Moses – Exodus from Egypt – Hike – Image of Way of Salvation

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One of the most famous accounts in the Bible is Moses and the Exodus of the people of Israel from Egypt, their 40-year journey, and their final entry into the Promised Land of Canaan. It is not only the arduous journey of an entire ancient people, but also a vivid example of the path to salvation for humanity.

Over many decades

Moses is a very good example of the length of time God’s plans can occupy within a human life. This is also a reflection of what concerns each individual human being.

As an infant, Moses was placed in a basket by his mother in the Nile River because the Pharaoh (Thutmose I) had ordered the slaughter of male newborns due to what he considered to be an excessive increase in the number of the people of Israel in his land. The mother did not want such a fate to happen to her newborn.

Moses’ abandonment in the Nile occurred around 1530 BC (graphic chronicle). Moses was found and raised by the pharaoh’s daughter, Hatshepsut. Moses’s biological mother served as wet nurse. He was raised according to Egyptian culture, taught, and prepared for the position of pharaoh.

Since Moses would have been the official successor to Thutmose I, he evidently declined this role. His successor was Hatshepsut’s husband, Thutmose II. Approximately four years later, after Thutmose II’s death, Moses would have been in line again. But Moses must have declined this offer, too, because he never became pharaoh. At the age of 40, Moses killed an Egyptian after he had mistreated the Israelites. Moses was forced to flee and fled into exile in Midian (Exodus 2:15). There, Moses started a family, and another 40 years passed.

Moses is called by God in his old age

Moses was already 80 years old when God saw the time had come to persuade him to return to Egypt to free the enslaved people of Israel. The man, of advanced age, settled in Egypt with his family, and not particularly eloquent, was anything but enthusiastic about God’s plans. He shied away from confrontation with the pharaoh above all else. At this time, Thutmose III, the Egyptian ruler, was still considered the most powerful pharaoh in history. Under him, the Egyptian Empire attained its greatest extent.

Moses joined forces with his brother Aaron and confronted Pharaoh with God’s call to release His people from Egypt. The ruler became stubborn and refused to release the enslaved Israel even after nine plagues had struck the land. Only after the tenth plague, the death of every firstborn in the land, did Pharaoh not just release the people of Israel, but formally expel them from the country as quickly as possible. To this end, Pharaoh threw a fortune after the people.

The most powerful of all Pharaohs then decided to pursue the departing people of Israel with his army. Having reached the Red Sea, the people of Israel seem to have been trapped. The famous scene followed in which, through God’s intervention, Moses parted the sea, allowing the people to cross on dry land. Thutmose and his army, who had also reached there, drowned miserably as the sea closed the gap it had opened. The miserable end of the once most powerful ruler of Egypt, the then superpower.

Four decades on “wrong paths”

Another 40 years followed. A period of the people of Israel almost wandering astray through the wilderness. This odyssey could have ended after just two years, for by then the people were already at the Jordan and would have only had to cross the river to enter the promised land of Canaan. The people sent 12 scouts, one from each tribe. Only two of them, Caleb (Tribe of Judah) and Joshua (Tribe of Ephraim), voted in favor of entering the land. The other 10 advised against it because of the overwhelming number of giant warriors they saw there. The people were so enraged that they even wanted to stone Caleb and Joshua.

A clear distrust of God’s promise that Israel would be protected by His preserving hand and would not have to fear perceived superior power. God responded to this rebellion by “extending” the desert wanderings for another 38 years. This also included the promise that no Israelite older than the youngest generation (up to 20 years old) would ever enter the land of Canaan. The exceptions were Caleb and Joshua. It was the latter who ultimately succeeded Moses and finally led the people across the Jordan into the Promised Land.

Moses died shortly before entering Canaan. He, too, was no longer allowed to enter the land. Moses was 120 years old and clearly still in good health (Deuteronomy 34:7). God put him to sleep.

