[AI translation] The book of the Bible from which I have just read these verses, the second book of Moses, is known internationally as Exodus. It is a Latin word which means "exodus" in English. In this book is described the great exodus of the Lord's chosen people under Moses' leadership from Egyptian captivity. Here we read a wonderful description of how God prepares and accomplishes the deliverance of His people and leads them in wonderful ways to the peace and rest of the Promised Land. All that is described here is not only historically true, not only a description of past events, but also spiritually true. It is a description of a process that is repeated again and again when a human soul is freed from bondage.The exodus of nearly 3,500 years ago, which is described here, is a foretaste of the great exodus proper: the great exodus of the Lord's elect, under the leadership of Jesus Christ, from the bondage of sin and Satan. The whole Christian life is one great exodus, one great exodus: from Egypt to the Promised Land. A great exodus: an unfolding from the grip of sin and the world, an ever more complete separation from Satan's dominion and influence, and an ever more complete turning and approaching migration towards the fullness of salvation. The Bible reading leitmotif that most of us in this congregation use is called Exodus because it refers to the place where, day by day, one receives the guidance, counsel, instruction, direction, command, for this great exodus. He who has once been touched by the Holy Spirit of God, who has once received the call of God, who has once become aware that he is in captivity, in the bondage of Satan, but there is One who has come precisely to lead him out: that soul becomes at once restless, like the migratory birds in autumn. In that soul there is a sudden homesickness for the beauties of the Promised Land. That soul wants to leave, to move away from where it has been living to another, purer, happier and holier world. Happy is the soul for whom the exodus has become such an urgent necessity.
Now, however, it is precisely the point of the passage that is being read that this exodus is not so simple and smooth! Pharaoh, as soon as he becomes aware of the preparations, he imposes increased severity on the people. He puts even heavier burdens on the shoulders of the unfortunate people. Satan's anger is increased, and his activity miraculously intensified, by the revival of the people's desire for the Promised Land, when he sees people preparing for the exodus. And today, when in conferences and evangelistic meetings more and more souls are awakened to this desire, today, when the Holy Spirit of God has made exodus a growing movement, today, when we are undoubtedly living in a time of great spiritual awakening in this country: it is only natural that Satan's activity is also unheard of and he does everything to make those who want to get away from him, the harder he holds them. It is when a soul confronts Satan, when it wants to break free from his influence, that it gets into trouble with him. It is only natural that he does not want to let go of the one he has got hold of! It is in this very book that we see the description of what Satan will do to prevent exodus. When he is forced to give in, when he feels that he is confronted with a force, a power, against which he is powerless: then he bargains, then he makes offers to the believer. It is precisely this dangerous bargaining that the verses we read reveal to us.
Behold, the first offer is: "Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, 'Go, sacrifice to your gods in this land.'" (Exodus 8:25) So, if you want to go anyway, if you want to worship God anyway, go ahead, but in this land, here in Egypt. Here, under my supervision and control. I, the Pharaoh, will set the manner, place and time of that worship. I will set the bounds and laws of that worship: then you may do it at your leisure. The Pharaoh is very willing to consent to a belief in God, to a piety and a piety which is under his direction and control, in which he has a say. But let the people sacrifice, if they are so desirous of sacrifice: but here in this land, and not beyond the borders of my kingdom! Pray in peace, sing in peace new songs, speak in peace pious things: only remain here under my rule, in my kingdom, under my influence.
