THE CHURCH IN THE TABERNACLE ~ CHAPTER THREE

THE PASSOVER AND THE RED SEA

Exo 25:8 And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.
Exo 25:9 According to all that I show thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.

From the time the tabernacle was erected until they crossed the Jordan into Canaan, the life of every Israelite was to revolve around it. The journey was to resume when the cloud lifted from it. The nation was to rest when the cloud stopped and the tabernacle pitched. Every family in the congregation was to raise its tent in a certain, appointed place in relation to the tabernacle. All worship of God was to be through the Tabernacle and its ministry. If one sinned, the prescribed offering for that sin must be brought to the tabernacle. What a glorious lesson for us who have access to the present day house of God, the Lord's church!

Our entire life and that of our households should revolve around it. Many wasted lives could have had happy purpose, had they only been planned around the house of God. Many parents, of children who are out of service, weep as they recall how they got away from the Lord and his accepted service during the formative years of their children. Sometimes career, personal ambition or even pleasure takes the place of God's house and his service in the life of the child of God and later he wonders, "Why the emptiness?"

Who are these who have embarked on such a Holy undertaking? They are the descendants of Noah through his son, Shem, thence are among those known as Semites. They are in the lineage of Abraham through Isaac and thus are of the children of promise. They are the children of Jacob whose name was changed to Israel by God
[Gen 32:28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.] Therefore they are known as Israelites. They are the ones whose fathers had promised Joseph they would bring his bones with them when they departed the land of Egypt.
Gen 50:26 So Joseph died, being an hundred and ten years old: and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.] It is to them that the land of Canaan had been promised. [Gen 50:25 And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence.
Gen 12:2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
Gen 12:3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
Gen 12:4 So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.
Gen 12:5 And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came. Gen 12:6 And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sichem, unto the plain of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land.
Gen 12:7 And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.
Gen 13:14 And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward:
Gen 13:15 For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.
Gen 13:16 And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.
Gen 13:17 Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee.
Gen 15:18 In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:
Gen 26:4 And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;
Gen 26:5 Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.

They are the nation in which God had chosen to place his name. They are the ones who had been delivered from their former state of slavery by the blood of the Passover sacrifice and led out of bondage by the cloud.
These things and everything which follows is of great significance to us. [Rom 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.]

During the personal ministry of Christ, some of their descendants seemingly searched for their roots as they averred, "John 8:33 They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?" It is indeed strange that those who so religiously observed the Passover with great pomp and ceremony each year would deny the very reason the first Passover was offered!

Yet it is no stranger than those of today who insist upon observing Good Friday the supposed day of the crucifixion, or Easter for the resurrection and at the same time deny their own bondage to sin and the need for their own deliverance. It was to those who so answered Jesus that the answer came, John 8:34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin." His answer is valid today for those who refuse to admit their own sinfulness and thus their bondage to sin.

When the bondage for Israel became unbearable, they cried out to God and he heard their cries. He had the leader waiting, and the time was ripe. One of the truly great events in the history of man was about to unfold. God had said to Abram many years before, Gen 15:13"And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;
Gen 15:14 And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance."
As types of us, this reminds us that we too were sold into the bondage of sin, yet a deliverer was promised who would bruise the head of that old serpent, the devil. Gen 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

This redeemer was promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. When all was ready, Christ, who stood as a lamb, slain from the foundation of the world Rev 13:8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world came forth. Gal 4:4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
Gal 4:5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

Though all the plagues upon Egypt are worthy of study, we will now concentrate our efforts upon that last and worst of all, the death of the firstborn.

The death angel was to pass over the land. All who are not protected by Gods own provision will feel the tragic results. The first-born of every family and every animal will die. In the previous plagues, it was Moses and Aaron who, by the power of God, limited their extent, so that the Land of Goshen, where Israel dwelt, did not feel the results.

Now comes the most awful pestilence of all and there is no geographical protection. The death angel is to pass over ALL the land and the escape from its effects is left to the head of each family. A decision must be made; apply the blood or allow the firstborn to die!.

Since we are told in I Cor.5:7,"For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us" there can be no doubt as to the lesson God would have us to learn from this event. Here are some of the ways in which the Passover typified Christ:

1.It was to be a male of the first year. Exo 12:5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats.
Isaiah declared he was to be the Son of God; Isa 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
He then informs us that he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter; Isa. 53:7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
John the Baptist declared, concerning him, "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." John 1:29.

