Book #2

Pattern 1 ‘Prophetic Theatre’

In order to get started we will have to get used to ‘Prophetic Theatre.’  This occurs many times in the Old Testament and it is to directly speak of God’s saving plan through Messiah.  To get to grips with this we need to see what God intended for ‘Israel.’  I am going to use the term ‘Israel’ and apply it to ‘God’s chosen people’ or ‘The Promised Land.’  Israel were captive in Egypt under the regime of Pharaoh.  They were daily subjected to slavery under the Egyptian taskmasters.  They made them construct their grand buildings and serve the Egyptians.  Exodus tells us that the Hebrew nation I am calling ‘Israel’ for simplicity, grew in numbers. 

We will examine the life of Moses later but to illustrate pattern 1 I will use broad brushstrokes.  This pattern is well known but must be underlined to set the Prophetic Theatre of the rest of the patterns.  Moses led Israel out from Egypt and into the desert.  The intent was for them to make a journey of a couple of weeks to the Promised Land.  They faltered and wandered in the desert for 40 years.  Paul tells us in 1 Cor 10 that ‘these things occurred’ as examples for us.  This is ‘Prophetic Theatre.’  God led Israel so we could see the errors and successes.  Paul tells us that their unbelief was the problem and a generation died.  This Prophetic Theatre extends to all of Israel’s journey.

In these Patters we are observing Egypt always stands for ‘the fallen world.’  Pharaoh is always Satan and the taskmasters is ‘sin.’  We are born into this world, Satan’s domain since the fall.  We are born into the slave market of sin.  Since Genesis 3:15 God has planned to solve this problem with ‘the seed of the woman.’   This strange reference simply means that one will come not born of ‘Adam.’ Everyone who comes after Adam has a sinful nature so one has to come not from the loins of Man. We can now see the vital component that the Virgin Birth is.  Academics have tried to say the Passage in Isaiah 7:14 does not have to mean virgin but Matthew 1:23 uses ‘parthenos’ which can only mean ‘virgin.’  The Holy Spirit impregnated Mary and this is why the term ‘the seed of the woman’ is used in Genesis.

The picture of Moses leading Israel across the Red Sea is ‘salvation.’  We see the Passover instituted as a yearly feast and the blood of the innocent lamb smeared across the doors of the Israelites. ‘The blood of the Lamb sets the people free from the Judgement of death’  This is typology, a foreshadowing of what was to come in Messiah.  Then the nation is in the desert.  Here they have many incidents where they needed faith and obedience in order to get where they were going, to the Promised Land.  The desert is a place where we need faith and obedience.  If you are in a spiritual desert, this is what you are being schooled in.  Be faithful in these times… it is heading for a really good place.

This good place is the Promised Land.  This is when we can come to rest in the Lord.  We have learned that faith and obedience is what we need to walk with God and he will lead us when we co-operate with this.   Each stage of the journey has a wealth of stories, lessons and examples as they walk out this purposed leading of God.  Can you see how this was all arranged for us to draw from?  It is the Grace of God who wants us to walk well as believers and sets up history to aid us. 

We have seen Paul refer to this pattern and the author of Hebrews tells us the Promised Land speaks of ‘rest’ in chapters 3 and 4.  The pattern just fits:

Egypt – The World

Pharaoh – Satan

Taskmasters – sin

Red Sea – Salvation

Desert – Choose faith and obedience

Promised Land – A place of rest

To conclude this initial pattern and move onto some more less obvious patterns consider this:

God used the same date on occasions throughout history –

1.     Nissan 17, Noah’s Ark safely rested on Mt. Ararat (Gen 8:4) Note that the seventh month was later designated as the first month at the time of the Exodus (Ex. 12:2).

2.    Nissan 17, Hebrews entered Egypt (Exo 12:40-41) 430 years before deliverance.

3.    Nissan 17, Moses led the Israelites through the Parting of the Red Sea (Exo 3:18, 5:3)

4.    Nissan 17, Israel entered and ate the first fruit of the Promised Land (Joshua 5:10-12)

5.    Nissan 17, The cleansing of  the Temple by Hezekiah (eight hundred years after entering the promised land. (2 Chronicles 29:1-28)

6.    Nissan 17, Queen Esther saved the Jews from Elimination (Esther 3:12, 5:1)

7.    Nissan 17, The Resurrection of Messiah

If this was to get our attention then it worked!  Between the dates are significant times that we need to be watching for significance.  It can be said that meaning is imposed upon Scripture but it is not Man doing the imposing!  We can only look and observe the way God has arranged history and observe the Prophetic Theatre that lies plain to see.  I have no problem that God, after the Flood Judgement, began the process of using his chosen nation I am calling ‘Israel’ to lead up to Messiah and the central event of all history, the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 

How does this help us connect with the Glorified Lord?  Well, we have a road map for starters! Where are you in the journey?  Are you still in the slave market of sin?  Are you still in Adam, fallen and needing the blood of the Lamb to escape Judgement?  You need to follow the rescuer over the ‘Red Sea’ into the ‘desert’ of faith and obedience.  This is faith and obedience to Christ who says ‘follow me.’ Are you a believer who experiences dry desert times in the faith?  Don’t rush to the manifestation churches to fill the gap!  Just continue to walk in faithful obedience to the Lord.  He will lead you and it doesn’t last forever.  You are being schooled in faithfulness. 

Are you in the Promised Land, at rest?  This means you have completely understood that the Lord is all.  You have entrusted everything to the Lord and are experiencing the presence of God as you journey with him.  Here you may be used by God.   It’s entirely possible also that your life is about being a good husband, wife and parent.  Don’t assume we must all be in ‘the ministry.’ It is ordinary lives lived with love joy and peace that impacts people.  That said, if you are genuinely sent by the Lord to do something… just do it.  All the provision will be there as God has gone before you… just like he did for all those who trusted him in the Bible.  

Just like those faithful ones who were in the Promised Land, we are waiting for Messiah! They waited for the first coming and we are waiting for the second coming.  Faithfulness is how we are assessed by Jesus.  This is linked directly to our reward.  Let’s get with the program and calibrate ourselves to the Lord.