exodus
Showing posts with label exodus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label exodus. Show all posts

The Scarlet Thread - Pt. 6 The Promised Land

The Scarlet Thread/Luminescent
Pt. 6 “The Promised Land”

Let’s do a quick recap of how we can see the Scarlet Thread of the Gospel running through the stories of the Old Testament. God Rules in Genesis 1. We sinned in Genesis 3. God provides a way in Genesis 40. Jesus saves in the story of Exodus. But we still wander.


In last month’s article, the Israelites were just about to enter the Promised Land. They had wandered for 40 years, representing the Christian life lived apart from God. It’s like trying flip a light switch a million times when your power is out. Living without the power source is infuriating. And that’s where we enter the next stage of the Exodus story. 


The Isrealites were going after the Promised Land. It’s why they packed what they could carry, and got out of Egypt. They believed there was something better waiting for them. But what is this Promised Land for us? I’ll tell you right up front, it’s not Heaven.  There were giants in the land that prohibited them from entering. In their story, there were obstacles (people) that had to be removed from the Land of Promise, and I’m pretty there are no giants in Heaven.

The Promised Land is not heaven for us later, it is the indwelling of Christ now. And there are giants in your life that are prohibiting this.

Before we talk about how to get into that Promised Land, let’s talk about the indwelling of Christ. Truthfully, if you’ve put your trust in Him and His work on the cross, you already have Jesus indwelling you. But there’s something incredible that happens when a Christian believes this and trusts this.

If I told you that I had a magic glove at my house that move around, point at things, and pick stuff up you would say, “Sure you do. But only when your hand is in it.” You got me! But listen to this: everything that is possible for my hand is now possible for my glove. As long as my hand is working, the glove is working too. That’s the idea of Jesus Christ dwelling in us! We have His very power and deity living in us!

This is the “newness” of the Gospel. The Promised Land is meant to be enjoyed today! You have only to enter this Promised Land and enjoy the power and presence of Jesus in your life.

But how do I get to the Promised Land? How do I enjoy the power and presence of Jesus in my life? Because, truth be told, there’s a lot of times when I don’t feel either of those things. Take a look at what Joshua, the new leader of the Jews after Moses, says to the people before entering the Promised Land.

Joshua 3:9-13 9 “And Joshua said to the people of Israel, “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God.” 10 And Joshua said, “Here is how you shall know that the living God is among you and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Hivites, the Perizzites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, and the Jebusites. 11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth[a] is passing over before you into the Jordan.”

How do we know that God will wipe out the giants blocking the Promised Land? Because He’s the same God who delivered you from the slave masters of Egypt. God, who saved you from slavery to sin, will also be with you to defeat the remaining giants in your life.

Did you catch the symbolism with the ark and the Jordan River? You get in to the Promise Land of Jesus’ indwelling the same way you got out Egypt, your slavery to sin. The Red Sea split for them to get out of Egypt and Jordan River split for them to get into the Land of Promise. This symbolic crossing of these two bodies of water represent your faith in the Gospel.

Colossians 2:6 says “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him,” You were freed from your slavery of sin by your faith in the Good News of Jesus Christ. And the only way you can live in that freedom is with continued faith in the very same.

As it turns out, Joshua sent two spies into Canaan who met with Rahab. She told them that Jericho had been terrified of the Israelites all along and were dreading the day Israel came for them. The victory had already been won! But they were living as if the enemy was undefeatable. They believed the fortress was impenetrable for 40 years all the while the enemy was shaking in their boots, hoping Israel never realized it!

The final question that remains is; how do I stay in the Promised Land? The story of Moses ended with him dying before entering the Promised Land. And as soon as he dies, God appoints Joshua as the new leader. And within 3 days of Joshua leading the people, they crossed the Jordan. But as they were crossing it, God gave Joshua some instruction.

Joshua 4:1-3 “When all the nation had finished passing over the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, “Take twelve men from the people, from each tribe a man, and command them, saying, ‘Take twelve stones from here out of the midst of the Jordan, from the very place where the priests' feet stood firmly, and bring them over with you and lay them down in the place where you lodge tonight.’”

