THE NEW EXODUS

Michael F. Blume

© 2001 Michael F. Blume

All Rights Reserved

Exodus 1:7-14 

Exodus 3:1-4 

(1) Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb. (2) And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. (3) And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. (4) And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.

Exodus 3:7-8 

(7) And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; (8) And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.

COMPARE THE ABOVE PATTERN OF THOUGHT WITH...

 

Revelation 1:9-13 

(9) I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. (10) I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, (11) Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. (12) And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; (13) And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.

Revelation 1:18  

(18) I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

John wrote several of the New Testament Books.

•  Gospel of John

•  1,2,3 Epistles of John

•  Revelation

 

His Gospel and first Epistle read begin much like the book of Genesis.

 

Genesis 1:1 

(1) In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

John 1:1 

(1) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

1 John 1:1 

(1) That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;

Each of these books begin with a reference to the "Beginning."  And if you continue reading each reference, you will see that they also speak about the light.  We know that Jesus is that Light!  John's Gospel also speaks of a series of days in the first two chapters as does Genesis.

 

John spoke of the New Genesis.  The beginning of the New Genesis involved the coming of the true Light, Jesus Christ.  New creatures would be made in this new Genesis.  It involved a New Covenant.  But his book of Revelation does not speak of the New Genesis but of the New Exodus.  As in the first Exodus of Israel from Egypt, where Israel was persecuted and in bondage beneath Egypt, John begins Revelation by speaking of the Church, including himself, in persecution.  In fact, John informs his readers that he was in the Isle of Patmos due to persecution!

 

And Moses is called to deliver Israel at the scene of a burning bush, out which The Great I Am spoke to him.  John likewise is shown the burning candlestick that any student of the Bible knows is in the shape of an almond tree, with six branches and a main stem.

 

Exodus 3:14 

(14) And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.

The pattern is the same in Exodus and Revelation!

 

John hears Jesus call Himself the I AM.

 

Revelation 1:11 

(11) Saying, I AM Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: ...

Revelation 1:18  

(18) I AM he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

It is interesting to note that "I am that I am" refers to Him who was and is and is to come.  The eternal one.  Jesus used that title in Revelation 1:18.

 

So John sent word to the seven churches in Asia Minor who were beneath persecution of Jerusalem and its priests and Christ-rejecting Judaists.  John was told that an Exodus would shortly come to pass!

 

Revelation 1:1 

(1) The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:

After Moses saw the burning bush, as John saw the burning tree, Moses soon saw the Exodus of Israel from Egypt.  The Church was about to enjoy the New Exodus from the persecuting Jerusalem and Rome.

 

In Exodus 6, God gave the seven "I wills" of God, showing God's perfect (seven) will.

 

Exodus 6:6-8 

(6) Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments: (7) And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. (8) And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for an heritage: I am the LORD.

In other words, to learn what the perfect will of God for your life is, simply realize that God initiates the work in that will for you.  God is the strength, God is the author and finisher.  Israel failed to enter Canaan because they lost sight of the fact that God would perform the work through them against the fearsome Canaanites, so Israel need not fear defeat.

 

The church was going to have to know that God is in control and that the great tribulation to come upon Jerusalem would bring no harm to the church, and that the troubles up until that day would likewise not destroy the church, God was with that persecuted Church!  He was in their midst, as the vision of the Lord in the midst of the candlesticks proved, for the candlesticks were the churches.  He will run the show.  He is in control.

 

This was very relevant to Moses, in his burning bush confrontation,  since Moses previously took on all of Egypt himself and failed miserably.  Moses was shown that he is a branch and God is the instigator of the victory through Moses.  If we can see that in any trouble we have today, we will always overcome!

 

The message is still the same to the church today!  Worry not over your trials.  God is in your midst!  You shall overcome if you trust in Him.

 

John was shown this same picture to give this message to the persecuted churches of the time that they might likewise see this and win.  We require a revelation of Jesus Christ in any troublous situation, because when we see Him like this, we will see ourselves as branches abiding in Him.  And we shall overcome through faith!

 

John was their companion in tribulation.

 

Revelation 1:9 

(9) I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

"Im am in it with you, too, church.  You are in the midst of persecution headquartered in Jerusalem where the Jews forced the hand of Rome against you.  But I am here on Patmos ("my killing").  And I have a revelation to share with you concerning all of your sufferings.  Very soon you're coming out of it all.  I just saw the burning bush!"

