Featured The New and True Exodus....In Jesus....Central Gospel Truth

The teaching does not come from rikki watts....it has nothing to do with the op.

 

Martin, i offered up a few links just to get the ball rolling. I have been working on this for a few years...just use the links to suggest ideas that you and anyone interested can follow up , and add to.

 

Some discussion occurred on the other thread and these questions were put forth by JOJ....

You find this taught is several areas of the bible.....The Exodus itself in type and shadow....some of the language of the prophets alludes to this central event, and then Jesus and the NT. writers themselves speak of it....

Jesus is the central event of all of redemptive history. God has offered many ways for us to understand this....

In the first Exodus.....Moses and Israel go through a literal and historic situation.....bondage,supernatural deliverance, departure toward the promise land
You agreed that Moses was a type of Christ...your method of bible study allowed you to believe that as you said...
Now just be consistent and view the whole Exodus account as a type and shadow of what the heavenly reality is.
19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people,

20 Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.

21 Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry.

22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

23 It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

Yes....Jesus our Great Eternal High Priest, Surety, Mediator, Prophet Priest and King......
Is the TRUE ISRAEL,
THE TRUE COVENANT SON,
THE TRUE PASSOVER
TRUE MANNA
TRUE TABERNACLE
HE LEADS ALL THE ELECT FROM ALL TIME TO ETERNAL PEACE AND REST

Heb;
2;10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

3 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;

2 Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house.

3 For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house.

4 For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God.

5 And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after;

6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

4 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;

15 While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.

16 For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.


4:
4 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.

2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

3 For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.


The GOSPEL was preached to them as well as us......It was not the four spiritual laws but rather Gods redemption by blood.....
The day of atonement was central.....Jesus completes the once for all time atonement in Heaven

no need to...I believe he was also, but I do not stop there like you seem to.

I do not think the whole Exodus account, the tabernacle system which NT. writers say is the central message of the OT worship pointing to the work of the cross ,and therefore all of redemptive history is headed up in the Servant of the Lord who was going to accomplish redemption as our PASSOVER is...willy nilly...it is good bible....
You have been in the dispensational cage your whole life and say you have never heard of these Spiritual realities that are indeed central to redemptive history is astounding. I do not blame you...I have looked in my premill dispy books and they are silent on these things....
When I studied out Hebrews for a few years, The Dispy scheme is what was....LEFT BEHIND

ACTUALLY it is bible based altogether....I do not use any system that fragments clear teaching looking to hide behind greek words to obscure rather than make clear these central truths

I have only scratched the surface here.....as time permits I will further develop this teaching by looking at our Union with Christ as central to our Identity in Him...

again they do not deal with biblical theology , that is not their primary function.

 

Jesus in instructing Nicodemus speaks of the account from Numbers 21;
9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?

10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?

11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.

12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?

13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

In using the scriptures of the OT. Jesus began teaching about why He was sent ,and what He would accomplish...The gospel promise was not going to be confined to the physical nation of Israel anymore but is going to go worldwide.


In Jn4;
19 The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.

20 Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.

21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.

22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.

23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.


A change is going to be enacted

In John 6 Jesus elaborates on His Mission....how does he do that?

14 Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.

31 Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.

32 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.

33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.

34 Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.

35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

Jesus identifies Himself as the true manna....
58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.

59 These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.

 

1 Corinthians 10
10 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;

2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;

3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat;

4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.

7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.

8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.

9 Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.

10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.

11 Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

What does the term....ALL WERE BAPTIZED UNTO MOSES mean?

 

The baptism mentioned in 1cor10 speaks of the people being IDENTIFIED WITH MOSES....they were led to safetynot only in the departure, or Exodus...but also moving toward the promise land; from A.W.Pink gleanings in Exodus;

It is often said that the “wilderness had no place in the purpose of God for Israel. But this is certainly erroneous. It was God Himself who led the people round about “the way of the wilderness of the Red Sea.” It was God’s original intention that Israel should take exactly the route which they actually followed. Not only is this evident from the fact that the Pillar of Cloud led them each step of their journey to Canaan, but it was plainly intimated by the Lord to Moses before the exodus took place. At the very first appearing of Jehovah to His servant at Horeb ( Exodus 3:1 — see our note on this in Article 4), He declared, “When thou has brought forth the people out of Egypt ye shall serve God upon this mountain. ” God’s purpose in leading Israel to Canaan through the wilderness, instead of via the land of the Philistines, was manifested in the sequel. In the first place, it was in order that His marvelous power might be signally displayed on their behalf in bringing them safely through the Red Sea. In the second place, it was in order that Pharaoh and his hosts might there be destroyed. In the third place, it was in order that they might receive Jehovah’s laws in the undisturbed solitude of the desert. In the fourth place, it was in order that they might be properly organized into a Commonwealth and Church-state ( Acts 7:53) prior to their entrance into and occupation of the land of Canaan. Finally, it was in order that they might be humbled, tried, and proved ( Deuteronomy 8:2,3), and the sufficiency of their God in every emergency might be fully demonstrated. “And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, on the edge of the wilderness. And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night” ( 13:20, 21).

