I'll let this post written last year do the bulk of the work. Suffice to say that God's people pass through the salt water of the Red (symbolic of blood) Sea. Here is a picture of baptism passing through the judgement of death to new life. No going back. Just as God closed the waters of the Red Sea so that there was no going back for the Israelites, so in baptism there is a sign and a seal placed on all those whom God is renewing.
They come to Marah and the water is bitter (salty), but the Lord shows Moses some wood that he can throw on the water to make it sweet (non-salty). Here is a picture of how we can receive the Spirit. In the Old Testament the presence of God by the Spirit would only bring death, (salt water) if people tried to take him into themselves (remember Adam and Eve taking the fruit into themselves - It brought a curse). But through the cross (piece of wood) God would bring his people to a place where he not only came to them, but into them. The words that once brought judgement, now bring life.
The Israelites then camp at a place where 12 springs water 70 palm trees, symbolic of how God, through 12 tribes / apostles would bring life (the water of his words) to the nations (70 palm trees).
No comments:
Post a Comment