 

Compare the following:

 

Exodus 3:3 

(3) And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.

Revelation 1:10-12 

(10) I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, (11) Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. (12) And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;

Both of these men actually turned around to see this vision!  Surely God is directing us to understand that an Exodus of sorts is about to occur in the context of Revelation.

 

The seven branches on the candlestick were the seven troubled and persecuted churches in Asia Minor.  You see, God was showing them that they were the light of the world, finding their source of light in Jesus Himself, who was in their midst!  And they were being persecuted.  God did not want the bushel of persecution covering the light of the Church.  He wanted the Church to shine forth to all the world.  And as God set Israel free to journey to Canaan and establish them as His Kingdom on Earth so as to bring Christ into this world for salvation, He was about to set the Church free from the persecution of Jerusalem to shine forth the Lord in all His glory from out of their midst!

 

God showed Abraham the same same picture of the burning bush but described it as such:

 

Genesis 15:13-17 

(13) And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; (14) And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance. (15) And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age. (16) But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full. (17) And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces.

A burning lamp was seen in the darkness of persecution and bondage.  Israel would come out of the trouble as the nation enslaving them would be destroyed.  The burning bush of Moses was foretold to be a burning lamp. And this connects us to John's visions where He saw the seven burning lamps of the candlestick as follows:

 

Revelation 4:5 

(5) And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.

These lamps are the candlesticks, or the churches! Branches of the Lord.

 

John 15:5 

(5) I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

Truly, we need a revelation of Jesus when times get hard.

 

Romans 16:19-20 

(19) For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil.  (20) And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

The church was being persecuted during the writings of Romans.  And Paul applied the truths of the victory of Jesus on the cross, as foretold in Genesis 3:15, to the situation where they would have to see this victory they held in Christ through the cross and overcome their persecution in a New Exodus Victory!

 

The entire Book of Revelation concerns the need for God's Church to see themselves in victory in Christ, that they might overcome the heavy persecution of Jerusalem in that early day, while God  would destroy Jerusalem.  And we can glean faith and victory from this same book today whenever we are in tribulation, for their victory through faith in being In Him is there for us as well.

 

1 John 5:4 

(4) For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

The persecuted Apostolics of pre-70 AD days were about to experience an Exodus par excellence!

 

Isaac was weaned and grew to be able to feed himself.  It was no coincidence that at that very celebration, Ishmael jealously mocked Isaac and caused an uproar.  It was then that Ishmael and his mother were thrown out of the household, and Isaac was freed from the pressure to flourish and grow in the home.

 

Likewise the elder brother of flesh, persecuting Jerusalem, was oppressing the Church.  And after the truths of Christ were made known to the Church through the ministries of the Apostles before 70 AD, the bondwoman and her son were dealt with by God, Himself.  Paul referred to the near day when God would end the persecution against the church and deliver the Church into freedom as follows:

 

Galatians 4:25-30 

(25) For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.  (26) But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.  (27) For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband. (28) Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. (29) But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. (30) Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.

The persecuting bondwoman and her son would be cast out soon!

 

Jerusalem was even called Egypt in Revelation.

 

Revelation 11:8 

(8) And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

An Exodus occurred in both Egypt and Sodom.  Sodom, of course, was the wicked city where Lot lived, and from which Lot experienced an Exodus, also!

 

The angel of death was about to destroy Jerusalem and the church would escape in glorious Exodus!

 

That is the reason we read the following allusion to the Exodus of old in Revelation.

 

Revelation 5:6-10 

(6) And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. (7) And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. (8) And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of saints. (9) And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; (10) And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

Exodus 12 shows how the blood of the lamb that was stricken on doorways would turn the Hebrew homes into places of refuge from the wrath to hit Egypt.  Because blood was placed on a doorway, we see that the thought of entrance and a place of indwelling is emphasized.

 

John 10:9 

(9) I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

Jesus is the door.  He was smitten and stricken for our salvation.

 

Exodus 12:22 

(22) And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the basin; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning.

Isaiah 53:4 

(4) Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

And we must abide in Christ, as inside the door that was struck and embloodened.  Hyssop was the instrument used to strike blood on the doors, and is referred to as the smallest of trees as follows:

 

1 Kings 4:33 

(33) And he spake of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall: he spake also of beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes.