Very precious is this. Just as Jehovah — the covenant God, the promising God, the One who heard the groanings of Israel, the One who raised up a deliverer for them — reminds us of God the Father , just as the Lamb — without spot and blemish, slain and its blood sprinkled, securing protection and deliverance from the avenging angel — typifies God the Son ; so this Pillar of Cloud — given to Israel for their guidance across the wilderness — speaks to us of God the Holy Spirit. Amazingly full, Divinely perfect, are these O.T. foreshadowings. At every point the teaching of the N.T. is anticipated. But the anointed eye is needed to perceive the hidden meaning of these primitive pictures. Much prayerful searching is necessary if we are to discern their spiritual signification.

This “pillar” was the visible sign of the Lord’s presence with Israel. It is called “a pillar of cloud” and “a pillar of fire.” Apparently its upper portion rose up to heaven in the form of a column; its lower being spread out cloudwise, over Israel’s camp. Note how in Exodus 14:24 the two descriptive terms are combined, showing that the “pillar” did not change its form, as a “cloud” by day and a “fire” by night as is popularly supposed; but, as stated above, it was one — a “pillar of fire” in its upper portion, a “cloud” below.” It is clear, though, from subsequent scriptures ( Numbers 14:14, etc.), that the whole “cloud” was illuminative by night-time “to give them light in the way wherein they should go” ( Nehemiah 9:12). Let us now consider some of the points in which the Cloud typified the Holy Spirit. 1. The “Cloud” was not given to Israel until they had been delivered from Egypt. First, the slaying of the Pascal Lamb, then the giving of the Cloud.

 

his is the order of the N.T. First, the death of God’s Lamb, followed by His resurrection and ascension, and then the public descent of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. So, also, is it in Christian experience. There is first the sinner appropriating by faith the death of Christ, and then the coming of the Holy Spirit to indwell that soul. It is on the ground of Christ’s shed blood — not because of any moral fitness in us — that the Spirit of God seals us unto the day of redemption. Strikingly is this order observed in the epistle to the Romans — the great doctrinal treatise of the N.T. There, as nowhere else so fully, is unfolded God’s method of salvation. But it is not until after the believing sinner is “justified” ( <020501> 5:1) that we read of the Spirit of God. In 2:4-10 we get repentance; in 3:22-28, faith; and then in 5:5 we read, “the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given unto us! ” 2. The ‘Cloud” was God’s gracious gift to Israel. No word is said about the people asking for this Guide. It came to them quite unsought, as a tender provision of God’s mercy. Do we not find the same thing in the Gospels? At the close of His mission the Lord Jesus told the disciples of His departure, of His return to the Father. And though we read of them being troubled and sorrowful, yet there is no hint that any of the apostles requestedHim to send them another Comforter. The purpose to do this proceeded alone from Himself — “I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter” ( John 4:16). 3. The Cloud was given to guide Israel through their wilderness journey.

What a merciful provision was this — an infallible Guide to conduct them through the tract-less desert! “The Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them the way” ( Exodus 13:21).

In like manner, the Holy Spirit has been given to Christians to direct their steps along the Narrow Way which leadeth unto life. “As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God” ( Romans 8:14). 4. The Cloud gave light. “And by night in a pillar of fire to give them light ” ( Exodus 13:21). Beautifully does Nehemiah remind their descendants of this hundreds of years later: “Thou leadest them in the day by a cloudy pillar and in the night by a pillar of fire, to give them light in the way wherein they should go” ( Nehemiah 9:12).

By day or by night Israel was “thoroughly furnished.” For a similar purpose is the Holy Spirit given to Christians. He is “the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord” ( Isaiah 11:2).

Said the Lord to His apostles, “When He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all the truth” ( John 16:13). 5. The Cloud was given for a covering: “He spread a cloud for a covering” ( <19A539> Psalm 105:39). This Cloud was for Israel’s protection from the scorching heat of the sun in the sandy desert where there was no screen.

