In the same way, God’s goal in saving us is not to get us out of hell and into heaven- that’s just a bonus. The real goal is for us to experience all that He has promised us in Christ. This is not a minor emphasis in Scripture , but the heart of it. Paul speaking to the Roman Christians said,” For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son’(Rom.8:29).
To the Ephesians Paul revealed the goal of salvation in these words:” He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him”( Eph.1:4). Not a word about hell or heaven.
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Escape from slavery in Egypt was not God’s goal for His people. Escape from hell is not the goal for God’s people.
God took them out of Egypt in order to bring them into their own land, the land He had promised. Generations before God took Abraham and had him look over the strip of land between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River and God said:” Lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward; for all the land you see , I will give you and o your descendants forever” (.Gen 13:14-15). Freedom from Egypt was only the first step. Not until they occupied Canaan would the rescue operation be complete. Egypt represent, slavery to sin, our lostness. Coming through the Red Sea represents our salvation. The wilderness is that time of growth , testing, searching, dependency. And crossing the Jordan River is the fullness, the victorious life in Christ. It is totally different. I believe that too many love the wilderness living. They are comfortable in that nebulous state of being hand feed manna and quail. Being led from waterhole to waterhole. Never getting to that Christian life of true victory. Those who do cross over impact the world . They are courageous and strong.
Canaan never symbolizes heaven in the Bible. Maybe in some hymns but never in the Bible. There were giants in Canaan- there are no giants in heaven. There were battles to be fought in Canaan- there will be no battles in heaven. God’s people sinned in Canaan- in heaven all traces of sin will be erased.
Canaan represents the fullness of salvation, the fullness of blessing, the possessing of our possessions. Canaan was what God redeemed Israel for, just as victory is what God saved us for. He brought us out of sin so that He might bring us into the abundant life. Many Christians are out but not in. They are like those spoken in 1 Corinthians 10:5-“ Nevertheless, with most of them God was not well-pleased; for they were laid low in the wilderness.” It will help if we understand that the Christian life can be divided into two stages- the Red Sea stage and the Jordan River stage, with the wilderness in between. What the cross is to us, the Red Sea was to Israel. It was the symbol of their redemption, their deliverance from the bondage of Egypt by the mighty hand of God. They looked back at the Red Sea as we look back at the cross; they celebrated the Passover as we celebrate the Lord’s Supper.
But it wasn’t enough to get them out of Egypt, Moses reminded the people in Deuteronomy 6:23,” and He brought us out from the [Egypt] in order to bring us in, to give us the land which He had sworn to our fathers.” He brought us out to bring us in. |
What we Learned on Sunday? Insights, ideas and InspirationWritten by Pastor Chris Hudson Archives
July 2024
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