Joshua 4:21-22 “And he said to the people of Israel, “When your children ask their fathers in times to come, ‘What do these stones mean?’ then you shall let your children know, ‘Israel passed over this Jordan on dry ground.’”

This really is a beautiful thing. This stone altar that they erect, built from stones gathered from the middle of the Jordan River, stood as a reminder for generations to come. And every time they looked at this altar they would remember and be thankful for God’s deliverance of them. Those stones were gathered from an impossible place. They couldn’t have built that altar if they had never crossed the Jordan River.

I think in 21st Century America we have become so logical that we scoff at any sort of emotional or spiritual ritual or tradition. But I think God feels very deeply about things, and I think He can appreciate rituals or traditions that point to Him. Not every tradition or ritual is good, and not every one of the are bad. But if it is used to remind yourself of what He has done for you then it is a very good thing.

So build your own stone altar. I think it would be a very good thing for you. It can remind you of the grace you experience then. I’ve been thinking about getting a tattoo that says, “Imago Dei”. It means “The Image of God” and it would be a reminder to me that I am invaluable because I am God’s child. I love to see people wear Christian t-shirts, because it can be a reminder every time someone asks about it. Wearing a cross necklace or bracelet might be that thing for you.

The point is to remind yourself, while you’re living in the Promised Land of Christ’s power and presence, that He is the one that brought you there and keeps you there. What’s left for you is the work of believing that. Leave behind your unbelief. You don’t need to wander in the wilderness. You’re slave masters are dead. You belong in the Promised Land. Enter in. Enjoy Christ. Trust in His power in you. Surrender to Him.
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The Scarlet Thread - Pt. 5 The Wandering

The Scarlet Thread/Luminescent
Pt. 5 “The Wandering”

This is part five of our blog series, “The Scarlet Thread.” Here’s how it’s gone so far. God rules, according to the story of Creation. We sinned and ruined Creation, according to the story of Adam and Eve. God works despite our sinfulness, according to the story of Joseph. We can be freed from the slavery to our sin, according to the story of the Exodus. And NOW, I want to share with you the story of the Israelites Wandering.

Quite frequently the Bible uses different metaphors and pictures to illustrate a truth. In the story of the Exodus, the Bible uses the picture of the Israelites wandering for 40 years in order to illustrate a dull, powerless Christian life. This is something I hear very often in ministry. It is common for someone to say they feel like their spiritual life is stuck in a desert, or a wasteland. There’s no passion, no power, and really no life to their spirituality. I think you know exactly what I’m talking about, because I believe this is something everybody experiences at some point in their Christian life. The story of the Israelites wandering in the wilderness just might hold the key to get you out of your figurative wilderness. It goes like this…

The wilderness came after the Israelites were delivered from the Egyptians. In a very real sense, the Wilderness wandering was self-imposed. It’s not like they spent 40 years completely lost without a map. They actually knew exactly where they were supposed to go, they were just not allowed to go there because of their lack of faith.

When I was in kindergarten, I experienced something similar. My school was about one mile from my house. One day, when my mom came to pick me and my brothers up from school, she had gone inside to see a teacher while we waited in the van. After a couple minutes, I also ran inside to grab something I had left. When I came back out, the worst thing imaginable to a kindergartner happened. The van was gone. My mom thought I was hiding behind the seat (something my brothers and I did regularly) and so she started on the way home.

I knew where my house was, and so I started walking in that direction. The only problem was, there was a man out on a run, coming in my direction. At that point, I panicked! I wandered back into the parking lot, and began sobbing. The whole ordeal felt like an hour, when in reality my mom quickly realized I wasn’t in the car and turned right back around to get me. I knew the direction I was supposed to go, but my fear kept me from moving in the direction.