 

Moses is plainly a type of Christ, the “rod” a symbol of His power and authority. The Red Sea completely destroyed the power of Pharaoh (Satan) over God’s people. Hebrews 2:14 gives us the antitype — ”That through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the Devil.” The effect of Moses lifting up his rod and stretching forth his hand is blessed to behold — “And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dryground; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left” (v. 22).

Not only had that which symbolized death no power over Israel, but it was now a defense to them! This very sea, which at first they so much feared, became the means of their deliverance from the Egyptians; and instead of proving their enemy became their friend. So if death overtakes the believer before the Lord’s return it only serves to bring him into the presence of Christ — “Whether Paul or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death , or things present, or things to come; all are yours ” ( 1 Corinthians 3:22).

But deeply solemn is the other side of the picture: “By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do , were drowned ,” for the natural man to meet death in the power of humanconfidence is certain destruction. “Evangelically the crossing of the Red Sea tells of the completeness of our salvation. It is the sequel to the Passover-night, and both are needed to give us a full view of what Christ has wrought for us. In Hebrews 9:27 we read, “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” For the believer this order is reversed, as it was with his Substitute. It was during the three awful hours of darkness, while He hung on the cross, that the Lord Jesus endured the “judgment” of God against our sins. Having passed through the fires of God’s wrath, He then “yielded up the spirit.” So in our type. On the Passover-night, we see Israel sheltered by blood from the judgment of God — the avenging angel; here at the Red Sea, we behold them brought safely through the place of death.

The order is reversed for the unbeliever. “After death the judgment” for him. “Doctrinally the passage through the Red Sea sets forth the believer’s union with Christ in His death and resurrection. “I am crucified with Christ ” ( Galatians 2:20), refers to our judicial identification with our Substitute, not to experience. That Israel passed through the Red Sea, and emerged safely on the far side, tells of resurrection. So we read in Romans 6:5, “If we have been planted together in the likeness of His death, we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection.”

And again, “When we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, and raised us up together” ( Ephesians 2:5,6). Practically the deliverance of Israel from the Red Sea illustrates the absolute sufficiency of our God. The believer to-day may be hemmed in on every side. A Red Sea of trial and trouble may confront him. But let him remember that Israel’s God is his God. When His time comes, it will be an easy matter for Him to cleave a way through for you. Take comfort from His promise: “When thou passeth through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee” ( Isaiah 43:2).

 

The order is reversed for the unbeliever. “After death the judgment” for him.

“Doctrinally the passage through the Red Sea sets forth the believer’s union with Christ in His death and resurrection. “I am crucified with Christ ” ( Galatians 2:20), refers to our judicial identification with our Substitute, not to experience.



That Israel passed through the Red Sea, and emerged safely on the far side, tells of resurrection. So we read in Romans 6:5, “If we have been planted together in the likeness of His death, we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection.”

 

Jesus is the True Israel......

49 Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The Lordhath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name.

2 And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me;

3 And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.

4 Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the Lord, and my work with my God.

5 And now, saith the Lord that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord, and my God shall be my strength.

6 And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.

7 Thus saith the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the Lord that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee.

8 Thus saith the Lord, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages;

9 That thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Shew yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places.

10 They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them.

11 And I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted.

12 Behold, these shall come from far: and, lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim.

13 Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the Lord hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted.

14 But Zion said, The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me.

15 Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.

16 Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.


In the first Exodus...Moses is directed to inform Pharoah ;

22 And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:

23 And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn.

Israel was the Covenant Son...they vowed to serve God as a holy nation....they failed Ex19
3 And Moses went up unto God, and the Lord called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel;

4 Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself.

5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:

6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.

7 And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the Lord commanded him.

8 And all the people answered together, and said, All that the Lord hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the Lord.
THEY FAILED TO PRODUCE FRUIT...MT21:43

In the new Exodus...those In Jesus the True Israel do not fail to be the Holy nation...1pet2

4 To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,

5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.

7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,

8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.

9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;

10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

Jesus the True Covenant Son does not fail. He is the head, we are the body.
we were not in bondage to Egypt, rather in bondage to sin and Satan...Jesus leads us out in the real Exodus to the heavenly promised land.

Hebrews11
24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;

25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;

26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.

27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

28 Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.

29 By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.

39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:

40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

 

Hello RT,
Hebrews 3,4 indicate he was faithful in His house, but Christ over His own house.
Neither he nor Joshua could supply what only Jesus can.
All types are incomplete for the most part but point to the person and work of Jesus.
Because the children were flesh and blood Jesus took part of the same....He led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men..psa69/eph4....as part of the new exodus....when He died we died, when He rises we rise In Him...in saving Union with Him.
The redemption of the elect and this saving union are central to all redemptive history.