Hyssop is the smallest of trees.  It is therefore likened to faith that is considered as the smallest of seeds, yet able to spring forth into the greatest of trees.  The key is that our faith must be locked onto our position in Christ, that we might overcome any trial including persecution and its bondage.

 

By faith we must see ourselves in Christ as more than conquerors!

 

Exodus 12:22 

(22)  ...and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning.

We must stay within Christ in a position of faith until we see the light of the victory and spiritual Egypt is smashed!

 

John saw the resurrected Christ when he saw the following:

 

Revelation 5:6 

(6) And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.

A lamb as it had been slain, but standing!  Resurrection!

 

Revelation 5:9 

(9) And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;

These were redeemed by the Lord!  They were kings and priests.

 

Revelation 5:10 

(10) And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

This is the church!

 

Revelation 1:5-6 

(5) And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, (6) And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Notice the typology in the following:

 

Exodus 13:12-14 

(12) That thou shalt set apart unto the LORD all that openeth the matrix, and every firstling that cometh of a beast which thou hast; the males shall be the LORD'S. (13) And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck: and all the firstborn of man among thy children shalt thou redeem. (14) And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What is this? that thou shalt say unto him, By strength of hand the LORD brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage:

As strange as it may sound, amongst all the animals sacrificed, the ass had the privilege of being redeemed by the blood of a lamb, showing the thought that Israel was redeemed by God out of Egypt's bondage.  But it is clearly understood when you realize that an ass is a beast of burden, and Israel was beneath the burden of slavery.  Deliverance is salvation!

 

Luke 9:27 

(27) But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God.

The people standing there listening to Jesus would see the kingdom!

 

Then we read:

 

Luke 9:28-31 

(28) And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray.  (29) And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering. (30) And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias: (31) Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem.

The Greek term used from which "decease" was translated is "exodos"!  It was His departing!

 

His death in Jerusalem was the Exodus for us from any trial we may ever experience!  You will have an Exodus out of any problem you ever enter into so long as you apply the blood of Jesus' death to your life!

 

We see a grand display of an exodus in Revelation 12.

 

A woman is paining to be delivered.  The man-child must be born, revealed and manifested.  The devil seeks to devour the child.

 

Revelation 12:1-4 

(1) And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: (2) And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. (3) And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. (4) And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.

A deliverer was to come to Israel in Egypt.  But Pharaoh sought to slay every man child to obstruct his coming.

 

Exodus 1:16 

(16) And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live.

Exodus 1:22 

(22) And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.

The same occurred at Christ's birth.

 

Matthew 2:16 

(16) Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.

Moses and Jesus slipped through and both went into the heart of Egypt, itself!

 

Exodus 2:5-6 

(5) And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river's side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it. (6) And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews' children.

Matthew 2:13-14 

(13) And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. (14) When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:

We then read that the man-child ascended to the throne, similarly as Moses ascended to the throne in Egypt.

 

Revelation 12:5 

(5) And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.

Jesus later died and ascended to the throne of God.  Now, this is where the issue of 70 AD comes into play 40 years later.  The death of Christ and His ascension are intrinsically linked to our victory over trouble and bondage of persecution.

 

Moses attempted to free Israel and it was not until 40 years after Moses' rejection of the throne and his independent attempt to liberate Israel, that only ended in his defeat, that God used Him to deliver Israel from Egypt.  Now, Jesus did not independently find defeat when He ascended to the throne.  But Jesus did ascend, and forty years later came the time for the Church's Exodus from Jerusalem.  The time periods are the same in the Exodus of Moses and the Church.

 

Israel escaped Egypt when the blood of the lamb gave them victory while it brought wrath of death upon Egypt.

 

Revelation 12:6 

(6) And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.

Israel went into the wilderness in Exodus.  She would be there for the precise same time that the siege against Jerusalem took place - 3.5 years.  Time came to judge the Egypt of Jerusalem, and free the church in a new Exodus!   Just as in Egypt, Satan frantically tried stopping the church.

 

Revelation 12:7-12 

(7) And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, (8) And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. (9) And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. (10) And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. (11) And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. (12) Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

They overcame by the blood of the lamb.  They utilized the truths of the cross in their confrontation with the persecution from Jerusalem and they overcame!  Let this be an example to us of ever looking to the blood for victory!  We may be going through troubles some 2000 years after Christ shed that blood, but that blood still gives us victory today!  We still overcome by the blood of the Lamb!