This is what happened to the Israelites. Moses has even seen the Promised Land they were meant to travel to. But their lack of faith (fear), kept them from entering. I’m guessing you know exactly what that is like. After all, isn’t fear the most human thing about us?

See, God delivered them from Egypt, then gave them the 10 Commandments. They were on their way to Canaan, the Promised Land. Just before they arrived, they sent their spies to check it out. The spies said, “Nope. They’re big. They’re strong. They’re fortified.” God said, “Go take it!” And they said, “Mmmm, nope.”

These were God’s chosen people; the famous Israelites! They had already been through so much. God had come through on a Promise He made a couple hundred years ago. He had brought them all this way, and at this point, they officially lost their faith in Him. As a result of their lack of faith God says, “Ok, I’m going to send you back into the wilderness for 40 years until every one of you who rejected the Promised Land dies.”

Sounds harsh, right? But it’s what God determined was necessary in order to bring the Israelites to a place of faith. Sometimes He deals with people in ways we don’t fully understand. But when we look at God’s actions in light of the big picture we can see that what He does is always for our good and His glory.

So when it comes to The Scarlet Thread, what does the wilderness represent? First off, it does not represent being lost in our sins. Remember, the Israelites were delivered from the sin masters already. So for us, the wilderness comes AFTER we’ve become a Christian. The Wilderness then represents the carnal Christian. A person who has been redeemed and forgiven by Christ and yet refuses to surrender to God’s authority. If you are not currently experiencing a beautiful relationship with God in which He reveals sin, you repent, you enjoy talking with Him, you see blessings and thank Him for them, then you might be living in the Wilderness.

Your wilderness is the twilight zone between enslavement to sin and living the full, Christian life. The Israelites enjoyed neither the comfort of their old slavery nor the milk and honey and beauty of the Land of Promise. They were dumped in the middle. Perhaps you feel the same way. It really might be the most miserable place to be for a human. The Israelites had caught a glimpse of the beautiful Promised Land. They had seen the fruitful trees, the green fields, the strong cities, the clean waters. They KNEW it could all be theirs. And yet they turned away.

They also remembered having a bed to sleep on in Egypt. They remembered that they had food to eat and water to drink back there. It was a place they called home, but they could never go back to. The pain of wandering is great because you feel like there is no place to belong and knowing every day in the wilderness is a day that could have been spent in Canaan.

Remember, they were brought OUT of Egypt in order to be brought IN to Canaan. God’s plan was for them to enjoy Canaan. And yet, they cheated themselves out of it because they had no faith. Can you imagine, today, a Christian being filled by the magnificence of the Holy Spirit, God pouring His power into them? Jesus Christ completely redeeming them and now their record is perfect. A Christian is capable of so much. But can you imagine them refusing, whether by ignorance or deliberate rejection, the beauty, glory, and power of that life?

The Israelites were promised so much, yet they chose the Wilderness. And a Carnal Christian is someone who has Christ living in them and pretends like He is not there. If you have determined that you won’t have an intimate connection with God, and that you will only take what you like from Christianity and leave the rest, then you have chosen the wilderness.

But take heart! There is good news if you are in the wilderness! There is a cure!

Three things you’ll need to do.

1. Admit you’ve lost faith. The Israelites had faith enough to free them from Egypt, but they lost that faith. They had enough faith to be saved, but along the journey, they started complaining and wishing they were back in Egypt. So they wandered for 40 years and many of them died without ever admitting to their faithlessness.

2. Appreciate the Manna. Every day, while they wandered, God sent manna for them to eat every morning. It literally just showed up laying on the ground every morning. They named it manna, because that literally means, “What is it?” And this is where it gets crazy. They described the Manna in Exodus 16:15, 31 as tasting like fresh oil and honey. Meaning Manna was a reminder that God was presently with them, but also calling them to the Promised Land. (It flowed with milk and honey). It was a small wafer that wasn’t really enough to fill them up completely.

