THE FALL
Children of Israel
Abraham is chosen in Israel. Then, he goes to Egypt and immediately, his posterity is enslaved for 500 years. Jesus said to forgive 7 X 70 = 490. There might be greater significance to this number, but, at the very least, I think the number of years Israel spent in bondage is to communicate that they were hopelessly in bondage; in much the same way 7 X 70 communicates that there is always hope of forgiveness.
One Great Story
In heaven, we were chosen. Then, we came to earth. Here, on earth, we are enslaved by the chains of Satan. We are prisoners, spiritually, and all must die physically. We CANNOT escape the grasp of Satan, or death, on our own.
THE ESCAPE
Children of Israel
Pharaoh ruled with a strong hand. He owned all the soldiers, food, and weapons. He had all the power. Then Jesus Christ made bare His Holy arm. He armed Moses with staff. He sent plagues to overpower Pharaoh. The children of Israel contributed nothing to their escape. The gates of Egypt were opened by God Himself.
One Great Story
Having left a perfect place and been given Choice, our only pathway home was to make perfect choices because imperfect people can't be in perfect places without making that place imperfect. This created a Predicament. There was no going home. Then, Jesus Christ suffered for everyone's bad choices, making escape from this hell-hole possible. The gates are open.
Children of Israel
They walk out of Egypt into the lone and dreary wilderness. They know they are going to a promised land - a land of their inheritance, but they do not know how they will get there. They will follow God.
One Great Story
The gates are open. Now, we must walk. In this lone and dreary world, it is easy to want to find a hole to crawl in, anesthetize with whatever endorphin or drug we can imbibe, and wait for it to all to end. But, we have an inheritance waiting, and to get there, we must walk. We do not see the path ahead, but we trust God. He will light the path before us as we walk in faith.
THE RED SEA
Children of Israel
After they were freed by God, single-handedly, and escaped enslavement, they came to place they could not possibly pass. In as certain a fashion as they could not escape Egypt, once again they found themselves up against an impossible task. Pharaoh and his chariots, regretting their loss, approached them on their rear.
One Great Story
The Atonement is wrought. We are freed. Still, we run up against tribulations which are over our head. Addiction. Abuse. Illness. Handicaps. Enslavement. Death. Though free to walk the pathway home to heaven, we cannot make the climb. Again and again we stumble, until we STOP...at rock bottom...and can go no further.
THE PARTING
Children of Israel
God parted the Red Sea. The Children of Israel walked across the bottom of the sea, on dry ground. After they were safely on the other side, God caused the waters to fall on the chariots of Pharaoh which had faithfully gone in after them.
One Great Story
God opens a way. No matter what we've suffered in the past or what obstacle stands before us, the Great God of Heaven will clear a path for us to walk through it on dry ground. He did not fail the Children of Israel in that frightful hour, and He will not fail us. He has never failed me. There is none so True and Faithful, and Might to Save.
THE WAY HOME
Children of Israel
Numerous are the recorded stories of God's dealings with the Children of Israel while wandering in the wilderness - each worthy of its own blog post. Each is a sign for what we must do to complete our journey, and make it back home to heaven. In no particular order (because I don't know the exact order), here are a few:
They are dead thirsty, and God makes water flow from a rock. --> Blessed are they that thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled. Jesus Christ is the living waters; those who drink from His well shall never thirst.
They are fed manna daily which falls effortlessly from Heaven. This manna meets all of their bodily needs; they are supplied sufficiently. --> Blessed are they that hunger after righteousness, for they shall be filled. Jesus Christ is the bread of life; those who eat this bread shall never hunger. What this hungering and thirsting means to me is that whenever I have a need - whether mental, emotional, spiritual, or even physical - I look to God to meet it. Literally. Every day. I also look to Him for answers, validation, empathy, healing, and direction. Seeking my worth, my safety, and my knowledge from God Himself constitutes my second birth.
They are bit by poisonous, deadly serpents and face imminent death. God tells Moses to make a brass snake and hoist in on a pole for all of Israel to come see. Those who look upon this brass serpent live. Those who do not look, die. --> In the same way that refusing to eat food or drink water kills the body, refusing to look to God for salvation likewise results in death. This isn't the first time we've needed God - remember the Red Sea?
They are given commandments by which to live. Those who keep the commandments dwell safely with the people. Those who break the more serious commandments are taken without the walls of the camp and stoned. --> The spiritual Law(s) of God constitute our walls of safety. Within the bounds the Lord has set, we are free and safe by His protection. Outside of The Law, there is no protection and thus, imminent death. For example, if God says, "be faithful to and love your spouse," then those who do this are not subject to the death of their family or the heartache, disease and drama of infidelity. If God says, "don't do illicit drugs," then those who refrain from doing drugs avoid the health, social, and legal problems attendant to illicit drug use. If God says, "jump", those who jump won't be swept away; if He says, "duck", those who duck won't have their heads chopped off, and so on.
They are given a temple where they sacrifice their physical goods to please God, and they make covenants with Him. --> Because our relationship with God is just that, a relationship, it, like all relationships, is two-way. The sacrifices we make today are donations of our time, talents, and possessions. These show God that we are in this relationship with Him for real. Not for fake-pretend, but for really-reals. God can be pleased and displeased. We still make covenants with him, like baptism.
A generation passed away before entering the promised land. --> Our journey home to heaven takes a lifetime.
There are more.
It feels like wandering, but those who Follow the Light are actually being led.
ENTERING THE PROMISED LAND
Children of Israel
Since their escape from the bondage of Egypt, up until the time of their entrance into their promised land, there is a theme which persists throughout the story of the Children of Israel. It is that they could not do it on their own. Though they were required to walk and fight, that is all they were required to do. God freed them. God parted the Red Sea. God fed them daily for a lifetime. God gave them water to drink. God healed them from sickness. God saved them from certain death. And then, after all that, they were afraid to claim their prize, nor could they do it. Once again, the hand of God must do it. God strengthens them in war to claim victory over those who would prevent them from entering. And there, they lived happily ever after........ or would have, had they seen the spiritual realities behind their recent, temporal odyssey.
One Great Story
From the moment we left our pre-mortal home with God, we were lost, forsaken, forgotten, blind, dead. This was purposeful: to open our eyes. Still, we remain that way, unless we look to God in all things. The gates of death and hell are open. We can exit. It won't be a short jaunt to the celestial kingdom. It won't be easy. It will feel like wandering, and all throughout our mortal journey, or rather, throughout these mortal conditions of our eternal journey, it will feel like we encounter death, over and over again. Even unto the end, when we face the illusion of death, it is clear that we must rely on God to save us. We can't resurrect ourselves! Neither can we live without Him now!
-----------------------------------------