 

Revelation 5 showed us the victory of Christ's sacrifice and resurrection (Rev.5:6), and indicated how it affects us to reign as kings and to minister as priests (Rev. 5:9-10).  The persecuted Church of pre-70 AD times had to know how to experience Exodus out of any situation by looking back to the blood of the sacrifice of Christ as their means of victory.

 

Why the blood?  Why the sacrifice?

 

We were baptized into the death of Christ, which is represented by the blood.  And that experience caused us to remain in Christ and be buried and risen with him to ascend and be seated above all powers.  Since we linked with the Lord at the point of our baptism into His death, we therefore see that reference to the victory through the blood is simply a reference to the embodiment of all truths pertaining to our positions in Christ due to that baptism into His death.
 

Daniel tells us that war ensued also with Michael, in a time of trouble such as never was.

 

Daniel 12:1 

(1) And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.

This time of trouble is what Jesus spoke of in Matthew 24.

 

Matthew 24:21-22 

(21) For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. (22) And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.

Matthew 24 links this to 68-70 AD when Jerusalem was destroyed by Rome and the church escaped in a New Exodus.

 

Matthew 24:15-21 

(15) When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) (16) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: (17) Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: (18) Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. (19) And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! (20) But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: (21) For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

Notice that an Exodus is mentioned amongst the reference to a time of trouble such as never has been.  Revelation speaks of that Exodus, and the warfare of Michael in chapter 12 of that Exodus connects us to Daniel 12's reference to Michael's warfare, where we read of a time of trouble such as never has been.

 

Pharaoh went mad after Israel left, and demanded that the armies of Egypt pursue Israel and haul them back into slavery.

 

Exodus 14:5-8 

(5) And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us? (6) And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him: (7) And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them. (8) And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with an high hand.

Compare with:

 

Revelation 12:13 

(13) And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.

 Pharaoh was defeated by the plagues upon his kingdom, and salvation came to Israel.

 

The church had to come to a place of faith in those days of Jerusalem's persecution, that they might overcome and be the light to all the world that they were meant to be.  That is the reason that God showed John the vision of the Lord in the candlesticks.  The branches were the Church.  We're kings and priests by the blood, so we must apply that blood to our troubles and get the victory that kings and priests should enjoy!

 

You see, it was woman against woman.

 

Galatians 4:21-26 

(21) Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? (22) For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. (23) But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. (24) Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.  (25) For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. (26) But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

Paul taught that Jerusalem of his time was corresponding to the Hagar/Law of Moses.  It was Mount Sinai Judaism.  Law of Moses was intended to be a schoolmaster to bring Jews to Christ, but their rejection of Christ made them the child of the Jerusalem of Hagar, the bondwoman.  The Church, on the other hand, was of their mother the Jerusalem which is above - Spiritual Jerusalem.  New Jerusalem, in contrast to the Old Jerusalem.

 

The former mother of Abraham's first son, Ishmael, was Hagar.  And she was only intended to be a handmaid.  She was never intended to be the rival of Abraham's wife, Sarah.  And the children of this spiritual Hagar were the Jews persecuting the Church, while the Isaac, son of Sarah, was the company of Christians.

 

Galatians 4:28-30 

(28) Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. (29) But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. (30) Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.

Genesis 21:8-10 

(8) And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned. (9) And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking. (10) Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.

Time came for Hagar and her son to go.  68-70 AD would be that time.  They would be removed from hindering the church any further.

The church received the message from John, and their faith was manifested as they saw themselves in Christ, and realized who they were as a result.  They prayed down the wrath of God upon Jerusalem.

 

See the prayers:

 

Revelation 6:9-10 

(9) And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: (10) And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?

Revelation 8:3-5 

(3) And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.  (4) And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand. (5) And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.

Overall, the entire inception of the New Covenant was the revelation of Jesus Christ.  There were those who still clung to Law and persecuted the Church who accepted Christ.  Jerusalem and her children of Law had to be removed so that the Church could progress. Hence, Exodus.

 

So, Pharaoh chased after Israel.

 

Revelation 12:14 

(14) And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.

When the devil sought to retake the people of the Church and hold them in bondage, the woman received eagle's wings to escape.  This is the church's faith manifested.  The believers realized their union to Christ and learned from John's letter.  John foretold that this would occur in this twelfth chapter of Revelation.  They took flight by exerting faith in what the Word said who they were. They recalled Jesus' words about fleeing Jerusalem when they saw her encompassed about with armies.

