Just before reading this post, here’s a little tune from the 1970’s that relates to the post, just for a bit of fun….(be sure to turn your speakers up before clicking on this link) Larry Norman’s Moses in the Wilderness.

I’ve been on a mission lately to look for shadows and types of Christ in the old testament. I have been reading the story of Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt……you know the story.

Moses = type of Christ (deliverer, leader of his people, high priest on behalf of the people to God)

Israelites = the church, us (chosen people, called to be a holy nation of priests, to be God’s people and He their God)

Egypt = the world, the world system (lost, slavery, without hope, Satan’s domain)

Pharoah = Satan and his army

The parting of the Red Sea = representative of baptism into Jesus’ death, going into the waters of death and coming out the other side in freedom from the hold of the world, in Christ’s resurrected life

6 million Jews (men) = the number six representative of mankind (free gift of salvation for all mankind)

Sadly, many of the Israelites still held Egypt in their heart. They complained and longed for the ‘good old days’ when they were prisoners. They had forgotten their conditions of slavery and preferred to look back rather than go forward toward a promised land they had not seen and could not imagine. They died in the wilderness.

Only a few made it into the promised land.

Are we like this? The church has been like this ever since Israel came out of Egypt! So many of God’s chosen ones (those who are saved) still hold Egypt in their hearts, still are not prepared to walk through the wilderness fearlessly and in faith, believing in the promises of God to deliver them into a land of milk and honey. And JESUS is that promised land! He IS that land of milk and honey! Only a handful took possession of this land.

Throughout history, only a remnant has taken possession of the promised land, this glorious Christ, in preference over Egypt and the wilderness. Some have decided to settle in the wilderness, not being prepared to pay the cost to get to the promised land. Some have fainted and died there.

I sometimes wonder if this is what the scripture means: “Many are called, but few are chosen?” I don’t know. Perhaps.

If so, I want to be one of the chosen…….Lord, sever Egypt from my heart.