The Story Behind The Story Of The Children Of Israel

“Let’s have our seats.” The Bible study coordinator added after welcoming the members of his group to their bi-monthly Bible study and prayer retreat. There were about 20 of them in the room, with the inclusion of their group leader.

It took a few seconds before they all settled down, after which the room was quiet, except for the sound coming from the OX fans standing at strategic corners of the room. The group members all had their eyes fixed on their leader standing behind the small wooden altar. They were ready for the study, with their Bibles, pens and books in hand.

 ”Once again, I want to say thank you all for making it down to this retreat. I know we’ve been having this retreat for a year and counting now. However, not every one of us who started are still here. Not all group members are also here for one reason or the other. I believe it’s a sacrifice you paid to be here, and for that, I say thank you.” The group leader smiled and his congregants returned the smile with the inclusion of rounds of applause, a few slight bowing of heads, and “thank you sir,” echoing from different angles of the room.

 “Moving forward, the topic on our table for this particular retreat is the story behind the story of the children of Israel… That’s a long and boring title I guess,” he paused and scanned the face of his group members. Some smiled, while some chuckled.

 “If needs be that we have a better topic than the one on ground, we’ll leave it to the grammarians among us,” he added and took a glance at the far left corner where Sis Dorcas was seated, trying her best not to smile. All eyes followed the direction their leader’s eyes went and burst into laughter. Sis Dorcas was the head grammarian in the Bible study group, and she was quite popular in church for trying to correct wrong sentences, though she sometimes got into trouble doing that, as it doesn’t sit well with some. It however didn’t change the fact that she was loved by all and sundry mostly because of her alluring smile.

 She tried hard to hold in laughter as a pair of about 18 eyes were on her. It was obvious they were waiting for her to say something.

 “The topic is okay sir. We can go on.” She said and wore a broad smile.

 “Thank you ma’am,” Bro Gbenga, the Bible study coordinator said and immediately put on a serious face and every other person in the room followed suit.

 “Before we go on, I’d like to hear our contributions on the topic. Is anyone willing to try?”

 “Well, I think it’s about trust in God. I mean, taking note of all the miracles God performed in their midst, it is safe to say God came through for them, especially regardless of the fact that they were the best in annoying God,” one persons replied, and a few nodded their heads in affirmation, while a few laughed when he made his concluding statement.

 “Yeah, God came through for them even in their stiff-necked state.” Another said.

 “Those sets of individuals were clowns. At the slight inconvenience, they’ve turned away from God; and like Sis Betty said, regardless of their sins and iniquity, God did always show up for them.” Another added.

 “Hmmm,” with his elbow on the altar and his palm supporting his chin, bro Gbenga listened attentively.

 “Any other… story? Different from the ones we’ve just heard.”

There was silence in the room.

 “C’mon, no different answer from the ones we have?” he inquired, surfing their faces.

A brother seated at the middle of the room raised his hand. He had a small figure and often said less.

 “Yes, Bro Johnson.”

 “Well, if there was anything we were, or let me say I was taught as touching the Old Testament is that it’s the shadow of the New Testament. Majorly, scenarios in the Old Testament spoke of Christ, even starting from Genesis chapter one. I’m not trying to dispute what every other person has said, I mean, we saw some acts of faiths depicted in Moses mostly with the way He trusted God with some of the strange instructions he got from God as touching the Israelites. Also, how we must put our total dependence on God because of the way He came through for the children of Israel. However, after the foundation I laid earlier about the Old Testament being the shadow of the New; though I do not have so much information to buttress my point, I believe the story, using your words sir, behind the story of the children of Israel is that it spoke of Jesus, the coming Messiah.” Bro Johnson said and sat down quietly, sinking into his seat because of the many pair of eyes that were on him.

 “Wow! That’s some deep stuff right there Bro Johnson. I do appreciate your input. I believe you’ve laid a very strong foundation for me to continue the teaching.” Bro Gbenga nodded and smiled.

 “To properly interpret the stories of the Old Testament, there’d be the need to understand the New Testament very well, most especially the epistles. The Old Testament is giving an idea of what to expect in the New. When studying the Bible, the image that should be painted in your mind is the life of Christ. Everything from Genesis to Revelation had pointed out how Christ was going to come as a Saviour and deliverer. Jesus Himself mentioned it that the prophets and the Old Testament spoke of and about Him."