 

Notice God's words to Israel after they escaped Pharaoh's clutches at the Red Sea.

 

Exodus 19:4 

(4) Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself.

They received Eagle's wings, just like this woman in Revelation 12, after Pharaoh was clearly defeated by the lamb's blood, in correspondence to the victory for the Church through the blood of the lamb in Rev 12:11.

 

Revelation 12:15 

(15) And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.

But Pharaoh was daunted.  He saw the Red Sea open up and Israel flee like a woman with eagle's wings from his grasp.  So he set out to send his armies through the Red Sea to once again seize the Hebrews.

 

Exodus 14:23 

(23) And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.

Egypt's flood of soldiers were vomited out after the Hebrews.  But look what God did next!

 

Exodus 14:24-28 

(24) And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the LORD looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians, (25) And took off their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the LORD fighteth for them against the Egyptians.  (26) And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen. (27) And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.  (28) And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them.

Read the corresponding words in Revelation.

 

Revelation 12:16 

(16) And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.

Notice the words of Moses' song describing this very event when the soldiers were drowned.

 

Exodus 15:12 

(12) Thou stretchedst out thy right hand, the earth swallowed them.

This is precisely the same terms used in Revelation 12!

 

We then read in Revelation 13 that 3.5 years ensued, but the church was sealed from the wrath.

 

Revelation 13:5 

(5) And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.

Like blood on the doorways of Egypt, saving the Hebrews, before the wrath of God came upon Egypt,  we read this:

 

Revelation 7:3 

(3) Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.

John "heard" a representative number depicting the church as follows:

 

Revelation 7:4 

(4) And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.

Then he "saw" or "beheld" the actual number.

 

Revelation 7:9 

(9) After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

And he heard them cry this:

 

Revelation 7:10 

(10) And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.

Salvation!  Deliverance!  The Church made it through in victory!

 

Revelation 7:14 

(14) And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

After this, the Beast destroys the harlot who rode atop him to persecute the church, as Rome destroyed Jerusalem after being used by Jerusalem to persecute the church.

 

Revelation 17:16 

(16) And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.

It was God's coming against Jerusalem, since we read the following:

 

Revelation 17:17 

(17) For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.

Since it was God's will being fulfilled in destroying Jerusalem, it is in effect God coming against Jerusalem in wrath.  Thus we read that Jesus came in wrath, the wrath of the lamb, when Rome destroyed Jerusalem.

 

The church was then free to be the light she was born to be!  After Rome smashed Jerusalem, the church flourished.  It was the burning bush it was called to be.  True branches of Christ.

 

People, we must realize that we are always in bondage without a revelation of Jesus Christ and who we are in Him.  When you get that revelation, God will reveal Himself through you, and no Babylon-spirit of Egypt or persecuting Jerusalem will ever hold you down!

 

Jesus went into the Holiest of Holies upon His ascension into glory, and he took the sealed mystery and opened up the Gospel hidden from the foundation of the world.  But 70 AD came, and it was high time for the church to shine forth and to silence Jerusalem and cease the Pharisees' and chief rulers' persecution.  The bondwoman and her son had continued for forty years after they killed Jesus to persecute the Church.  Hagar and Ishmael hurt the Sarah and Isaac of the church.  But what saith the scriptures?  "Cast out the bondwoman and her son!"  And that time arrived!  Jerusalem was going down!  The devil-possessed city was to be destroyed.

 

Revelation 10:10-11 

(10) And I took the little book out of the angel's hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter. And he said unto me, (11) Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.

The Church would now proceed and be the light to the entire world!  She would prophesy to all nations and peoples, just as Jesus first told them.

 

Luke 24:45-49 

(45) Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, (46) And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: (47) And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. (48) And ye are witnesses of these things. (49) And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

Only one message was told to be preached to all the world.  Acts 2:38!  Repentance and remission of sins in Jesus' name.  Compare the above scriptures with the following!

 

Acts 2:38 

(38) Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

If you suffer any form of bondage that hinders your testimony from shining forth, realize who you are by seeing a revelation of Jesus Christ, and you in Him, and enjoy a New Exodus every time!

 

Michael F. Blume is a a minister with Rightly Dividing the Word. He is senior pastor at Breath of Life Church, Portage la Prairie, MB. His website’s address is: www.mikeblume.com