 

Notice in Rev15:3........those saints who have gotten victory over the beast,his image,the mark,the number of His name....standing on the sea of glass singing the song of Moses,the servant of God....and the song of the Lamb....
The language again given in victorious Exodus imagery.
AW.Pink;

Far different were the sentiments of Israel here than those which govern most our moderns. When they magnified Jehovah as a Man of War their meaning is clearly expressed in the next words of their song: “Pharaoh’s chariots and his hosts hath He cast into the sea; his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red Sea. The depths have covered them; they sank into the bottom as a stone.” They did not regard this Divine judgment as a reflection upon God’s character; instead, they saw in it a display of His perfections. “He hath triumphed gloriously .”

Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power... in the greatness of Thine excellency Thou hadst overthrown them (vv. 6. 7) was their confession. The “modernists” have not hesitated to criticize Israel severely, yea, to condemn them in unmeasured terms, for their “vindictive glee.”

Such a conception of the Lord as Israel here expressed was worthy, we are told, of none but the most ferocious of the Barbarians. But that Israel were not here flits-representing God, that they were not giving utterance to their own carnal feelings, is abundantly clear from Revelation 15:3, where we read of saints in Heaven singing “The Song of Moses the servant of God, and the Song of the Lamb.” Certainly there will be no manifestations of the flesh in Heaven!

Strikingly does the Song of Exodus 15 set forth the perfect ease with which the Almighty overthrew His enemies: “The Enemy said, I will pursue you, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them. Thou didst blow with Thy wind, the sea covered them; they sank as lead in the mighty waters” (vv. 9, 10).

The Lord had promised to bring His redeemed into Canaan, the haughty Egyptians thought to resist the purpose of the Most High. With loud boastings of what they would do, they followed Israel into the parted waves of the RedSea. With one breath of His mouth the Lord overthrew the marshaled forces of the enemy, in their mightiest array, as nothing more than a cob-web which stood in the pathway of the onward march of His eternal counsels.

Well might Israel cry, “Who is like unto Thee, O Lord, among the gods? who is like Thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?” (v. 11).

And well may we ask to-day, “Who is like Thee, O God of the Holy Scriptures, among the ‘gods’ of Christendom?” How entirely different is the Lord — omnipotent, immutable, sovereign, triumphant — from the feeble, changeable, disappointed and defeated “god” which is the object of “worship” in thousands of the churches! How few today glory in God’s “holiness!” How few praise Him for His “fearfulness!” How few are acquainted with His “wonders!” “Thou in Thy mercy hast led forth the people which Thou hast redeemed. Thou hast guided them in Thy strength unto Thy holy habitation” (v. 13).

 

Notes from Pastor Chris Culver:

John was appointed by the Lord to prepare Israel for the coming of the long-awaited kingdom. And at the heart of that kingdom was the profound reality of theophany: The uniform prophetic message was that Yahweh Himself would inaugurate His kingdom in connection with His own personal presence in the world. The promise of the kingdom was the promise of Immanuel – “God with us” – and this theme is most prevalent in Isaiah’s prophecy (cf. 7:1-12:6, 19:18-25, 25:1-27:13, 32:1-20, 40:1-11, 42:1-9, 49:1-13, 59:1-20, etc.).

In particular, Isaiah associated the eschatological coming of Yahweh with the coming of His Servant. Importantly, this Servant is presented in unique terms as both the fulfillment of Israel (Isaiah 49:1ff) and the presence of Yahweh (cf. Isaiah 40:1-11 with 42:1-16; also Zechariah 2:10-11).

In this way the text indirectly indicates that, in this one individual, there is some sort of conjoining of the covenant Father and son; both parties to the covenant are represented in him. While Christians commonly recognize that the Isaianic “Servant of the Lord” represents Yahweh Himself in His coming to inaugurate His kingdom, it is far less common for them to find in this individual the fulfillment of Israel, Yahweh’s covenant son. The result is that they miss a crucial aspect of Christ’s identity and role as the God-Man.
But another stream of Old Testament messianism also converged with the promise to David of a royal “Branch”: The coming Davidic ruler was to be a king-priest – a priest according to the order of Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of the Most High God (cf. Psalm 110 with Zechariah 6:9-15; cf. also Genesis 14:18 with Hebrews 5-7).

