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How Exodus 14 is preached in the NT
Introduction.
Preached as a pattern for the true Israel.
Mat 2:15 “This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, "Out of Egypt I called my son."
1. Context – Jesus family à Egypt – implication of return.
2. A quotation from Hos 11:1
a. Here’s the problem – the natural sense of the Quotation in Hosea is not a predictive prophecy at all, but rather a description of God’s fatherly care for Israel.
b. (Read 1-4) Which is a beautiful passage describing God’s fatherly care for Israel. Mat says that the flight into Egypt of Jesus’ family fulfilled that text, so what does Matthew mean?
c. Important text for understanding how the NT preaches the OT.
d. “Fulfill” doesn’t only refer to direct predictive prophecies that come true.
e. Here is the same pattern. “Look God has done the same thing again.”
f. Just as God brought his son (Israel) out of Egypt, so he brought his true son Jesus out of Egypt.
g. Matthew – HS – links between Jesus and Israel as the people of God.
Luke 9:28-36 Preached as a forerunner of Salvation in Christ
28About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. 29As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. 30Two men, Moses and Elijah, 31appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. 32Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. 33As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, "Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." (He did not know what he was saying.)
34While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35A voice came from the cloud, saying, "This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him." 36When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves, and told no one at that time what they had seen.
1. The transfiguration v31
2. “His departure” à Jesus discusses his “exodus” which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem with Moses (law) and Elijah (Prophets)
3. A new Passover, a new crossing of the Red sea – and decisive defeat of the enslaving power
4. Cloud is present – the cloud that manifests God’s presence in the Exodus, and a voice speaks from the cloud “This is my son – listen to him vs Law and prophets.
5. Preached as a forerunner of salvation in Christ. Application – all of History leading to this point. Jesus as the pinnacle and epicentre of the Scriptures – and His death and resurrection as the very centrepiece of his ministry.
1 Cor 10:1-13 Preached as a model of new life in Christ
1For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. 2They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. 3They all ate the same spiritual food 4and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. 5Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert.
6Now these things occurred as examples[a] to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. 7Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: "The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in pagan revelry."[b] 8We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. 9We should not test the Lord, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes. 10And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel.
11These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfilment of the ages has come. 12So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! 13No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
14Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.
1. This passage – at least to modern minds a little odd. If Paul hadn’t said it who would have said that Crossing the Red sea = Baptism.
2. Here Exodus 14 is preached as a model of the new life that believers have in Christ.
3. “Our Forefathers” interesting when you apply it to gentiles – which the Corinthians were.
4. They were under the cloud. V1 Under the guidance and protection of God.
5. They passed through the sea. God brought Israel through the sea so that they might be his people – and he might be their God (Exodus 6:7) But they “set their hearts on evil things” (v6) They were free from the false God, the idol, Pharaoh – and tragically offering themselves to other Gods/ idols
6. About temptation to idolatry in the hearts of God’s redeemed people.
7. Analogy- what happened to Israel in the Red Sea is what is signified in our baptism. We are rescued from the old place with its enslaving idols and enter a new way of life under the rule and knowledge of – in union with Christ.
8. Buried in the sea the old slave master no longer has and rights over you and is defeated.
9. So don’t give in to Idols
a. Idols offer fulfilment, joy, pleasure, happiness, but they enslave.
b. Hearts on “evil things” Idols are not always evil things – . The human heart is deceptive enough to take a good thing, make it an ultimate thing, and thus elevate it to a status above God.
c. If there is anything in our lives that is more important to your happiness than God, or has replaced God in centre of your reason for living – then that thing is an idol. You might persue it with an energy that only God deserves – and it will enslave you.
Hebrews 11:29 Preached as an Exhortation to the life of faith.
29By faith the people passed through the Red Sea[a] as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.
1. Hebrews 11 as the great chapter about faith. A whole catalogue of OT saints who show us what it means to have faith.
2. You might ask what did faith have to do with it? Terrified – trapped and the sea opened.
3. In Ex 14 As they walked through – the walls of water on either side (v22) and the need to rely on God’s promise. Esp (15-18)
4. Hebrews preaches Exodus 14 as a call to have faith – which is “1Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” (Heb 11:1)
5. As you walk through – pretty much all you can see is the wall of water – and so you must exercise faith in God’s promise.
6. The eyes of faith see what God has promised as more compelling than what the eyes see – the wall of water
7. In my Bible about half way through Ch10 “A call to persevere” The Christian life – we need to persevere in faith
a. What the problem might be: (Sin it might overwhelm us – persecution – the kind of low level stuff – causes us to become ashamed of the name of Christ.)
8. How do you do that? – You have to be sure of what you hope of and certain of what you do not see. (11:1)
a. Look at 10:39 “But we are not those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.” – In the Sea, you have to keep going believing that God’s promise stands – that he will make a way through the sea.
9. Into Heb 12:2 – We are to fix our eyes on Jesus.
a. he is the one who is “the author and perfector” – not object – which he is – our eyes need to be fixed on him – he is the one who has lived with faith in the promises of God – even through the cross – endured the opposition of sinful men – consider him!
Revelation 18 Preached as a warning of judgement to come.
1. I don’t know if you remember last time. Isaiah 43 – To those in Babylon – God promises the defeat of Babylon – as Egyp[t has been defeated.
2. So Isaiah is saying Egypt in Exodus = Babylon in your situation.
3. That is the background for Revelation 18, where Babylon is the Worldly system set up in opposition to God.
4. Through Rev 16 – A series of Plagues bowls of wrath poured out. Which are not the same – but some are familiar – Sores, Water to blood, Darkness,
5. Look at 18:21-24. A large millstone thrown into the sea – a picture of how Babylon will be dealt with. (Now who was thrown into the sea?) (Ex 15:1)
6. Preached as a warning of the judgement to come – or as a promise of the justice to come – depending on where you stand.
As God’s people sang – saved from Egypt and brought safe through the sea, so in Rev 19 the multitude in heaven sing and they sing Hallelujah!
Conclusion
This redeemed people will not grumble and sin and rebel as Israel did – They will in habit the place that God has promised them.