Luke 24:27

“[27] And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself."

Emphasis on the ‘all’ the scriptures. That scripture didn’t say some of the scriptures, but all. Let’s not forget that when we hear the word ‘scriptures,’ it is referring to the books of the Bible from Genesis to Malachi. So you wouldn’t be thinking Jesus opened some books in the New Testament as well. The New Testament only came to place after Jesus had ascended.

God revealed and preached the Gospel so much in the Old Testament; only thing was it was hidden from them. The Bible called it, ‘mystery.’ They didn’t quite understand it until Christ finally came. Take for example, the story of the children of Israel and Moses.

A popular belief about the children of Israel is that they were good at throwing tantrums. Here, God is miraculously showing up for them, and in a split second, they have rebelled, like God didn’t just show up some minutes ago. At any slight inconvenience, they have turned their backs. The gist is that there’s more to that story. It wasn’t just about someone springing out of the blues to bring them out of the land of Egypt. It wasn’t just about God’s people being rebellious. It was about Jesus, the Saviour, The Christ, and the Redeemer. The story of Moses and the children of Israel is a shadow of what was to come. It was meant as a precept for the purpose Christ was to be sent to the world; which is to be a Savior and mediator between God and man.

Moses can be said to be a representation of Jesus. He was born and his purpose was to lead the children of Israel out of bondage. As opposed to what happened in his time, he wasn’t killed like the rest of the male children, but he was preserved. Jesus was born and wasn’t killed at infancy, and His purpose was to save the world from the bondage of the prince of this world, who happens to be the devil. He came to lead men away from the darkness of this world into light.

Moses represents Jesus in that he was the one ordained by God to lead the children of Israel out of captivity under the government of Pharaoh, just as Jesus was sent to lead us out of the captivity of Satan into life eternal in God. Hallelujah!

The children of Israel represents us in a way that being in captivity and drowned in the evil governance of Pharaoh, they were helpless and had no saviour until Moses came along. Just like the world today, we were lost and had dwelt so long in sin and the lies of the devil that it seemed salvation wasn’t an option until Jesus dropped by earth to open our eyes to the truth, die for us, and reconcile us to the Father. Glory be to God! He came to give life. He came to restore peace and uproot the enmity man had created with God in his mind.

Colossians 1:19-23

“[19] For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell;

[20] And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

[21] And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled

[22] In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:

[23] If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;" (KJV)

There’s one more representation as touching the redemption and freedom of the children of Israel. It’s God, and guess what, he represents Himself! The same God in the time of the Israelites is still the same now. He is ever existing. The same thing He had in mind when He sent Moses to deliver the children of Israel was the same as when He sent His only son to bear the burden of our sins and be sin for us once and for all to make us His beloved once again. He was using their scenario to explain how that the world was going to have someone save them from the ocean of sins and deception that we all swam in.

Moses bringing the children of Israel out of captivity is equivalent to Jesus bringing us from darkness into light, from bondage to freedom.

God operates with a man on earth. He cannot come down to talk to and help man out. He had to send a man. He came to the children of Israel in person of Moses. He came to the rest of us in the form of a man.

Another scenario about the children of Israel that proved Jesus was being portrayed in their lifetime is; the case where they threw their usual tantrums again, and spoke against God, and fiery serpents began to bite them. Then they cried to God again, and He asked Moses to make a serpent of brass and set it upon a pole, such that everyone who gets bitten by the snakes would look up to that serpent on the pole and live! The serpent being put up signified Jesus on the cross, where the world would look to him and live! Jesus also confirmed this Himself in, John Chapter 3. It preceded the famous John 3:16.

John 3:14-16

“[14] And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

[15] That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

[16] For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (KJV)

So you see, when studying the scriptures, you should look beyond the surface, and dig deeper, deeper into God’s heart. Before studying any book, chapter or verse of the Bible at all, ask the Spirit of God for guidance and understanding such that you begin to interpret them in the right way, using the right approach. So also, harm yourself with materials to help your study life. Materials like messages, books, tapes, and so on, that explicitly and simply simplifies the scriptures. Having Bible knowledge is very important and essential to a believer. Memorizing, and letting the Word dwell in you richly will do more good to you. I’ve heard it before, and I’ve tested and proven it that the Bible is the best literary piece you’ll ever lay hands on. It is God-written through the hands of men!