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#9.
A fresh enquiry into the meaning of redemption.
pp. 55 - 58
It has been the policy of The Berean Expositor not only to seek the truth, but to so
write that true "Bereans" may have the fullest opportunity of "searching and of seeing
whether these things are so". The word exodus is, as we know, the name given to the
second book of Moses in the Greek translation known as the 70: It is therefore no
part of O.T. Scripture. It occurs however in the N.T. Peter speaks of his "decease" in
II Pet. 1: 15, and uses the word exodus. Heb. 11: 22 speaks of Joseph mentioning the
"departing" or exodus of Israel. The passage however from which light comes is
Luke 9: 31, its first occurrence. This has reference to the transfiguration of the Lord.
Moses and Elijah were seen together with the Lord, and the subject of their conversation
was "His exodus which He should accomplish at Jerusalem".
Both Moses and Elijah were personally interested in the idea of the exodus, for
singularly they both experienced it symbolically. Is it merely a coincidence that both
Moses and Elijah passed through divided waters at a crisis in their lives?
"Lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the
children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea" (Exod. 14: 16).
"They two stood by Jordan. And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and
smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on
dry ground" (II Kings 2: 7, 8).
The passage through the Red Sea was a symbol of death and resurrection. Paul says
that there Israel were "baptised into Moses" (I Cor. 10: 2). This same Paul taught that the
symbol of water baptism had the same message. It baptized into Christ, and if into Christ
then into His death and resurrection (Rom. 6: 3-5).
Redemption from the house of bondage was by the blood of the Passover lamb, and
led down through the waters of the Red Sea up to the shore beyond, where Israel could
sing the song of triumph. Redemption we learned put a "division" between Israel and the
Egyptians. Where Israel passed through unhurt "the Egyptians assaying to do were
drowned" (Heb. 11: 29). This marks the great division of the earth in connection with
redemption. Israel are redeemed and come forth from their typical death. For them the
blood had been shed. The Egyptians are drowned. They do not share the miraculous
triumph over the symbolic grave. To them the Passover lamb was a self-confessed
"abomination". For Israel there could be burnt offerings, sin offerings, and atonement,
but not for the Egyptians. These offerings were for the redeemed and for the redeemed
alone. Coming back to Gen. 3: and 4: we notice that the one who had no acceptable
offering was Cain, equivalent to the Egyptian, the seed of the wicked one.