Or, the Way of, Peace.
GEOGRAPHICALLY, as we know, the Red Sea lies between Egypt and the wilderness of Sin and Sinai; and God, who made this world in order to demonstrate the conflict between good and evil, and the ultimate triumph of good, has described wonderful lessons for us in the circumstances and happenings in connection with His people of ancient days, who dwelt in those parts. We who are familiar with the Bible, can see that Egypt has been a place always hostile to the best interests of God’s people, and the history of the children of Israel has branded that country as a place of slavery and bondage, from which only the power and intervention of God could deliver them.
If we apply the story, like a parable, to the history of our souls, we find that Satan (of whom the King of Egypt is a type, and who is the god of this world) hates God’s people, because he hates Christ, He ever seeks to keep them from leaving the world and coming to Christ and from worshipping God; he aims at keeping them in bondage to sin. We all have sinned, and Satan uses that fact to make us afraid of God, and thus sin becomes our master. When, however, we feel the sinfulness of sin as the children of Israel felt the rigor of the taskmasters, we cry to God, even as they did. He heard their cry, and sent a deliverer and brought them out of Egypt. Moses, who wielded the rod of God’s power, visited judgment on the gods of Egypt and by the power of death, in the slaying of the firstborn, forced Pharaoh to abandon his claims on the people of Israel. He let them go to serve God.
Though going out from Pharaoh’s dominions, yet Pharaoh’s enmity and power had still to be met, and the judgment of death alone could meet this. The children of Israel were led three days journey into the wilderness, far enough away to know that they were out of Egypt, but not far enough as yet to find Pharaoh’s power broken. So it is with newly converted souls. Having believed in Christ, the Lamb of God, they know they are forgiven and rejoice that they are safe, but find the power of Satan and the world against them. The power of sin within them distresses them, so they are not sure they are saved!
Moses however led them to the Red Sea where the battle was to be fought between God and Pharaoh. The people encamped at Pi-hahiroth, with the wilderness on either hand, the sea in front, and Pharaoh’s army behind them to destroy them if he could; but the God of glory was on their behalf, and the cloud of the glory of God came in between Pharaoh and them like a wall, for He had pledged His word, and it was His glory to deliver them. Then God opened the Red Sea and made walls of waters so that a way through was made, and the Israelites, their children and cattle marched safely through on dry ground. But when the Egyptians followed them, God told Moses to lift up his rod, and before the Egyptian army could get across, they were all engulfed in the mighty waters, which rolled them in dead on the shore.
Then the children of Israel began to sing! They saw that Pharaoh’s power to reclaim them was shattered. God’s judgment had fallen in death upon the Passover lamb which had sheltered Israel, and now the judgment of death had broken Pharaoh’s power forever. They were free forever, and God had kept His promised word! In the relief of deliverance, Moses and the children of Israel sang unto the Lord.
Now this is exactly what happens when a soul who has been under the burden of sin and Satan’s power gets set free. Let us translate the allegory and see its application to our case. God has given His dear Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. He is our Passover lamb whose Blood “cleanseth from all sin.” Just as the blood of the lamb was put on the lintel and door-posts of the Israelites’ houses, and under the sheer of that blood they were safe from the sword of the destroying angel and escaped death, so those who trust in the blood of Christ are safe from the judgment of God. Christ, God’s Lamb, having been sacrificed for us, we have “redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Eph. 1:77In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; (Ephesians 1:7)). But we still have an evil principle of sin in our nature, and there is still the power of Satan and of the world which he rules. So Christ became flesh, that He might take our place and die to free is from these powers.
God sees the believer as having died with Christ. His death was our death, to free us from sin’s dominion, as Romans 6:3-53Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: (Romans 6:3‑5) shows us. So also we are told in Hebrews 2:14, 15,14Forasmuch 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) “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 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.” In dying, therefore, He broke the power of our great adversary and thus we are set free.
Thus it is we have peace with God and know that there is no condemnation for us who are in Christ Jesus. Now we are His purchased possession, and as Israel sang so can we. We triumph in His triumph. He is going to take care of us all the journey through, and bring us into the place He has made for Himself to dwell with His people, even His Sanctuary in the heavenly Canaan. What a God is ours!
A. E. Walker.