Manna was God’s way of calling the Israelites back to Him and back to the Promised Land. Every day they had a reminder of what they were missing. What they had in the wandering was not enough to satisfy. It was simply a call to surrender to Christ and enjoy Him completely.  So what is your manna? Is there a place or time when you regularly feel convicted and challenged to make things right between you and God? Thank him for pursuing you that way. And listen to His calling!

3. The last thing to do is annihilate your unbelief. God sent the Israelites into the wilderness to wander around until all of the unbelieving Israelites died. For you, God is working to kill off your unbelief as well. He’s proving Himself to you every day. He’s sending out regular calls to come closer and deeper into Him. Perhaps you are in your own wilderness, feeling unsatisfied with where you are. Wishing you could have your sin and also wishing you could have a satisfying relationship with Jesus. Leave behind your unbelief. Listen to God’s call to you. Surrender to Him. And follow Him into the Promised Land of an empowered, fulfilling life in Christ!
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The Scarlet Thread - Pt.4 The Exodus

The Scarlet Thread
Pt. 4 The Exodus
John 8:34-36


Let’s do a quick recap of the last three posts from this series: God rules over all of creation. Mankind sinned and ruined the perfect relationship. God is powerful enough to pour out grace despite our sinfulness.

We ended the last post with Joseph’s brothers coming to Egypt for food and Joseph forgiving them. He invited his entire family to live in Egypt with him. But eventually the pharaoh who favored Joseph died, and the next one was afraid of all of those Israelites living in their country. So he made a deal. If you want to live here, you have to work for us. But this pharaoh was sneaky. He broke the deal and made slaves out of the Israelites.

This sets the story up for one of the most meaningful sections of the Bible. The story of the Exodus. Exodus means, “A mass departure of people”. It’s the story of how Israel escaped their enslavement. For a long time, I thought this was just a story about Israel’s history, and it didn’t have a lot to do with me. I was dead wrong. I have since come to realize that the story of Moses and the Exodus has within it the keys to a full, Christian life.

Think about it: hundreds of years have passed since Joseph brought his family to Egypt. Several generations have now been born into slavery. All these people knew in life was to serve the Egyptian Empire. As each pharaoh died, the successor was even crueler. Doubling their work. Even killing their children. There was no hope for the Israelites. They didn’t have the power to overthrow such an empire as Egypt. They didn’t have the weapons to attack. They didn’t even have the motivation to try to escape. They were hopelessly enslaved to their sin.

A thousand years later John, the author of the Book in the Bible, explained that this is the human condition every person is born with. We are all born into slavery. (John 8:34)

The thing about slaves is they only do what their master commands. Before a person is redeemed by Jesus Christ, they must obey the sin nature in themselves. They can’t resist it. That’s why this world is in such a corrupt state. Because this world is enslaved just like the Egyptians were. The Scarlet Thread in the story of the Exodus begins by telling us we were born into slavery.

The Scarlet Thread then moves on to introduce us to a deliverer named Moses. Moses was actually found and adopted by the Pharaoh’s daughter. She found him floating in a basket down the river. She named him Moses which means, “Drawn out” and also “Son”. Because she drew him out of the water and adopted him.

Moses eventually realized he was actually a Jew just like the slaves, and chose to identify with them instead of as Egyptian royalty. When he tried initially to help the Jews they rejected him, and because of his choice, the Egyptians rejected him. This was now a man who had no place to go. He was an outcast. And so he went into exile for 40 years, working for a shepherd in no-man’s land.

I can think of another man who came to earth and was rejected by His own people. I can think of an outcast who wanted to free His people but was instead turned away. Moses is a shadow of the Christ, albeit an imperfect shadow. Moses was drawn out of a river, but he was then sent to draw the Israelites out of slavery. Israel couldn’t save themselves. They needed a deliverer, but they were so stubborn and lost in their own slavery that they initially resisted their deliverer.

