In our previous study, we discussed Jesus’ baptism, where a voice from heaven identified him as God’s Son. Moreover, we saw that Jesus understood his baptism, as his anointing by the Lord for the task before him, vis-à-vis his labor as Messiah, Suffering Servant and King/the return of God to his people. Indeed, if God had returned to his people, it seems logical that an Exodus of the Lord’s people out of their then present state[1] would be required. If the word of God interprets Jesus’ death as a new Exodus, how should we perceive this idea in life? In other words, as a follower of Jesus, how am I able to experience this Exodus and all that it implies in my walk with Jesus, today?
Consider for a moment what occurred in the Garden of Eden. God told Adam he could eat anything in the Garden, except the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil (Genesis 2:16-17). Many have interpreted this as God waiting for mankind to screw up once and then cast him out of the Garden, but this isn’t so. How do we know? When the tempter came in Genesis 3, Eve defended her position, saying they couldn’t eat of the Tree of Knowledge, nor could they TOUCH it, lest they die. We know this is false, because God never mentioned anything about touching the tree. Nevertheless, Eve thought it was true, and Adam, who was with her (Genesis 3:6) didn’t correct her, even though we know, he wasn’t deceived (1Timothy 2:14). Why did Eve believe, if she touched the tree, she would die? The only reply is she was “taught” a lie. In other words, Adam lied to Eve about the Tree! Imagine that! Adam lied, but he wasn’t cast out of the Garden for lying. In fact, nothing is said in the Garden that it would be wrong to lie. What can we say about this?
It seems the Lord placed a difference between regular sin/failure and eating the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge. How, then, should we understand the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge? It is rebellion! Rebellion has independence as its end. Rebels, by their very nature, have lost trust in the present government, and therefore wish to be free of its authority. Adam and Eve didn’t trust God’s authority. They wished to figure out right and wrong by themselves and didn’t believe they needed God to teach them what was good and what wasn’t.
In our present context, Israel rebelled, and broke their Covenant with God. God cast them out of the Land of Promise, but promised to make things right in a New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34). He promised to return to them (Malachi 3:1), but in their present state, who would be able to endure his Presence (Malachi 3:2). Nevertheless, the Lord promised to purify his people and cause their works to be pleasing to God (Malachi 3:3-4).
In their present state, the people of God were dead, as far as a Covenant relationship with God was concerned (Ephesians 2:1). They had broken their Covenant with him, and had no right to cause God to be merciful and receive them again. Yet, God is by nature merciful, and promised to return to them and receive them back. Nevertheless, this hadn’t occurred, since the city and the Temple were destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar, who also removed the prominent and ruling classes to Babylon. Yet, even though a remnant had returned to the land and rebuilt the city and the Temple, nothing is said in the scriptures that God returned with them to the Temple.
It became necessary, then, for the return of God (Malachi 3:1; John 1:1, 14) to rescue Israel from its death. Death, itself, had to be conquered, and an Exodus out of death had to occur for a New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31) to exist. This was an impossible task for figures like Judah the Hammer, Simon bar-Giora or Simon the Star. They died and were unable to conquer death. They were unable to prove that death couldn’t hold them, but Jesus did prove he was able to conquer death (Acts 2:24; cp. John 12:34). As the scripture says: “He disarmed the rulers and the authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in the cross” (Colossians 2:15). Moreover, “He ascended up on high and led captivity captive and gave gifts to men” (Ephesians 4:8). Thus, not only did Jesus face death and conquer the same, but he led his people out of death, out of rebellion from God, out of a broken Covenant and into a New Covenant relationship (Jeremiah 31:31), out of the dead creation without God, and into the New Creation in the Messiah (2Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15; Ephesians 2:10).
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[1] If Israel broke the Covenant, requiring a New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34), this would require the return of God to lead his people out of their then present oppressive state (a new Exodus), a wilderness experience and the receiving of new promises or, at least, reinstating the old promises. A broken Covenant demands a change in status or a restating that the old status is still valid. A broken Covenant puts all things in a state of uncertainty. The only certainty that existed in the state the Jews were in after the Babylonian exile is, God’s promise, through his prophet, that he would not cast off his people forever (Jeremiah 31:37).
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