For the
oldest Jewish understanding of God, one must look at the Exodus, for the
original understanding of God by the Israelites is not of Him as Creator, but
of Him as Savior. God is the One Who saved His people from slavery in Egypt,
and the rest of their understanding of Him branched off from this singular
event. Thus, in regards to the Creation of the World, the Israelites originally
understood God as the One Who saved the world from chaos, by giving order to
it, as related in Genesis 1.
This concept
of God as Savior then, is especially important in the gradual unveiling of the
promise of a Redeemer to Israel, for it will reach its definitive understanding
and manifestation only in Jesus Christ and His Church, founded from His wounded
side. Peter’s sermon in Acts 2, refers to Jesus as the Savior who, through Baptism, would wash away the sins of the people (Acts 2:38). Although the Jewish people expected a Messiah who would save them from the rule of the Romans and restore the glory of the kingdom of Israel, as even the Apostles after the Resurrection show (Acts 1:6), yet God went even further in His gracious love, and saved them from sin!
We have already spoken of how the Exodus from Egypt is a type of Baptism, as well as Jesus' triumphant passage from death to life. Nevertheless, it would behoove us to look deeper at the many ways in which this is true. On the exterior, it is quite clear the main way these two events relate to each other is the passage from slavery to freedom. In regards to Egypt, the Israelites were led from slavery to Pharaoh to freedom, ultimately in the Promised Land. In regards to Christ's exodus, however, it is from slavery to Death that one passes into the freedom of new life in the Kingdom of Heaven, ultimately.
Yet there is even more we may draw from this, especially liturgically. As the Entrance Antiphon says, "The Lord led his people in hope." If we recall the Exodus from Egypt, the Lord was leading the Israelites in a pillar of cloud, for it is written, "The LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night; the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people (Exodus 13:21-22)." The Lord God was the leader of the Israelites; and a leader is someone appointed over people, but may also be considered among the people.
It is in this sense God is so unique, especially the God of the Jewish people, and consequently our God! He dwells among His people! He is not some abstract deity above the heavens, but He takes a personal interest in His people. He wants to know them and to be known by them! As is said in Deuteronomy, "What great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the LORD our God is to us, whenever we call upon him (Deuteronomy 4:7)?" This is seen especially in the Exodus, for it also reads:
"When Pharaoh drew near, the people of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them; and they were in great fear . And the people of Israel cried out to the LORD . . . . And Moses said to the people, 'Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will work for you today; for the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be still.' The LORD said to Moses, 'Why do you cry out to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward. . . . and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, his chariots, and his horsemen. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten glory over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen (Exodus 14:10, 13-15, 17-18).'"
We may here see the trust the Lord wishes His people to have in Him; our trust should be that He will provide fully for all our needs. He is a perfect king over His people; there is no other who could lead as He does. He is faultless in all His ways, and in the Person of Jesus Christ this sinless perfection is what allows Him to conquer on behalf of His people, i.e. the entire human race. What the Lord did for Israel was a foreshadowing of what He wishes to do for the entire human race through the Church.
Let us return, then, to our consideration of the Exodus and Baptism. At the Easter Vigil, the Paschal Candle is brought into the church, to symbolize the Lord Jesus leading His people from the land of death into life, as the pillar of fire led the Israelites by night through the sea. We discussed this in our post on the Easter Vigil (here). Jesus does not abandon us, but He leads the way. Nevertheless, we should not view this "journey" in the way the Gnostics did, where they believed there was actually a journey through spiritual realms the soul must pass through with Christ leading the way. Instead, this journey is the journey of our lives.
Jesus has given us a perfect example of holiness in how to live our lives, and in Baptism we were born into His life. We entered into the journey that would bring us ultimately to eternal life. While it is true that in Baptism we passed over from dominion to sin into a life of grace, we are still subject to concupiscence. Therefore, we must still pass through the sea of this life, pursued by the hosts of Death and Satan, before we may enter the Promised Land in heavenly bliss.
Yet it is in this way that the Lord will gain glory, for by our lives we shall glorify the Lord before all the nations. As we conform ourselves to the life of Jesus, we shall be images of Him before all the world and will consequently lead all the nations to acknowledge His holiness. Through Baptism, we are part of the Body of Christ and therefore when we are called Christians, we are called Christ.