Moses immediately sees the satanic nature of this offer and responds, "It is not right for us to do so... We will go three days' journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to our Lord as He tells us" (Exodus 8:27). Otherwise, the Lord will not accept the sacrifice dedicated to Him, nor will the service to Him be for His glory, nor will even the fire which is kindled for Him be for His praise. They must first be separated from Egypt, and that within three days' walk, so that between them and the Egyptians there is the Red Sea as a partition. They, the people of the Lord, must go to the Canaan side of the Red Sea, and only there can the worship begin. Three days' journey from Egypt: do you know what that means? The three days from Good Friday to Easter. These three days separate the believer from the world. All that happened on those three days: The death and resurrection of Christ separates the believer from Satan. Beyond Christ's death and resurrection, the new world begins, where Satan is no longer Lord, where he can no longer come after us, where his power and influence no longer extend. Beyond the death and resurrection of Christ, a life consecrated to God, a life of sacrifice to Him, begins and can begin. This is what Satan will not allow: these three days, this three-day distance from his kingdom, because then he will have lost you. That is why he wants you to honour God from here on in Christ's death and resurrection: it is not perilous to him.
Where do you honour and serve the Lord, brother? From the cross and resurrection, or beyond? On the side of the Red Sea from Egypt, or on the side from Canaan? That is, on the side of Christ's death and resurrection on the side of damnation, or on the side of salvation? It is this three-day distance that separates death from life. Beyond this is death, beyond this is eternal life! I could say that from here, man lives under Satan, sin and death, whatever he does, even if he sacrifices to God, Satan, sin and death, but beyond the cross and Easter, he lives under grace and can go on to the fullness of salvation, the Promised Land, redeemed, freed from Egyptian bondage! Only three days away, and so much depends on it: nothing less than life or death!
Practically speaking, this means that between the believer and his sin there is the death and resurrection of Christ, that is, the forgiveness that cancels sin. The believer in Christ is free to regard his sins as forgiven for the merit of Christ's death, freely and by grace. He is free to view Satan as a false dog tied up, or a rabid lion in a cage, or a defeated enemy. He is free to look back on hell and damnation as a prisoner released from prison looks back on a punishment completed, and even a punishment that Jesus Christ has completed in his place. He is free to look on heaven and salvation as a testamentary inheritance! The believer in Christ is free to be assured of forgiveness of sins and eternal life! This testimony is there beyond those three days, and therefore Satan will not yield!
But it also means that between the believer and the world there is the death and resurrection of Christ, that is, with these three days one world, the Egyptian bondage, has ended, and another world, another way of life, has begun: the wandering to the Promised Land! As the Apostle Paul expresses it in Galatians, "Through the cross of Christ the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world! (cf. Gal 6,14) There, beyond the Red Sea, Egypt died for me and I died for Egypt. He who stands on the side of the cross of Christ for salvation: he must at last reckon with the world, as the Scripture says: "Therefore come out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord." (2 Cor 6,17) Here, then, we are talking about the severing of certain bonds, bonds which bound us to Egypt.
When the ship leaves America, it is tied to the shore by many, many serpentine bands, which are all torn as the ship moves away, as a sign that many, many of the threads that tied the passengers to it are being broken as it departs. The exodus is always accompanied by the breaking of many of these threads. But the threads that have to break are not paper and turpentine ribbons, but some of them are thick ropes that are difficult to break. But until these ropes are untied, until you cut them, you are rowing in vain, the boat will not go on!
Is there still a fine silk thread, or a rough, strong rope, which you have not yet untied, which you have not yet cut, which still attaches you to Egypt, which prevents you from going on freely, boldly, towards the Promised Land? You can't even do it on your own, but Jesus does, who, according to Galatians, "gave himself for our sins to deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father." (Gal 1:4)
There are more offerings from Satan concerning the ways and means of serving God, and Lord willing, I would like to continue next Sunday. Now just consider: where do you stand in your faith, where do you serve and worship God - on the Egyptian side or the Canaanite side? There are so many good, good, useful, praiseworthy things that can be done on the inside, but you just can't get saved, you just can't get saved. Beware, Brother: Satan's offer is, "Go, sacrifice to your God on this earth" (Ex 8:25) The Lord's warning is, "Go ye three days' journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice" (cf. Ex 3:18).
Let each man discern which counsel he will take, and according to which he will offer his sacrifice to the Lord!
Amen
Date: 2 October 1949.
Lesson
2Móz 8,20-32