This happens so often in reality, doesn’t it? Even many of us were perhaps too stubborn to accept that we needed a deliverer. We thought maybe we could save ourselves. But slaves need a deliverer, and for the Israelites, one was sent. For us, the One has also been sent. (John 8:35)

The struggle to be free from the slavery of sin is great. The sin nature doesn’t want to let go. But there’s a point in this story that is so important, if you don’t get it, nothing else will fit into place. Jesus Christ is the One who sets us free. Moses had a battle with Pharaoh. He brought plagues and still Pharaoh didn’t want to let the people go. Time and time again God had to battle the sin nature represented by Pharaoh and Egypt.

You know what Israel did during this time? Watched in anticipation. You know what they didn’t do? Try to do God’s job.

So after several terrible, awful plagues from God, Pharaoh decides to release the slaves. They pack up and start heading out. Only to have Pharaoh change his mind and start chasing after them. Your sin nature does not give up easily. When God began working in your heart, or when He does begin, your sin nature is going to pursue you viciously. (John 8:36)

Moses finally led them across the Red Sea where God once and for all delivers them from the slave masters. The crossing of the Red Sea is symbolic of the deliverance God gives His children from the sin master over their lives. This is a beautiful part of The Scarlet Thread that we should celebrate.

The Red Sea is interestingly named, because it was when Jesus shed His blood that our slave masters were defeated. When you put your trust in Christ and His sacrifice to save you from the slavery of your sin, you are figuratively passing through His blood that was shed in your place. And whoever the Son of God sets free, He is free indeed!

But that’s not quite the end of their story. Did you know the Israelites wished they were back in Egypt? The slave masters were dead. They were free people, but they still longed for the days of Egypt, because to them they felt a sense of security. Now that might sound crazy to you, but that’s not totally unheard of.

On January 1, 1863, President Lincoln established the Emancipation Proclamation that said “all slaves are and henceforth freed from slavery.” But there were slaves who were born into slavery that knew no other way of life. They didn’t know where else to go. In a sense, the lifestyle of slavery meant security for them. And so they remained on the farms and fields. They were proclaimed free, and yet they chose to remain put.

I think there are many Christians who don’t know they have a choice. I think many people believe they are still slaves to sin. All the while God is saying, “I’ve declared you free. You don’t have to go back to that sin. You can enjoy the abundant life of freedom.”

So here’s what I challenge you to do. I want you to memorize this verse. “If the Son has set me free, then I am free indeed.” Say that to yourself. When you’re tempted, remind yourself of that glorious Gospel. You are free from the slavery of sin. But within you is a desire to return to your sin. My word to you is this, if you have passed through the blood of Jesus by putting your trust in Him to save you and free you, then you are free! There’s nothing left for you in Egypt. Live your life of freedom! Enjoy the costly liberty bought for you by Jesus Christ Himself.
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The Scarlet Thread - Pt. 3 Joseph

The Scarlet Thread
Pt. 3 Joseph

Mankind is capable of doing incredible things. From antiquing, remodeling, refinishing, to repurposing there is this desire in us to redeem used, worn out things. We have an ability to envision value and purpose in things that seem like trash.

We get this from our Creator. Remember, we’ve been made in God’s image. So if we love to redeem things, I think that means God loves to redeem things. And when we talk about the spiritual part of you I think this especially makes sense.

The Bible says that before a person puts their trust in Jesus, they are considered spiritually dead. The Holy Spirit is not living in them, giving them life. But even after a person puts their trust in Jesus, the Bible says every good thing we try to do is the equivalent to a heap of dirty laundry. Very dirty laundry.

Now, I don’t want to bum anybody out prematurely, so allow me to give you some good news. God is powerful enough to give grace despite our sinfulness. That’s important to remember. Keep that in mind.

The Scarlet Thread is the story behind the stories of the Bible. It’s the Gospel and it runs through every chapter of the Bible. The goal of this blog series is to give you a jump start on reading the Bible in a new, Gospel-oriented way. So we’re just getting a few of the more familiar Bible stories and finding the Scarlet Thread running through them.

