Baptism

Mat 18:11   For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.

Israel was baptized twice:

Once through the Red Sea, which brought them in the desert for 40 years because of their rebellion.

Only the second one brought them to the Promised Land, beyond the Jordan.

The story of the Hebrews in Egypt has a broad, massive meaning.

The Hebrews, Israel, represent God's children. They live in bondage in Egypt. Egypt is the world, the land of the opressor, who detests the Holy God of Israel, the Creator, and his ways:

Genesis 43:32 ... the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians.

Bread is the flesh of Christ, the Commandments of God, the Way.

Genesis 46:34 ... for every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians.

Egypt is Cain, working the soil by his own hand, channeling the Nile river, working his way away from the Creator. The world.

Israel is Abel, the shepherd relying on God for growing and guarding his flock, his life.

Israel, the people, is destined to go to the Promised Land.

The Promised Land is the Kingdom of Heaven.

The first step which brings them out of Egypt is Passover: the lamb is sacrificed, his blood spread on the door posts of the houses so that the Israeli firstborns would be spared.

The blood of the lamb is the blood of the Messiah, an image of the coming sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the perfect Son of God, God Himself in the flesh, living a life without sin on earth and sheding His pure blood for you and me.

He took the sin of the whole mankind on him by dying on the cross.

Israel flees from Egypt, and the Red Sea is split before them. They descend into the water. Symbolically, they are baptized in the red sea. The Red Sea because the living Water, the Messiah Jesus Christ had to be turned into blood (the first miracle of Jesus Christ was at Cana, turning the water into wine) for us. So Israel is washed clean, and emerges free of her opponent in the desert of Sinai.

Then they rebel against their creator and face 40 years of trials in the desert.

That's what is waiting every newborn Christian.

Trials.

Some will serve gods of Egypt again, and die.

Beware of idolatry.

The last part of the trip is the second baptism of Israel. This second one happens at our death and resurrection. We truly enter the Promised Land, Heaven.

Israel crosses the Jordan, the same way they crossed the Red Sea, and enter Judea, Jericho is there.

They circle around Jericho. But this time they have nothing to fear: God fights for them, and at the seventh day, at the last trump, the wall of Jericho falls.

This pictures the end of the world as we know it. Jericho is the world at the return of the Great King

They rejoiced when the wall fell. They had made it into Promised Land, trials were over !

This picture is what is waiting each and everyone of us, Christians.

1. We are called out of Egypt

2. Passover happened 2000 years ago

3. Be baptised: Be born again, a new creation, a new life, a new you following the commandments of your Creator

4. Endure the trials, stay faithful to the Lord whatsoever. Christians will fall to you left and to your right. Stay focused on the LORD

5. You will be truly baptised through your death and resurrection, bringing you to Heaven

6. You will see lions laying with lambs, little children playing with wild animals

7. You will see God, the King of Glory.

The life of Jesus Christ follows the same pattern:

He was baptized (in the Jordan, He was Blameless, He did not need to be washed clean in the Red Sea), then was immediately brought to the desert by satan, tempted for 40 days, and then began His ministry. 3 years later he died, water and blood fell from his body, 3 days later He rose again, 40 days later He ascended to the Father in Heaven.

Baptism is a sacrament, it is done by immersion into the water. A Christian is there, baptizing you in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

As said in Scriptures, it is a SIGN of REPENTANCE.

A sign of spiritual death and resurrection.

You need to be aware of your sin, the inherent penalty of death and eternal separation from your Creator, hell.

You need to believe that Jesus the Christ, God himself, was born in the flesh from a virgin, Mary, displayed a sinless life on earth, laid his life as an acceptable sacrifice to repay your sins, was crucified, resurrected on the third day, and ascended to heaven, He sits at the right hand of the Father.

He is the Firstfruits, the perfect example to follow.

A man can baptize you with water, as a sign of repentance.

Then it is said that Christ will baptize you with the Holy Spirit, who is the Comforter, and with fire, trials.

Be born again. Not just once, this is only a sign of repentance. Be born again everyday, seach sin deeply rooted in your life, at every moment of your walk.

The moon has phases, sometimes bright, sometimes obscure. So do we.

Walk on the straight and narrow Way which leads to eternal life.

Jesus the Christ, Jeshua Hamashiach.