2. As the lamb was to die in its first year or before it reached its full maturity, even so was Christ to die without living out the normal life span. Isa 53:8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

3.It was to be without blemish. "Exo 12:5 Your lamb shall be without blemish,"
Even so, Jesus was without sin. Heb 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

From the temptation in the wilderness and all through his life, he was faced with one situation after another. Any of these might well have caused most of us to throw up our hands and quit or use any power at our disposal to give vent to the natural inclinations of the human nature. But Jesus so conducted himself, that no fault could be found in him, even by his enemies. He was truly as Peter described him; 1 Pet 1:19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

4.The lamb was specified as one to be taken out of the flock. Ex,12:5
It was essential that Christ should take upon himself the likeness of sinful flesh in order that he might condemn sin in the flesh.[Rom.8:3 God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:]

Man had sinned against God. He had been condemned because of that sin; [Ezek 18:4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.] It is impossible that the blood of animals could take away sin; [Heb 10:4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.] It would have been impossible for a spirit or angelic being to do the job since it required a blood offering. [Heb 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

Man could not pay for his own sin and yet live, since death was the only acceptable penalty nor could any man redeem his brother;[ Psa 49:7 None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him:
Psa 49:8 (For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:)
Psa 49:9 That he should still live for ever, and not see corruption.]

There was only one answer to the dilemma; The Son of God must come in the flesh, do nothing worthy of death, and yet die for man. He must become one of the flock. That he did precisely, as is recorded in Heb 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
Heb 2:15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
Heb 2:16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.
Heb 2:17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
Heb 2:18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

5.The Passover lamb was not to be chosen on the spur of the moment, but was selected beforehand and set aside for the purpose. Exo 12:3 Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house:
Exo 12:4 And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb.
Exo 12:5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:
Exo 12:6 And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.

Even so, our Passover lamb, Jesus Christ, was not an afterthought with the Father but was planned ahead.
1 Pet 1:18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
1 Pet 1:19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
1 Pet 1:20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,

6.The lamb was to be separated from the flock, shut up and examined. Exo 12:6 And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.
After Jesus had been taken from his flock in the Garden of Gethsemane, scourged, mocked and thoroughly examined, Pilate was forced to admit, "And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all." John 18:38.

Indeed, the perfection of Christ in his earthly life is all the more apparent because his lack of blemish is attested to, not by his friends, but by those who would dearly have loved to have found some fault in him

During his teaching ministry, they questioned him, thinking to find fault through his answers; "Shall we pay tribute to Caesar?" His answer was, "Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesars, and unto God the things that are God's". To have answered, "yes" would have left him open to a charge of breaking the Law of Moses and a "no" would have allowed them to accuse him before the Roman authorities of inciting insurrection against Caesar. They went away disappointed that their efforts at entrapment had failed.

The same thing happened when they brought to him the woman they claimed to have caught in the act of adultery. To have ordered her stoned would have again placed him in the position of circumventing the laws of Rome, and to say "turn her free' would have placed him in opposition to the Law of Moses. His answer thwarted their devious desires; [John 8:6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
John 8:7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
John 8:8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
John 8:9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.] All they succeeded in doing was to be convicted of their own faults. There is no doubt that our Passover Lamb was found to be without blemish after the most thorough examination.

7.The Blood of the lamb was to be shed and applied. [Exo 12:7 And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.] Note:: only a few of the New Testament references to the blood of Christ and its power when applied should serve to silence forever those who would claim that salvation is by works instead of by the shed blood of Christ.
"Mat 26:27 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;
Mat 26:28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." Thus spoke Christ as he prepared his church for the next day’s events. We are still reminded of that precious blood, every time we follow his instructions in observing this ordinance in a scriptural manner.

Concerning the blood of the Passover in Egypt, we read, Exo 12:13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.

It is no coincidence that John, as he prepares to pen down the visions of the plagues to come upon the earth in the last days, praises our Passover with the words," Rev 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood."
Nor is it by chance that he is praised in the heavens as the Lamb.
Rev 5:6 And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
Rev 5:7 And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.
Rev 5:8 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.
Rev 5:9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
Rev 5:10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
Rev 5:11 And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;
Rev 5:12 Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.
Rev 5:13 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.
Rev 5:14 And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.

8. One of the more amazing details concerning the type and its fulfillment in Christ is this.
Exo 12:46 In one house shall it be eaten; thou shalt not carry forth ought of the flesh abroad out of the house; neither shall ye break a bone thereof.

Consider this carefully. While there may have been some spiritual significance in the bones not being broken, let us look for now, only to the fact itself.

David made a prophecy of the same thing; Psa 34:20 He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.
The same admonition to break no bone of the offering was repeated as the people prepared to observe the event as a memorial in the wilderness. Num 9:12 They shall leave none of it unto the morning, nor break any bone of it: according to all the ordinances of the Passover they shall keep it.