The first expression of that kingdom was realized in the theocratic nation of Israel. Israel was the promised seed of Abraham and Canaan was Yahweh’s sanctuary where the nation would enjoy the blessing of communion with the God of their patriarchal fathers. But what was only implied in Eden was now overt: The theocratic kingdom had its source in a great redemptive act. Israel was born out of divine redemption and this reality was the foundational premise of the covenant and identity marker of the covenant people (Exodus 15:1-18, 20:1-2).

It is in relation to the concept of a redemptive kingdom that the doctrine of the Day of the Lord emerged in the prophets. Yahweh would indeed come and establish His kingdom through a great redemptive act, but, consistent with the meaning of redemption, that act would involve judgment and deliverance. The Lord was going to usher in His kingdom by defeating the enemies who had taken His sons captive, thereby liberating them and taking them to Himself to be with Him in His dwelling place. The first Exodus was to find its own fulfillment in a second Exodus (Isaiah 51:1-11; cf. 11:1-16).

 

here is a bit more;
The fact that the Servant represents both parties to Israel’s covenant is foundational to properly interacting with Isaiah’s presentation of Him. First of all, the Servant is Yahweh’s true Israel, and the significance of this becomes evident when the biblical idea of “Israel” is unfolded.

- The immediate inclination is to think of Israel as a national, ethnic people, but it is first and foremost a biblical concept. Israel found its first expression in a single individual, and only later in the corporate body descended from him. As a concept, “Israel” principally embodies the ideas of seed of Abraham, son of God, servant of Yahweh, disciple and witness. The latter three, especially, come to the forefront in Isaiah’s prophecy.

The nation of Israel was God’s son in that it had been “begotten” by redemptive “birth” in keeping with the Lord’s covenant with Abraham. Yahweh had promised to be the God of Abraham and his descendents, and He upheld that promise by delivering Israel from exile and bondage and bringing them to be with Him in His sanctuary-land.

But, being the recipients of the Abrahamic Covenant and its promises, Israel was to fulfill the core feature of the covenant that, in Abraham and his seed, all the families of the earth would be blessed.
That blessing consisted in the nations coming to know and worship Abraham’s God. From the vantage point of the Fall, it meant the undoing of the curse; it meant the reconciliation of Creator-Father and estranged image-son. In its calling as Abraham’s seed, the nation of Israel was to fulfill this promise of reconciliation.

Israel was Yahweh’s servant (Isaiah 41:8-9, 44:1-2, 21), set apart as His disciple to learn of Him through devoted faithfulness to the covenant by which He revealed Himself (42:18-24). By that life of faithfulness, in turn, the servant-son would bear witness to the divine Father to the surrounding nations (Isaiah 43:10-15, 44:6-8).

Israel was son, servant, disciple and witness, but the nation failed to fulfill its identity in every way. Israel could not be Israel, and its failure brought the Abrahamic promise (and the Edenic oath behind it) into jeopardy. If God were to fulfill His oath of restoration and reconciliation, a new Israel was needed, as this is precisely what Isaiah promised (49:1ff).

Accordingly, Isaiah presented the Servant-Israel as the point of divinehuman reconciliation effected through priestly mediation (Isaiah 53). The true Servant would not only fulfill Israel’s identity and role by His own covenant fidelity, He would fulfill the covenant prescription of vicarious righteousness. Just as prescribed sacrifices preserved the covenant union between Yahweh and Israel, so the Servant, by the sacrifice of Himself, would secure the union between Creator-Father and man, the image-son.

From the beginning God indicated that His kingdom was to be a redemptive kingdom; Yahweh, the great King, would establish it through a spectacular work of judgment, deliverance, and restoration. And as had been the case with its Israelite predecessor, sacrifice was to provide the redemptive foundation for the final kingdom. Though only indirectly implied, the future second Exodus predicted by Isaiah (ref. again 51:9-11) would also stand upon a second Passover as the instrument of redemption.

8 For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool: but my righteousness shall be for ever, and my salvation from generation to generation.

9 Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord; awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of old. Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon?

10 Art thou not it which hath dried the sea, the waters of the great deep; that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over?

11 Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.

At the same time, the Servant’s unique nature introduced a whole new dimension into the redemptive circumstance. This one would fulfill in Himself the twin roles of priest and sacrifice, but He would do so as Yahweh the Redeemer as well as the new Israel.

Satisfying the obligations of both parties, the Servant effectively embodied the covenant in Himself (42:1-7, 49:8-9). He would be Israel on behalf of Israel, but as the Lord Redeemer He would accomplish Yahweh’s purpose to redeem and recover to Himself all things (cf. Isaiah 49:5-6, 54:1-17; also Ephesians 1:7-10, 2:11-3:12; Colossians 1:19-20).