God’s Dealings

Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
~ Hebrews 4:1

Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
~ Philippians 2:12

Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
~ Acts 4:10-12

Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
~ John 6:29

No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
~ John 6:44

Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me) to do thy will, O God. Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
~ Hebrews 10:7, John 5:39

Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:
~ Proverbs 1:28

And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
~ John 5:40, Hebrews 10:28

Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
~ 1 Corinthains 10:11

And few there be that find it.
~ Matthew 7:14d

God’s Dealings with Israel, by Arthur Walkington Pink. The following contains an excerpt from his work, “A Fourfold Salvation”.

How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;
~ Hebrews 2:3

A. God’s Dealings with Israel

The fourfold salvation from sin of the Christian was strikingly typified in God’s dealings with the nation of Israel of old.

1. Deliverance from the love of sin

First, we have a vivid portrayal of their deliverance from the pleasure or love of sin: “And the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage. And God heard their groaning” (Exo 2:23-24). What a contrast does that present from what we read of in the closing chapters of Genesis! There we hear the king of Egypt saying to Joseph, “The land of Egypt is before thee: in the best of the land make thy father and brethren to dwell: in the land of Goshen” (47:6). Accordingly we are told, “And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen; and they had possessions therein, and grew and multiplied exceedingly” (47:27). Now Egypt is the O.T. symbol of the world, as a sys- tem opposed to God. And it was there, in the “best part” of it, the descendants of Abraham had settled. But the Lord had designs of mercy and something far better for them; yet before they could appreciate Canaan they had to be weaned from Egypt. Hence we find them in cruel bondage there, smarting under the lash of the taskmas- ters. In this way they were made to loathe Egypt and long for deliverance therefrom. The theme of Exodus is redemption : how striking, then to see that God begins His work of redemption by making His people to groan and cry out under their bondage! The portion which Christ bestows is not welcome till we are made sick of this world.

2. Deliverance from the penalty of sin

Second, in Exodus 12, we have a picture of God’s people being delivered from the penalty of sin. On the Passover night the angel of death came and slew all the firstborn of the Egyptians. But why spare the firstborn of the Israelites? Not because they were guiltless before God, for all had sinned and come short of His glory. The Israelites, equally with the Egyptians, were guilty in His sight, and deserving of un- sparing judgment. It was at this very point that the grace of God came in and met their need. Another was slain in their room, and died in their stead. An innocent vic- tim was killed and its bloodshed, pointing to the coming of “the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.” The head of each Israelitish household sprinkled the lamb’s blood on the lintel and posts of his door, and hence the firstborn in it was spared from the avenging angel: God promised: “When I see the blood I will pass over you” (Exo 12:13). Thus, Israel was saved from the penalty of sin by means of the lamb dying in their stead.

3. Deliverance from the power of sin

Third, Israel’s wilderness journey adumbrated the believer’s salvation from the power of sin. Israel did not enter Canaan immediately upon their exodus from Egypt; they had to face the temptations and trials of the desert where they spent not less than forty years. But what a gracious and full provision did God make for His people. Manna was given them daily from Heaven—figure of that food which God’s Word now supplies for our spiritual nourishment. Water was given from the smitten rock—emblem of the Holy Spirit sent by the smitten Christ to dwell within us: John 7:38-39. A cloud and a pillar of fire guided them by day and guarded them by night, reminding us of how He directs our steps and shields us from our foes. Best of all, Moses, their great leader, was with them, counselling, admonishing, and interceding for them—figure of the Captain of our salvation: “Lo I am with you alway.”

4. Deliverance from the presence of sin

Fourth, the actual entrance of Israel into the promised land foreshadowed the be- liever’s glorification, when he enters into the full enjoyment of that possession which Christ has purchased for him. The experiences Israel met with in Canaan have a dou- ble typical significance. From one viewpoint they presaged the conflict which faith encounters while the believer is left upon earth, for as the Hebrews had overcome the original inhabitants of Canaan before they could enjoy their portion, so faith has to surmount many obstacles if it is to “possess its possessions.” Nevertheless, that land of milk and honey into which Israel entered after the bondage of Egypt and the hard- ships of the wilderness were left behind, was manifestly a figure of the Christian’s portion in Heaven after he is forever done with sin in this world.

B. Summary

“Thou shalt call His name Jesus, for he shall save His people from their sins” (Mat 1:21). First, save them from the pleasure or love of sin by bestowing a nature which
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hates it: this is the great miracle of grace. Second, save them from the penalty or punishment of sin, by remitting all its guilt; this is the grand marvel of grace. Third, save them from the power or dominion of sin, by the workings of His Spirit: this re- veals the wondrous might of grace. Fourth, save them from the presence or inbeing of sin: this will demonstrate the glorious magnitude of grace. May it please the Lord to bless these elementary but most important truths to many of His little ones, and make their “big” brothers and sisters smaller in their own esteem.

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