The Greater Exodus
The Book of Exodus contains the blueprint for the last generation saints to endure the great tribulation until the Messiah comes. It is the story of the exodus from Egypt to the Promised Land; it is the pattern for the greater exodus from this world to the Messiah’s Kingdom.
CBCMidway.org – January 8th, 2011
https://www.cbcmidway.org/2011/01/08/bible-study-exodus-as-the-blueprint-for-the-tribulation/
Moses wrote a song of deliverance (Exodus 15) at the first Exodus. Upon crossing the Red Sea and seeing Pharaoh’s chariots drowned, he sang that song – the song of Moses. I’m sure you have heard the words, “The horse and rider He has thrown into the sea.” But, did you know that Moses wrote a second song. The second song is also a song of deliverance and according the book of Revelation, it will be sung along with the song of the Lamb by tribulation saints at the end of the age. The second song of Moses (Deuteronomy 32) is for the greater Exodus. And they sang the song of Moses the bond-servant of God and the song of the Lamb, saying, “Great and marvelous are Thy works, O Lord God, the Almighty; Righteous and true are Thy ways, Thou King of the nations. Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Thy name? For Thou alone art holy; For all the nations will come and worship before Thee, For Thy righteous acts have been revealed.” REVELATION 15:3-4
The children of Israel left Egypt with the clear expectation that they were going to the promised land – the land of milk and honey. However, they did not go directly to that land. Instead, they went into the great, terrible wilderness for 40 year and camped at 42 different places. Then, they came to the Jordan river and crossed over to the promised land. Whereas, Israel camped 42 times, our tribulation is 42 months. The Hebrew word for Egypt is Mitzrayim. It means trials and tribulations.
Lets look at some of the comparisons between the Exodus and the “FINAL” exodus: Pharaoh and the Anti-Christ: Pharaoh hardened his heart against the Lord and great judgment befell Egypt. The Antichrist will also harden his heart against God and not remember the son of Joseph (Jesus the Messiah). Great judgments will befall the world and the Antichrist so that everyone will “know the Lord.”
Moses and Aaron – the two witnesses Moses and Aaron went into Pharaoh and spoke the Lord’s will, “Let My people go.” With each refusal, Moses and Aaron pronounced God’s judgments upon Egypt and Pharaoh. In like manner, we will have two witnesses prophesying in Jerusalem, pronouncing judgments upon the world, and warning the people, “Behold, Here is your God!”
God’s Judgments as Sets The ten plagues that hit Egypt were three sets of three judgments with a final judgment. They can be identified by where Moses was when the judgment is brought forth. Beginning with the first judgment, water into blood, the judgments came forth in this manner: At the river Nile, at the Palace, then unannounced. This pattern repeats itself through the first nine. Therefore, the judgments were actually three sets of three each. It is not that the judgments announced at the river Nile happened first then all the Palace announcements happened, etc. They were integrated with each other. In like manner, we can see that the future Revelation judgments are three sets of seven.
The Locusts and Darkness Judgment Judgement number eight and nine in ancient Egypt were particularly difficult. These preceded the final judgment. God demonstrates His great wisdom and judgment by doing the same with us in the great tribulation. In the final days of the tribulation, an asteroid, meteor, or comets strikes the earth in a deep impact scenario. According to the prophet Joel and John, great clouds billow up to darken the sun, moon, and stars. All the prophets have spoken of the world being in darkness before the coming of the Lord – in the final days of the indignation. From the abyss in the earth, demons come forth in this darkness to terrorize men. They are compared to locusts, following in mass and devastating everything in their path.
The 10 Tests in the Wilderness Israel was purposely tested in the wilderness. God wanted to transform the people and teach them to trust Him. And you shall remember all the way which the Lord your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. And He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord. Your clothing did not wear out on you, nor did your foot swell these forty years. Thus you are to know in your heart that the Lord your God was disciplining you just as a man disciplines his son. DEUTERONOMY 8:2-5 Beginning with the crossing of the Red Sea and ending with Israel’s rejection at Kadesh-Barnea, Israel failed 10 tests.
These tests are summarized by two categories (belief and obedience) as the following questions:
Belief and Trust:
1. Will God save us from Pharaoh (Antichrist)?
2. Will God provide water?
3. Will God provide food?
4. Will God be with us to defend us?
5. Is God the One and only, true God?
Obedience and Blessing:
6. Will we reject God’s provision?
7. Will we reject God’s presence?
8. Will we reject God’s salvation?
9. Will we reject God’s Anointed?
10. Will we reject God’s Kingdom?
At the Red Sea, Pharaoh and his chariots approached to slaughter the children of Israel. The unbelievers cried out that Moses had brought them out to die. But Moses answered and told the people to be quiet and see the salvation of God. God led them through the Red Sea and drowned the Egyptians before their eyes. When the great tribulation comes, the first test will be whether God will save us from the Antichrist and his chariots. Many believers have been told that the Antichrist will be very powerful in the world. The Antichrist will be given power for a specific period; however, our God will not forsake us nor abandon us to the enemy. He is a savior and His arm is not short to deliver those who take refuge in Him. The Apostle Paul makes reference to these tests explaining that they are to teach us. He also says they are intended for the people at the end of the ages (the last generation). Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. 1st CORINTHIANS 10:11
Wanting to return to Egypt It didn’t take long before the children of Israel began to mumble and grumble among themselves. The accommodations were not all that great. Food and water were questionable. Eventually, Moses’ leadership came into question. They complained that in Egypt they had cucumbers, melons, leeks and garlic; in the wilderness, all they had was manna. They also had taken a lot of gold from Egypt. What could they spend their gold on out in the wilderness? All of this led to various groups and individuals rising up in opposition saying that they should return to Egypt. In like manner, I can assure you that these very issues will present themselves in the great tribulation in the camp of believers. They will get hungry for McDonald’s french fries, Chinese take-out, and pizza delivery. What’s more, many believers will bring money with them, but there won’t be anywhere to spend it in the camp. The temptation will come and our own brethren will rise in opposition to camp leadership. The issue won’t be the leaders; the issue will be money, and they will want to go spend it back in the cities.
For the Fear of our Children The greatest concern and most difficult issue for Israel in the wilderness was preparing to enter the land of Israel. When the spies returned and said, “There are giants in the land,” the people believed that their enemies would kill their children. For this reason, they would not trust the Lord despite all that the Lord had done and shown them. In like manner, we will face our greatest test in believing that the Lord will protect and care for our children. The children of Israel didn’t believe the Lord; they were judged for their unbelief and disobedience in refusing to enter the land. So God took their children and took the land with them. The parents died one by one in the wilderness.
Crossing the River Jordan When Israel crossed the Jordan river, they entered the promised land as a nation. They had leaders, laws, and land. The Angel of the Lord went before them. They were no longer slaves to Egypt. They were a free people with a covenant from God. In like manner, we will be resurrected from the dead or changed by the rapture. We will have new bodies. We will have Jesus with us. We will no longer be slaves to sin and the world; we will be free and servants of the Living God. We will receive another covenant – the covenant of peace. And I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant with them. And I will place them and multiply them, and will set My sanctuary in their midst forever. My dwelling place also will be with them; and I will be their God, and they will be My people. EZEKIEL 37:26-27