Exodus from Egypt to entry into Canaan – path of redemption

The exodus of the enslaved people of Israel from Egypt, the desert wandering, and the final entry into the Promised Land, where milk and honey flow (Exodus 3:17), are a picture of humanity’s path to salvation.

Moses, who led the stubborn people of Israel with patience, obedience, and humility over the decades, played a key role and was the image of the one who was yet to come. Moses himself announced this (Deuteronomy 18:15):
“The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;“

Visible parallels

Moses, son of Amram from the tribe of Levi, grew up during a time of oppression for his people. This was followed by 40 years of exile in Midian, a time of purification from Egyptian culture and, above all, polytheism. Egypt was not only a great power but also a center of science and education. Later Hellenism ultimately benefited from this (Info).

Moses not only had a top-notch education but was also conditioned accordingly. Moses lived his life, but it was clearly intended by God as a time of preparation. After the people’s liberation, another 40 years of wandering followed, with all imaginable irregularities. One is almost inclined to describe this as chaotic.

The people grumbled, rebelled, fell back into idolatry, were repeatedly tested, were tormented by snakebites, suffered water shortages, and were plagued with disease. These were all measures taken by God to finally bring the people to trust in God. For they lacked nothing. Bitter water became drinkable, bread (manna) fell from heaven, drinking water came from crevices in the rocks, and the sight of a raised snake was used to cure poisoning from snakebites, etc. But again and again, the people fell back into unbelief due to a lack of trust.

Desert Wandering – Sanctification

Even crossing the Jordan River was connected with trust and faith. The waters of the Jordan didn’t simply recede; the people themselves had to first take action and set foot in the river. The 40-year Odyssey was a lengthy educational process for a people who, after more than 400 years of slavery among a pagan nation, had lost sight of God’s will and His law.

This picture reveals the path of salvation for every individual. Liberation from slavery corresponds to liberation from the slavery of sin. A period follows in which, guided by the Holy Spirit, man develops trust in God, strengthens and deepens his faith, and thus becomes capable of resisting sin. The desert journey thus corresponds to man’s path of sanctification.

The promised land, flowing with milk and honey, speaks for itself here. It is a representation of entering paradise after mankind has overcome sin (Info). This is also illustrated in Revelation 22:14:
“Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.“

Moses – Type for Jesus Christ

Moses himself is a type of Jesus Christ. Moses announced this Savior by describing Him as a prophet who would come from among the people of Israel, whose words would be heard without fail. Jesus Christ led a humble life, only becoming active at the age of 30 after His baptism. This was followed by 40 days of fasting in the wilderness, a thorough preparation (equivalent to Moses’ 40 years in Midian). Afterward, Jesus began to proclaim the message of salvation, which centers on overcoming sin and trusting in God.

Just as Moses was born from his people during a time of oppression, so too was Jesus Christ born under the oppression of the great power of Rome.

Jesus Christ overcame this world, remained without sin of his own, and served humanity in obedience to the Father and humility. Just as Moses did. With His death, the vicarious price for humanity’s sins, Jesus opened the way for humanity to the Promised Land.

Not a walk in the park – but it’s worth it

This long journey is arduous and involves hardship (“taking up the cross”), just like the wanderings of the people of Israel on their journey in the wilderness. The flesh fights against the spirit, and the spirit fights against the flesh (Galatians 5:17). The people of Israel rebelled at the very beginning of the journey because they were so eager to return to the delicious food of Egypt!

On the path of sanctification (“wilderness wandering”), man falls, but rises again (Psalm 37:23), and looks forward with joy, in knowledge and CONFIDENCE, for 1 John 1:9:
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.“

Precisely for this reason, it was necessary that Jesus Christ Himself pay for humanity’s sins with His own blood. Otherwise, it would not be just, for there is a punishment for sin, and a pardon by simply waiving the punishment would be arbitrary. This would contradict the immutable justice of God (Info).

Bible verses from King James Version (1611)