Because of unfaithfulness, Israel missed all that God had prepared for them when they came out of Egypt.
But what had God prepared for them? Where did He want to take them when he took them out of Egypt?
Read it in the song of their triumphant faith at the Red Sea,--the song of Moses, the servant of God: (Exodus 15)
(a) 13 You in your mercy have led forth the people which You have redeemed: You have guided them in your strength unto your holy habitation.
(b) 17 You shall bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of your inheritance...
(c) 17 ...in the place, O Lord, which You have made for You to dwell in...
(d) 17 ...in the Sanctuary, O Lord, which your hands have established.
What sanctuary is it which the Lord's hands have established? Answer: "We have such a high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man." (Hebrews 8:1-2)
Our High Priest, the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus, is at the right hand of the throne in heaven. In that place, in heaven, He is a minister. He is there a minister of the sanctuary. This sanctuary in heaven, of which Christ is minister, "the Lord pitched." This, then, is the sanctuary, and the only one, which His "hands have established."
And He designed to bring Israel unto the sanctuary which His "hands have established." But the only sanctuary which His hands have established is the one in heaven. Therefore, it is perfectly plain that the Lord designed to bring Israel unto the place of the sanctuary in heaven, the only one which His hands have established.
Again: He was to bring them to the place He has made for himself to dwell in, to the mountain of His INHERITANCE, to His holy habitation. And it was Christ who was their Leader. Where, then, is the place of His inheritance? Answer: "Unto the angels has He not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak. But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that you are mindful of him? ... You made him a little lower than the angels; you crowned him with glory and honor, and did set him over the works of your hands: You have put all things in subjection under his feet; ... But now we see not all things put under him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels." (Hebrews 2:5-9)
That is to say, God has not put the world to come in subjection to the angels, but He has put it in subjection to man; and Jesus Christ is the Man. Therefore, "the world to come,"--this world made new,--this is the inheritance of Christ. He is the Seed to whom the promise of the inheritance was made. This is the place of His holy habitation. This is the place which He has made for Him to dwell in; for when the new earth is seen, it is said: "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them." (Revelation 21:3)
This, then, is the place to which God designed to bring Israel when He brought them out of Egypt. This is what Israel missed by their unfaithfulness. This is what they lost by their unbelief. "Wherefore, take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God, for this same thing is set before you. But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin." (Hebrews 3:12-13)
When the word of the Lord came to the children of Israel to forsake Egypt, they obeyed: but at the Red Sea, at the waters of Marah, and at many other places it is easy to see that while they were bodily out of Egypt, their hearts were still there. So today, the Lord has called you and me out from the world. Nominally, we have obeyed this call; but the hearts of many are right where they were. Just as surely as the longing of the Israelites for the "leeks and onions" and "flesh-pots" of Egypt was the cause of their destruction in the wilderness, so now, unless all is surrendered,--unless we forsake everything, cut loose from every earthly entanglement, and place ourselves and all that we are, body, soul, and spirit, on God's side,--we shall never enter the promised land, which is just before us.--Advent Review, November 1, 1898--Original title: Editorial Note--Exodus 15:13-17.
A.T. Jones