Out of Water
a meditation on the Books of Moses
“if you believed moses, you would believe me, for he wrote of me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?” - Jesus of Nazareth
As should be no surprise at this stage, the whole story of the Exodus is about Jesus. God foretold in the story of the nation of Israel the story of his son, in even greater detail than was possible in the stories of Genesis. The exodus story is an allegory of Christ. We shall look at 12 episodes in the story from Exodus through Deuteronomy, and we will see how deep a Christology is found in the rest of the Torah, the books of Moses.
And know, dear reader, this isn’t an exhaustive list of the allegories found in Christ, but simply a small sampling to understand and glimpse at how thoroughly the New reveals the Old, and the Old conceals the New. For Christ came to fulfill the Law, not abolish it. For a greater covenant came, and that is the one offered to us to live under now as sons and daughters of Our Father, bride of the Son, and dwelling places for the Holy Spirit.
Slavery and Sons
“Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him, he will bring forth justice to the nations” - The Prophet Isaiah
The story of Exodus is about tyranny and liberty; it is a political tale, but the depth of politics is that only in the revelation of God’s love is there true freedom. Freedom comes in relationship with God, true liberty is found in covenant with our loving Heavenly Father. The ancient Israelites where the most free people in the world, only their freedom came at a cost, and much suffering preceded their joy as sons of God.
I Am
“Behold, I will open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you home into the land of ISrael. And you shall know that I am the Lord” - The Prophet Ezekiel
Passover Lamb
“Behold, the lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” - Saint John the Baptist
Out of Egypt
“When Israel was a child, i loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son” - The Prophet Hosea
Bread of Life
“I am the Living Bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live forever” - Jesus, king of Kings
Blood of the Covenant
“Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when i will make a new covenant with the house of israel” - The Prophet Jeremiah
Ark of the Covenant
“Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple; and there were flashes of lightning, loud noises, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail. And a great signed appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars; she was with child…” - Saint John, the Revelator
God Dwelt Among Us
“Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel, which means God with Us” - The Gospel of Saint Matthew
Seasons and Sacrifices
“For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name is great among the nations, and in every place incense is offered to my name, and a pure offering; for my name is great among the Nations” - the prophet Malachi
“On the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him…For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God, rather than burnt offerings” - The Prophet Hosea
Bronze Serpent
“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the son of man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life, for God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” - Jesus, Son of God
Wilderness
“A voice cries: In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” - The Prophet Isaiah
Promised Land
“Blessed are the meek for they shall INHERIT the earth” - Jesus, King of the Universe
“For your maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is his name; and the holy one of Israel is your redeemer, the God of the whole earth he is called” - The Prophet Isaiah