Yesterday we dug into Moses and found a treasure trove of the power God used through Moses to make his life an example of the promised Prophet, Jesus the Messiah. Still, we have many more sites to uncover that foreshadow the coming Savior, Jesus. So get your archaeologist tools ready, ‘cause here we go!
A Change in Yokes
If we look at Exodus 6:6 we read, “Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment…”
Now read what Jesus said in Matthew 11:29-30: Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Christ’s words carry great comfort to everyone, but how much more are these words of Jesus comfort and hope to the Israelites (i.e. the family of Jacob).
Next, we find in Exodus 12:12-14: For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the Lord. The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt.“This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord; throughout your generations, as a statute forever, you shall keep it as a feast.
The Blood of Jesus
The “pass over” occurred the day before the Israelites left Egypt. So, just as God established the Passover on the day before the Israelites’ departure (i.e., exodus) from Egypt, Jesus established the “Last Supper / Communion / Eucharist” the day before the beginning of God’s perfect exodus. This is true because the next day was the day redemption was paid in full by the blood of Jesus on the cross. The great exodus of God’s children from the chains of sin and death began when Jesus called out, “It is finished.” (John 19:30)
From Exodus 12:13 we find, “And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you…” And in Colossians we find, “and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.” (Colossians 1:20) The blood of Jesus makes reconciliation available. If we are covered by the blood of Jesus, then we are protected from God’s coming judgement.
Jesus in the Exodus
It’s also worth noting that Joseph foresaw the exodus of Israel from Egypt and was determined to be buried in God’s land, the land God gave Abraham, Issac, and Jacob. We see that “By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions concerning the burial of his bones.- Hebrews 11:22
The exodus of the Israelites and the return of Joseph’s bones to the promised land speaks to the work of Jesus. The promised land and Joseph’s burial both foreshadow our exodus out of this world and into our home with Jesus, for we read in John 14:1-4, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.”
Make This a Family Game!
Today, we’ve uncovered a few small samples of Scripture that show us Jesus in Exodus. You may want to make a family game of being explorers and reading through the book of Exodus to discover the many places where you find Jesus.
Photo by Federico Gutierrez on Unsplash
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