Forty Year Comparison
Below are two charts which display the
correlation between the temporal shadow of the wanderings of the
children of Israel, and that for which it stood in shadow: the "last
days" of the Old Covenant "aeon".
It is the proposition of this writer that
the exodus out of Egypt, the forty years of wilderness wandering, and the
inheritance of the temporal land of rest, stood as declaratory shadows of
the "last days" of the Old Covenant, which saw the counterparts thereof-
the cross, the forty year generation of the "last days," and the
inheritance of the everlasting land of rest at the parousia of Christ.
In looking at the above charts, we find a
number of very important conceptual correlations that display the
relationship between (1) the typology of the Exodus to the land
inheritance, and (2)the fulfillment from the cross to the coming of Christ
in His kingdom:
1. The first established a temporary
contract of God with the people He chose- the Old Covenant. The
second established a permanent contract- the New Covenant.
2. One introduced the first Passover
with the blood of lambs. The other fulfilled the type with the sacrifice
of the final Passover Lamb (i.e. Jesus Christ).
3. One brought God's people physical
deliverance by crossing through the Red Sea. The other brought God's
people spiritual deliverance by the working of the cross of Christ,
whereby we 'cross through' the Crimson sea.
4. The first was preceded by physical
slavery- the bondage of the Hebrews in Egypt. The second was preceded by
spiritual slavery, man's bondage to Spiritual Egypt (i.e. The elements
of the Law [Gal. 4:3] and the 'body of sin' - [Rom. 6:6]).
5. Fifty days after the first Passover
in Egypt, the Law was given to the nation of Israel at Mount Sinai,
written upon tables of stone. (according to Jewish tradition -
searching for cite). Fifty days after the final Passover was
sacrificed, the Law was given to the "Israel of God", written upon their
hearts by the Spirit of God (II Cor. 3:3; Heb. 8:10).
6. On the day that the Law was given,
3,000 died for worshipping the golden calf, signifying the covenant of
the law that brought death (Ex. 32:28; cf. II Cor. 3:16-18). On the day
the Spirit was given, 3,000 were added into Christ and received life
(Acts. 2:41), signifying the covenant of the Spirit that brought life.
7. When OT Israel departed from natural
Israel it took the natural wealth of natural Egypt with it (Ex. 12:36)
and when Christ, the true Israel, departed from spiritual Egypt (natural
Jerusalem, Rev. 11:8) he took the spiritual wealth of spiritual Egypt
with him, i.e., all of the OT promises that natural Jerusalem forfeited
when it rejected and killed its Messiah.
8. OT Israel departed from natural Egypt
in haste and therefore Christ departed from spiritual Egypt in haste --
Pilate marveled at how quickly he died (Mk. 15:44).
9. OT Israel was taken to the tomb of
Joseph (Ex. 13:19) and Christ, the true Israel, was taken to the tomb of
another Joseph.
Very few would disagree that the above
points are fulfillments of the shadows given at the time of the Exodus. It
is the opinion of this writer, however, that the correlation does not stop
with the initial workings of the exodus, but also with the entrance into
the land of temporal rest, forty years later. It is forwarded that,
just as the children of faith were allowed to enter into the temporal land
of rest the first time, the children of faith in the generation
directly following the cross of Christ were given entrance into the
eternal land of rest.
Therefore, besides the conceptual
similarities, there is also a direct chronological solidarity
between the two, for:
7. With each covenant, a 40 year
transition period followed the initial act of deliverance, unto the
entrance into the land of promise.
Christ specifically told the disciples at
the "last supper," "I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to
prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself,
that where I am, there ye may be also" (John 14:2-3). This reception was
into, what is described in Hebrews as, "a better country, that is an
heavenly" (11:16). The significance in this, is that the believers
among the people of Israel did not receive the promises of the
Promised land, when they entered into Palestine (Heb 4:6-9). This promise
was in regards to the fulfillment of redemption and eternal life in the
kingdom of God, which entrance was corporately given to all believers at the end of the 40 years from the cross to the coming of Christ.
The fulfillment, then, of the shadow
of entering into the land of promise, was left to those of faith, who
would be ushered into the kingdom when Christ returned to "bring them unto
himself, that where he is they may be also." If Christ has not come yet
today, then all believers are still waiting to be ushered into that
eternal land of rest (Heb. 4:9, See also
New Testament Eschatology).