So far we’ve looked at the story of Creation in Genesis 1. We’ve looked at the story of Adam and Eve in Genesis 3. And now I’d like to look at the story of Joseph in Genesis 37-41. As you read through this, I’m going to point at the sins of the characters in this story, and show how God is powerful enough to give grace despite their sinfulness.

1.   Joseph Sinned (Genesis 37:1-8)
He was no perfect saint. He sinned frequently. He was selfish, lustful, bitter, and proud. I know this because Joseph was a male human-being. He had his own issues. You can almost hear some pride hiding behind his words when he shares a prophecy with his brothers saying they will bow down to him. Joseph was a sinner. But God still poured out grace. God chose Joseph to rule a country despite his sinfulness, just as He has chosen to save us when we didn’t deserve it. This choosing was not because we were worthy of it but because God is generous. A Scarlet Thread of the Gospel.

2.   His Brothers Sinned (Genesis 37:18-24)
His brothers sinned long before they plotted against him. They had committed murder in their hearts already by their hate, and then they planned on killing him. That’s messed up! But God still poured out grace. Reuben, the oldest brother, saves Joseph from the murderous plot of his brothers by providing an alternative to death: throw him in a pit. Nice, Reuben.

Now, the name “Reuben” means “behold, a son” which symbolized another Son that would also deliver His people from death. A Scarlet Thread of the Gospel.
On a side note: Reuben would later sleep with his father’s concubine. A obvious no-no! This guy was a shadow of the Gospel, but only a shadow. A two-dimensional image of the real thing.

So the brothers throw him in a pit, don’t know what to do with him, and decide to sell him into slavery. My brothers bullied me, but they never achieved the bully status of selling me into slavery.

3.   The Slavers Sinned Genesis 37:36
The slavers sinned by committing a crime against the image of God. All people are made in God’s image and are inherently valuable. Slavery, the owning of another human being, is deeply wrong. But God still poured out grace. He led the slavers to sell Joseph to a wealthy officer of Pharaoh. As far as slavery goes, this was an alright gig. He excelled in his service so much that Potiphar made him head of the household.

God never wants us to remain enslaved to our own sins and addictions. The Gospel is what frees us from that spiritual slavery. A Scarlet Thread of the Gospel.

4.   Potiphar’s Wife Sinned (Genesis 39:11-15; 20-21)
Potiphar’s wife sinned by committing adultery in her heart and lying as well. Joseph didn’t deserve this. He was just a handsome guy minding his own business and yet because of one scandalous lie he was immediately thrown into prison. But God still poured out grace. Joseph eventually rose through the ranks of prisoners and earned favor in the sight of the guards.

God often times takes us through dark paths. He doesn’t promise us an escape from the difficulties, but He promises we will persevere. A Gospel Thread.

5.   Pharaoh Sinned (Genesis 41:7-8; 14; 37-40)
Pharaoh went searching for answers and put his trust in things other than God. He ruled with cruelty and with no regard for God or the people made in His image (like Joseph, the slave/prisoner.) But God still poured out grace. Joseph was brought in to interpret Pharoah’s dream and was given the opportunity to save millions of people from an unexpected famine.

This all happened as a foreshadow to how God has chosen to save us from an unexpected demise. The Scarlet Thread.

6.   His Brothers Sinned Again Genesis 42:1-2; 13
Years later, his brothers wind up in Egypt, looking for food. When Joseph approaches them in disguise, they lied directly to his face about him being dead. Really they had been lying about his death all along. Can you imagine what a miserable life you’d live, carrying that kind of a secret with you?

But God still poured out grace. Joseph put them through a test, eventually revealed his identity, forgave his brothers, and then brought them all to live with him in security and comfort.

Likewise, God will forgive our sins when we come to Him. He will provide a place in Heaven for us to live with Him in security and comfort. A Scarlet Thread.

The Scarlet thread of Joseph’s story, and your story, is this: Nobody has ever earned God’s grace. It has only ever been given despite our sinfulness. Everybody has disqualified themselves from a place at His table, and yet, in His marvelous grace He invites us to live with Him forever.
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