Now turn to Calvary! Christ, our Passover hangs on the cross. His blood has been shed for our sins. The method of death is ancient. The Egyptians, the Persians and the Assyrians as well as others had practiced it. Had the crucifixion of Christ taken place under the reign of one of these, there might have been nothing remarkable about his bones not being broken. The usual method of death was long, and torturous. The victim was allowed to die a death, which might well take two or three days, and afterward, the body be allowed to hang on the cross for the vultures to consume.

The Romans, however, in order to pacify the Jews, made concessions to their religious laws. Because of the prohibition found in, Deu 21:22 " And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree:
Deu 21:23 His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance." It is clear that the body must be removed and buried the same day. Therefore, the Romans had revised the method to hasten death by breaking the legs of the crucified so that he couldn't raise himself on the nails in his feet and gasp for breath and so keep living until perhaps gangrene or some other trauma brought death. Because of this acquiescence on the part of the Romans, our Passover was in jeopardy!

If he is allowed to remain on the cross, the Law of Moses will be broken. If his legs are broken he cannot qualify as our Passover!. It is at this point that we read with joy Johns' account of the event.
John 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
John 19:31 The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.
John 19:32 Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him.
John 19:33 But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs:
John 19:34 But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.
John 19:35 And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe.
John 19:36 For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.

9. The Passover was to be roasted with fire. Exo 12:8 And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.
Exo 12:9 Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof.

We established earlier that fire is a type of the judgment of God in either acceptance or after trial, rejection or punishment. Each of these applies to our Passover in some measure.

In punishment, he was sure punished for our sins.
Psa 22:14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.
Psa 22:15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.
Psa 22:16 For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.
Psa 22:17 I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.
Isa 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
1 Pet 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

Is not rejection also to be found as he dies with our sins upon him? Surely no more poignant words ever fell from human lips than those our Lord spoke from the cross. Of these, the most heart wrenching of all, were those he spoke at about the ninth hour, "Mat 27:46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

As the bearer of our sins, the fire of God's rejection fell on his son and the father turned away from him.
Yet acceptance too is found. Isa 53:11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

10.A sense of urgency is imparted in the instructions as to the eating of the Passover in Egypt. Exo 12:11 And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD'S Passover.

This same sense of urgency is communicated to us in the New Testament concerning Christ. As to the urgency of Salvation; 2 Cor 6:2 For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

As to the same need to be busy in service, Jesus instructed his disciples, "John 4:35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then comet harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest." Just as they were to partake of their Passover with their staffs in their hands and their shoes on their feet, even so must we be ready to move out with our feet shod with the 'preparation of the Gospel of peace'.

The hearts of Pharaoh and his people were broken. Never before in the history of man, had slaves been freed in this manner. There were six hundred thousand men of Israel, besides the women and children. They took with them their cattle and flocks. God had placed it in the heart of the Egyptian people to give them wages for their years of labor and they left with a great deal of the wealth of Egypt. As they set out on their journey, not even a dog barked in protest to their leaving! God was keeping his promise to bring them forth with great substance. Gen 15:14 And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.

THE JOURNEY BEGINS

As they come forth from their dwellings in the land of Goshen on the morning after the death angel has passed over the land, a new phenomenon greets their eyes. It is the cloud, which will guide them for the next forty years. Exo 13:21 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:
Exo 13:22 He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.

What a wonderful depiction of the work of the Holy Spirit in our behalf! He still leads those who are protected by the blood of the Lamb; Rom 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

When Jesus prepared to leave his church he promised to send them the comforter, and one of his jobs would be to lead them into all truth. John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come.

After one has had the blood applied, he must have some direction in his life. How is he to determine it? Some say he receives no instruction or leadership until after baptism. If this were true, then how is he led TO baptism? Those leaving Egypt could only follow the cloud if they followed it each step of the way.

If they had refused to follow and had returned into Egypt or had taken another path than that chosen by the Lord, they would have forfeited the leadership he had provided. After men are saved today, they will be led to the waters of scriptural baptism and into service to the Lord if they are willing to follow. If not, they too must forfeit his leadership. At the very outset of the journey they came to the Red Sea. 1 Cor 10:2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea.

The Holy Spirit still follows the divine plan. First the Passover blood was applied and then came the experience of the Red Sea or baptism. The type clearly points out the New Testament truth that one must be saved before baptism. The cloud pictured the leadership of the Holy Spirit. Rom 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Since the Holy Spirit does not lead lost people to perform righteous deeds, he cannot lead lost men to be baptized any more than he could have led those to the Red Sea who had not applied the blood of the Passover lamb.