But we believe that He has returned, and has fulfilled
all aspects of the "exodus shadow," using the very same chronology
in the first century, as He did in the initial shadow; in fact, in
addressing the actual generation of the "last days" of the Old Covenant
(AD 30-70), the book of Hebrews (specifically chapters three and four)
directly makes this argument.
The following points continue the shadow of
the Exodus, and show the chronological similarities between the
two. The purpose of this is to show the time-frame of the believers'
entrance into the heavenly country, for which Palestine only stood
in shadow:
1. Both forty year periods are described
as a time of particular "temptation" (Heb. 3:8; Luke 8:13, 11:4, 22:40),
through which they must needs endure unto the end, to be saved (Heb.
3:13-14; see also
New Testament Eschatology).
2. During both periods, the people
hardened their hearts, tempted God, and distinctly rejected the word of
the Lord.
3. During both periods, the people saw
God's works forty years (Heb 3:9; Acts 2:17-21). God manifested Himself
to His people by signs and wonders; in the desert under Moses'
leadership, daily manna, miraculous supplies of water or meat, and the
appearance of the cloud and the fiery pillar revealed God's presence. In
the transition period to the New Covenant, the apostles had special
gifts of healing, prophecy, and tongues-speaking, and testified to the
coming of the kingdom of God and the destruction of the wicked (I Cor
14:22, see
Tongues, a Biblical View).
These gifts were specifically slated to end, once Christ had come, and
not until (I Cor. 13:8-10).
4. During both periods, God was
particularly grieved with the generation of men then living (Heb 3:10;
Matt. 23:34-36, etc.).
5. During both periods, the wicked were
severed from among the just, and not allowed to enter into the land of
promise (Heb 3:11,17; Matt. 12:30, 13:49
6. At the end of the first 40 year
period, the Israelites of faith entered the temporal land of promise, in
which God enabled them to defeat their physical foes. At the end of the
second 40 year period, salvation was complete, and God's people entered
their eternal Promised Land in which God enabled them to defeat their
spiritual enemies (I Cor. 15:26,54-57).
7. The natural judgment of natural
Egypt occurred when OT Israel emerged safely from the Red Sea, and
therefore the spiritual judgment of spiritual Egypt (natural Jerusalem)
occurred when Christ emerged safely from the tomb. During the OT 40
years, those who lacked belief in God's ability to enable OT Israel to
overcome the natural dominion of the usurpers in their natural promised
land (Canaan) and yearned instead to return to the natural bondage of
natural Egypt "fell in the wilderness" (Heb. 3:17) and during the NT 40
years, Paul warned that those who lacked belief in God's ability to
enable them to overcome the spiritual dominion of the usurpers in the
church's spiritual promised land (the world) and yearned instead to
return to the spiritual bondage of spiritual Egypt (natural Jerusalem)
"would fall from grace" (Gal. 5:1-4).
The physical illustrations in the Old
Covenant are fulfilled in each case by the spiritual realities of the New.
The second is a spiritual (rather, an eternal) covenant with victory over
spiritual slavery and spiritual death, bringing eternal deliverance
through a spiritual Passover resulting in our new eternal life and eternal
salvation. Christ has allowed His people entrance into the Holiest of all
through his very presence (parousia)!
One shocking but solidifying change
that is brought into the parousia-conscious Christian is the realization
that they do, indeed, see God face to face. This can be extremely
jarring, but we must remember that in His presence is fullness and joy.
The first comment made by the angel of the Lord to the people in His
presence was usually something like "fear not."
Recognize, instead instead of
turning back, that you have been called to a life akin to that of the
Crusaders of long ago - except that our battles are those against
spiritual wickedness. We are involved in the total domination of the
earth by the zeal of our King -- there is a lot for you to do! And all
you have to do to find your role is to petition the Commander in chief --
He'll have you in the battlefield soon enough (allow months and years for
spiritual training - like that of Saul/Paul), so be careful for what you
ask!
All of these types and shadows displayed in
the Exodus, found their fulfillment in the exodus of God's people from the
bondage of sin, to the eternal rest in Christ. Any expectation of another
coming, or future fulfillment of these promises of rest reflects a lack of
appreciation for (due to a lack of understanding of) what we now
have in Christ - eternal life in His kingdom.
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