Let us always place our trust in the Lord, confident that He will lead us in this life into eternal joys. May we never fear the oppression of our foes, for they were drowned in the waters of our Baptism, and will ultimately be forced to bend the knee at the end of the world and acknowledge Jesus as the Lord (Philippians 2:10-11). The Lord shall always open a way for us to grow in holiness. Even if we have to suffer in this life, we must not look back, but continue on towards freedom and the eternal song of alleluia!
We have already spoken of how the Exodus from Egypt is a type of Baptism, as well as Jesus' triumphant passage from death to life. Nevertheless, it would behoove us to look deeper at the many ways in which this is true. On the exterior, it is quite clear the main way these two events relate to each other is the passage from slavery to freedom. In regards to Egypt, the Israelites were led from slavery to Pharaoh to freedom, ultimately in the Promised Land. In regards to Christ's exodus, however, it is from slavery to Death that one passes into the freedom of new life in the Kingdom of Heaven, ultimately.
Yet there is even more we may draw from this, especially liturgically. As the Entrance Antiphon says, "The Lord led his people in hope." If we recall the Exodus from Egypt, the Lord was leading the Israelites in a pillar of cloud, for it is written, "The LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night; the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people (Exodus 13:21-22)." The Lord God was the leader of the Israelites; and a leader is someone appointed over people, but may also be considered among the people.
It is in this sense God is so unique, especially the God of the Jewish people, and consequently our God! He dwells among His people! He is not some abstract deity above the heavens, but He takes a personal interest in His people. He wants to know them and to be known by them! As is said in Deuteronomy, "What great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the LORD our God is to us, whenever we call upon him (Deuteronomy 4:7)?" This is seen especially in the Exodus, for it also reads:
"When Pharaoh drew near, the people of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them; and they were in great fear . And the people of Israel cried out to the LORD . . . . And Moses said to the people, 'Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will work for you today; for the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be still.' The LORD said to Moses, 'Why do you cry out to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward. . . . and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, his chariots, and his horsemen. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten glory over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen (Exodus 14:10, 13-15, 17-18).'"
We may here see the trust the Lord wishes His people to have in Him; our trust should be that He will provide fully for all our needs. He is a perfect king over His people; there is no other who could lead as He does. He is faultless in all His ways, and in the Person of Jesus Christ this sinless perfection is what allows Him to conquer on behalf of His people, i.e. the entire human race. What the Lord did for Israel was a foreshadowing of what He wishes to do for the entire human race through the Church.
Let us return, then, to our consideration of the Exodus and Baptism. At the Easter Vigil, the Paschal Candle is brought into the church, to symbolize the Lord Jesus leading His people from the land of death into life, as the pillar of fire led the Israelites by night through the sea. We discussed this in our post on the Easter Vigil (here). Jesus does not abandon us, but He leads the way. Nevertheless, we should not view this "journey" in the way the Gnostics did, where they believed there was actually a journey through spiritual realms the soul must pass through with Christ leading the way. Instead, this journey is the journey of our lives.
Jesus has given us a perfect example of holiness in how to live our lives, and in Baptism we were born into His life. We entered into the journey that would bring us ultimately to eternal life. While it is true that in Baptism we passed over from dominion to sin into a life of grace, we are still subject to concupiscence. Therefore, we must still pass through the sea of this life, pursued by the hosts of Death and Satan, before we may enter the Promised Land in heavenly bliss.
Yet it is in this way that the Lord will gain glory, for by our lives we shall glorify the Lord before all the nations. As we conform ourselves to the life of Jesus, we shall be images of Him before all the world and will consequently lead all the nations to acknowledge His holiness. Through Baptism, we are part of the Body of Christ and therefore when we are called Christians, we are called Christ.
Let us always place our trust in the Lord, confident that He will lead us in this life into eternal joys. May we never fear the oppression of our foes, for they were drowned in the waters of our Baptism, and will ultimately be forced to bend the knee at the end of the world and acknowledge Jesus as the Lord (Philippians 2:10-11). The Lord shall always open a way for us to grow in holiness. Even if we have to suffer in this life, we must not look back, but continue on towards freedom and the eternal song of alleluia!
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