enjoyment of God and of His own heavenly resources in the wilderness. It will readily be seen that food and water obtainable from Egypt could only have marred for Israel "the manna and the springing well" of Jehovah's heavenly supplying.
We may well and profitably raise the question with ourselves, How is it with us? Is it "the edge of the wilderness," or "the wilderness"? We have only to ask ourselves, Have we any unnecessary or voluntary link with the world as to its interests, pleasures, principles, or pathway? If so, however long we may have been on our pilgrimage, we are evidently still only at "the edge of the wilderness." The Marah camping is not yet ours in divine reality.