Exodus Types: 2. Crossing the Red Sea, A Type of Turning the Back on the World

(Exodus 14-15) Egypt, a type of the world. "By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season" (Hebrews 11:24, 25). Israel in Egypt is a type of the sinner living in the world before he is converted to God. The bondage of Egypt, a type of the bondage of sin. "And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in mortar, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigor" (Exodus 1:14). One day the Jews said to Jesus: "We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man" (John 8:33). In verse 34 Jesus answered them: "Whosoever committeth sin is the servant [slave] of sin." In other words, sin is a terrible taskmaster. Israel’s deliverance from Egypt, a type of the believer’s deliverance from the world of sin. Israel’s deliverance under God came through the instrumentality of a deliverer-Moses. "This Moses . . . the same did God send to be . . . a deliverer" (Acts 7:35). Moses is thus a type of Christ our Deliverer. The deliverance is wrought by God’s power. "And brought thee out in his sight with his mighty power out of Egypt" (Deuteronomy 4:37). Paul tells about our deliverance from the World: "Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son" (Colossians 1:13). As Moses under God’s power delivered Israel from Egypt, so Christ is our Deliverer from the sins of the world. The Red Sea crossing, a type of Christian baptism. "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; and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea" (I Corinthians 10:1, 2). When Israel crossed through the Red Sea, they were saying goodbye to Egypt, they were dying to the bondage of Egypt. This is a symbol of baptism. "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" (Romans 6:4). The convert of Christ is saying when he is baptized, "Goodbye, old world, and your sinful pleasures." He is dying to the old life of sin, and is rising to live a new life in Christ. [Old Testament Types - FHW]