Week 45 - The Exodus And The Christian Community

“Out of Egypt I called my son.” (Matthew 2:15)

Of all the great events in the Old Testament, the Exodus is probably the event that has left the greatest impact on the Christian community. This event, which modern Jews still recount during their annual family celebration of the Passover Feast, is clearly etched in the hearts of the early disciples of Jesus. No wonder the motif of the Exodus is a recurring theme in the books of the New Testament.

Exodus in the Old Testament

One day, I asked the Rabbi of the synagogue in Singapore, “In what way is the Exodus story important to the Jewish faith?” He replied, “It is important because the Exodus gave birth to the nation of Israel.”

Indeed, the Exodus of Israel from Egypt was the great redemptive act of God. With His mighty hand, God delivered His people from the bondage of Pharaoh. God accomplished this through His servant Moses. Through the Exodus, the Israelites had a new way of life. In their new life, they became pilgrims. While wandering in the wilderness, they found themselves sandwiched between what they had left behind and what lay ahead, and between slavery and settlement: Egypt and Canaan. There, Israel was tested for 40 years. It was not an easy road to travel. In the wilderness, God shepherded His people by providing light by night, cloud by day, manna from heaven and water from the rock. His presence was keenly felt among the people. The Exodus, crossing the Red Sea on dry land, wandering in the wilderness, the covenant ceremony, the entrance into Canaan: this was what the Israelites were to remember as the pattern of their history.

Exodus in the New Testament

We should not be surprised to find that the great act of redemption in the New Testament is described in terms of exodus imagery. In the early Christian community, the story of the Exodus is seen as foreshadowing the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.

Matthew, in his gospel, begins with the account that Jesus went down to Egypt and was “called out of Egypt” (“Out of Egypt I called my son.” see Matthew 2:15 ).

In John’s gospel, John recorded seven miraculous signs (“plagues” in Exodus are also called “miraculous signs,” Ex 8:23). It is interesting to note that the first and the last miraculous signs performed by Jesus, as recorded in John’s gospel, resemble the first and the last plagues in Exodus.

The first plague turned water into blood; the first miraculous sign turned water into wine (John 2:1-11 ). The last plague caused the death of every firstborn son in Egypt; the last miraculous sign causes the resurrection of the firstborn of God (Colossians 1:18 ). While the first and the last plagues in Exodus speak of condemnation, the first and the last miraculous signs in John speak of celebration. It seems to me that the Apostle John might have been thinking of the 10 plagues when he decided on the “bookends” for his seven miraculous signs to correspond to that of the ten plagues.

Another prominent echo of the Exodus theme in John’s gospel is the “I AM” sayings of Jesus. God revealed to Moses that He is the “I AM WHO I AM.” Jesus used seven unique “I AM” metaphorical statements about Himself, thus revealing that He is God. I am the bread of life (John 6:35 ); the light of the world (John 8:12 ); the door of the sheep (John 10:7 ); the good shepherd (John 10:11 ); the resurrection, and the life (John 11:25 ); the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6 ); the true vine (John 15:1 ).

Israel drank water out of the rock; Jesus is the fountain of living water. Israel received bread from heaven; Jesus is the living bread. Israel was led by a pillar of fire in the darkness; Jesus is the light of this dark world. Israel came to the mountain where Moses received the law; Jesus goes up a mountain to deliver the Sermon on the Mount.

As followers of Jesus, we are the new Israel of God, a people who have passed through the waters. The old life is behind us; the way of new life is before us. We have been baptised into the death and resurrection of Christ; the old has gone, the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17 ).

Exodus in the Follower of Christ

If we were to view our Christian experiences through the lens of the Exodus, we may notice some similarities. We have been set free from the bondage of sin through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. We have encountered miracles through God answering our prayers. We have received God’s provision for our daily needs. We have met God on those “mountain top experiences” during church camps and personal retreats. More than anything else, God has been with us. He has been with us, Mount Carmel Bible-Presbyterian Church, these past 40 years and He will continue to be with us in the years ahead.

Believers are a pilgrim people journeying through the wilderness of this world en route to the promised land. It is not an easy road to travel but the road is well trodden. Many have gone before us through this narrow way and we are surrounded by many witnesses (Hebrews 12:1 ). Let us then press on with our eyes fixed on Jesus, “the author and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2 ) and let Him mould us to become a community of disciples.

It’s not an easy road we are travelling to heaven; For many are the thorns on the way; It’s not an easy road but the Saviour is with us, His presence gives us joy every day.

No, no, it’s not an easy road, No, no, it’s not an easy road. But Jesus walks beside me And brightens my journey, And lightens every heavy load.