FRIDAY March 9, 2018
Symbolism in the Bible
Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware [ignorant]that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea...
The Apostle Paul used the Old Testament Scriptures to give believers in the Corinthian church a clear illustration of Israel. He did not want them to be ignorant about the Scriptures. They needed to heed the warnings in God’s Word, and so he shared with them about God’s people. He told of Israel’s great exodus from Egypt and their journey, by the way of the wilderness, to the Red Sea. God had guided them by a pillar of cloud by day and gave them light by a fire by night (Exodus 13:17-22).
God miraculously opened up the Red Sea, and the children of Israel passed through on dry ground (Exodus 14:21-22). Later, Israel would cross over the Jordan River and into the Promised Land. This was a time when they had many enemies surrounding them.
Paul taught the Corinthians how Scripture from the Old Testament was referred to in the New Testament. This also clarified for them that it was the same God in the Old Testament, who was in the New Testament. Israel was the same nation then as they were in the days of Paul––nothing had changed.
When you read your Bible, know that there is a lot of symbolism in the Scriptures. Egypt is a type of the world; the wilderness is a type of the child of God walking in the flesh; they wander as they do not have the Spirit of God governing over their life. The Jordan River is the baptism of the believer. The Promised Land is not heaven, as in heaven there are no battles. In Canaan, the Promised Land there will still be enemies to defeat.
When you come to Christ, you will need to read both the Old Testament and the New Testament to understand the Word of God.
In the Old Testament we get the facts; in the New Testament we find the explanation of the facts.
~C. H. Spurgeon~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit Somebodylovesyouradio.org!