It doesn't take a great deal of imagination to picture the events in Egypt on that first morning after the Passover. If the cloud had not been present, the freed slaves would have not known which way to go. It could easily have been complete confusion until the army of Pharaoh had time to recover from the shock of the deaths of all the firstborn and round up the milling slaves before they had a chance to leave. Surely they would have put them back to work at increasingly grievous tasks. But the cloud was there, even as the Holy Spirit stands ready today to lead all those who have been delivered from the bondage of sin by the blood of the Lamb.

The cloud did not lead them on the most direct route toward the Promised Land! Sometimes he seems to be leading us contrary to the way we think we should go but we must remember that he knows what we don't.

The journey out of Egypt is described in Exodus chapter 13. It shows that after a short trip in the right direction, they turn sharply to the south and away from the Promised Land!

Though God knew His ability to give victory to the people, he also knew their weaknesses and so took them into the wilderness that they might have time to prepare for the battles ahead. Exo 13:17 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt:
Exo 13:18 But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red Sea: and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt.

At the beginning of our Christian lives we may have a lot of zeal, but we might not have the stamina or the fortitude to overcome the obstacles necessary to do our greatest work for the Lord. We too must wander in the wilderness until the proper lessons have been learned, and only then are we prepared to face our real life work with complete confidence in him who called us.

We have already stated that the Red Sea experience for Israel was a type of baptism for God's people today. It is also a fact that salvation must precede baptism. What then, of the words of Moses "Exo 14:13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will show to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever."

There is one thing of which we must be absolutely sure if the study of types are to benefit us at all; OLD TESTAMENT TYPES MUST ALWAYS BE CONSISTENT WITH NEW TESTAMENT TRUTHS. It follows then, that the salvation of which Moses speaks, must be something other that the eternal salvation of the soul. And so it does, and the account given in the 14th chapter of Exodus clearly says so. Keep in mind that the blood of the Passover lamb had provided their escape from the death angel, which was the judgment of God. However, until they crossed over the Nile River or the Red sea they were still in Pharaoh’s territory.

This is as the position of those who have accepted the divine offer of salvation in Christ, but have not committed their lives to him. They are children of promise still living in the land of carnal desire.

As the Red Sea was the point of their final departure from Egypt, so the waters of baptism are to be the putting behind of OUR old life and the beginning of a new walk.
Rom 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Rom 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
Rom 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
Rom 6:7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.
Rom 6:8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
Rom 6:9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
Rom 6:10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
Rom 6:11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Rom 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
Rom 6:13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
Rom 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

This fits precisely with the statement made in Exo 14:30 Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore.

Satan desires to keep every saved person out of the service of God and in subjection to him, if at all possible, that he might destroy their lives and influence.
Jesus said as much to Peter, "And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:" Luke 22:31.
While Baptism doesn't guarantee a Christian a life without temptation, it does mark the beginning of a new walk and should be the commencement of a journey of victory and commitment.

It was at this point that Israel sang their first victory song;
Exo 15:1 Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.
Exo 15:2 The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him.
Exo 15:3 The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name.
Exo 15:4 Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea.
Exo 15:5 The depths have covered them: they sank into the bottom as a stone.
Exo 15:6 Thy right hand, O LORD, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O LORD, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.
Exo 15:7 And in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose up against thee: thou sentest forth thy wrath, which consumed them as stubble.
Exo 15:8 And with the blast of thy nostrils the waters were gathered together, the floods stood upright as an heap, and the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea.
Exo 15:9 The enemy said, I will pursue, 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.
Exo 15:10 Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them: they sank as lead in the mighty waters.
Exo 15:11 Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?
Exo 15:12 Thou stretchedst out thy right hand, the earth swallowed them.
Exo 15:13 Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed: thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation.
Exo 15:14 The people shall hear, and be afraid: sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of Palestina.
Exo 15:15 Then the dukes of Edom shall be amazed; the mighty men of Moab, trembling shall take hold upon them; all the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away.
Exo 15:16 Fear and dread shall fall upon them; by the greatness of thine arm they shall be as still as a stone; till thy people pass over, O LORD, till the people pass over, which thou hast purchased.
Exo 15:17 Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance, in the place, O LORD, which thou hast made for thee to dwell in, in the Sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established.
Exo 15:18 The LORD shall reign for ever and ever.
Exo 15:19 For the horse of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and with his horsemen into the sea, and the LORD brought again the waters of the sea upon them; but the children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the sea.
Exo 15:20 And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.
Exo 15:21 And Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.

No, baptism does not bring about freedom from the sentence of death, only the blood of Christ can do that, but it can and should be the beginning of a life of great victory and separation. The Red Sea placed that final barrier between Israel and Egypt.

The only defeats suffered from this point onward until the final crossing of the Jordan into the Promised Land came about when they refused to follow Moses and the leadership of the cloud.