I find it fascinating how God does things so perfectly. What do I mean? He continues to use these patterns over and over to teach us His truths. I love the story of the Israelites. God, working through Moses, led His people out of Egypt and into the Promised Land. First, He saved their firstborn from certain death by having each family kill a Passover Lamb and spread it’s blood over their doorposts and lintels.
The angel of death “passed over” each house covered by the blood, thereby sparing the Israelites from the final plague “death of the firstborn”. After this amazing miracle of Grace, God had the Israelites plunder the Egyptians during the day and make their Exodus out of Egypt under the cover of night.
When the Israelites reached the Red Sea, they were being chased by Pharoah and his powerful Egyptian army. Trapped with the Red Sea in front of them and the army behind them, the Israelites cried out to the Lord. The Lord then used Moses to part the sea, making a way for the Israelites to cross over on dry land. The Egyptian army, who CHASED the Israelites across the “dry land” intending on slaughtering them, were drowned in the Red Sea which did not remain parted for them.
The Israelites entered the barren wilderness, and it is here where they met God.
Not long after the Israelites entered the Wilderness, they arrived at Mt. Sinai where they received the Ten Commandments and God’s blueprint for the Tabernacle. The Tabernacle was God’s prescribed way for Him to dwell with sinful mankind. In the desert, the Israelites faced hardships such as starvation, thirst, hypothermia and terrible enemies, but God fed them with manna from Heaven and brought water from the Rock for them to drink,. God sheltered them from the hot desert sun with the pillar of cloud and warmed them at night with the pillar of fire. In the desert, God protected Israel from her enemies. In the desert, Israel learned to rely on God. God’s intention all along was to bring the Israelites into the Promised Land, but this was delayed by 40 years because of Israel’s sin. Israel did not trust God, even after they had seen all of God’s Miracles.
After the 40 year period was complete, we see almost a mirror image of the Exodus as Israel enters the Promised Land. This symmetry is so God, it’s so perfect. Just look at a leaf or a flower and what do you see? Perfect symmetry on each side.
Let’s take a look at how Israel entered the Promised Land. Finally, after 40 years of wandering in the desert because of their disobedience and unbelief, God prepared to bring the Israelites into the Promised Land. At this time, Moses, who had grown weary of the people’s constant complaining and murmuring, disobeyed God in front of the people and was therefore not allowed to enter the Land. Although this seems harsh, all of this happened for a purpose. Moses was permitted to view the Promised Land from the top of Mt. Nebo, where he died at the ripe old age of 120. Joshua, Moses’ apprentice of sorts, was the one selected to bring the people into the land.
Joshua secretly sent in two spies to check out the Promised Land and the powerful city of Jericho. Jericho was a major Canaanite city. The King of Jericho discovered that Israel had sent in two spies and ordered his guards to find them. A Canaanite prostitute named Rahab hid the two Israelite spies on the rooftop of her building. She then helped the spies to escape. Rahab had heard about the Israelites and she was afraid of them. Rahab understood that the God of Israel (YHWH), a very powerful God (really THE ONLY GOD) was about to give the city into the hands of the Israelites. Rahab understood that every Canaanite in Jericho would be killed when the Israelites conquered the city…and she was afraid. Rahab then asked the spies to remember her kindness and spare her family when they came into Jericho. What did the spies tell her? They told Rahab to bring every member of her household into her home and hang a red scarf out of her window so that the Israelites would know to “pass over” her home as they invaded the city. Sound familiar? ….Yes, a pattern!
In the same manner that the Israelites entered the wilderness, they left the wilderness. After mourning for Moses at the foot of the Mountain (Mt. Nebo), where he had died, the Israelites prepared to enter the Promised Land. In order to enter the land, they had to cross the Jordan River. This was the rainy season and the Jordan was flooded. The plan was for the Priests to carry the Ark of the Covenant over first, then the Israelites would follow. The Ark of the Covenant was the “box” that carried the ten commandments, the very Words of the Lord. The Israelites had received these commandments when they entered the Wilderness, at Mt. Sinai. When the Priests placed their toes into the water, the water parted and stood up on each side so the Israelites could cross over on Dry land.
This is the exact same pattern as when the Israelites entered the Wilderness. Once they were all safely across the Jordan, the river returned to its banks. The Israelites then were then circumcised, and shared the Passover meal. The Israelites entered the Promised Land during the same “season” that they had entered the wilderness some 40 years earlier… the Spring, the 14th/15th of Nisan (1st month on the Hebrew Agricultural Calendar).
Let’s summarize the repeating patterns..
Into the Wilderness………………………………………………..Into the Promised Land
- Passover/Blood of the Lamb……………………………..”Passover”/Rahab’s Scarf
- Moses ……………………………………………………………………Joshua
- Parts the Red Sea…………………………………………………Parts the Jordan River
- Mt. Sinai – Moses meets God…………………………….Mt. Nebo – Moses dies and meets God
- Shares the Passover Lamb meal………………………..Shares the Passover meal
- Crosses in the spring (Nisan)……………………………..Crosses in the Spring (Nisan)
- Circumcision suspended…………………………………….Circumcision reinstated
- Receives the 10 Commandments/Ark …………….Carries the 10 Commandments/Ark
- God brings down Pharoah…………………………………God brings down the walls of Jericho
This pattern continues.. Exit the world (sin/Egypt) through the blood of the Lamb (Passover/Rahab’s scarf). Joshua (YAHshua/Jesus) brings the Israel of God (Jew and Gentile Church) into the Promised Land (Canaan/Kingdom of God).
Deuteronomy 18:15 “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me [Moses] from among you (Israel), from your countrymen (brothers, brethren). You shall listen to him.
In the wilderness (aka life on Planet earth), God leads, guides, directs, protects, provides for us via His Holy Spirit (like the Pillar of cloud/Pillar of fire). In the wilderness/desert we meet God. We learn to rely on God in the wilderness.
Church/Israel (grafted in)….
- Passover/Blood of Jesus (the Lamb) over our hearts, saved from the forever death
- Yeshua, Jesus, brings us into the Promised Land
- Parts the Sky and takes His Bride into the Promised Land (Rapture/Heaven)
- Mountain of God…meet Jesus in the air and be with the Lord
- Passover meal/Last Supper
- Spring/Resurrection/New Life (roll back the stone of reproach)
- Circumcision of the heart (cut away the “fleshy human nature” and leave what is spiritual)
- God’s commandments, Word, written on our hearts
- God brings down the walls of sin
