BAPTIZED IN THE RED SEA

Some Thoughts by

Gary Ray Branscome

Brethren, I do not want you to be unaware of the fact that all of our fathers were… baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea.

(1Corinthians 10:1-2)

In the verse just quoted Paul is drawing a parallel between the deliverance of the children of Israel from the power of Pharaoh and our deliverance from the power of Satan. His point is not that crossing the Red Sea was an actual immersion, but that it was a type of baptism. The sea never covered the Israelites! On the contrary, they walked through the Red Sea on dry ground. And, the cloud was a cloud of smoke, not a cloud of water droplets (compare Ex. 13:21 with Is. 4:5). Therefore, we need to look beyond the water to understand what Paul is saying, and the parallel he draws is between God’s deliverance of the children of Israel from physical bondage, and our deliverance from spiritual bondage. Of that deliverance R.C.H. Lenski writes:

“As for the cloud, this moved behind the Israelites, its function being to separate them from the Egyptians. No water from the cloud or from the sea was applied to the Israelites. It was likewise the function of the sea to separate.

What happened in the case of the Israelites is thus analogous to what happens through baptism in our case. In both instances there is water. In the type, the cloud and the sea separate the Israelites from the Egyptians. In baptism we are separated from the world. Secondly, the type shows a unification — Israel was henceforth a separate and sacred body, set apart for God alone. So baptism now unites all the baptized into one body that belongs wholly to God.” [Lenski’s commentary on First and Second Corinthians, pages 390-391.]

In order to understand the type that is being spoken of, you need to understand 1)- that just as the children of Israel were held in physical bondage by Pharaoh; all who are lost are held in spiritual bondage by Satan. 2)- Just as the children of Israel were delivered from physical bondage through the death of the firstborn; we are delivered from spiritual bondage by the death of Christ. 3)- Just as Pharaoh and his armies chased after the Children of Israel, trying to bring them back into bondage; Satan and his demons chase after everyone who is newly saved, seeking to bring them back into bondage. 4)- Just as God protected the children of Israel from Pharaoh; He protects everyone who trusts in Him. And, 5)- Just as God placed the children of Israel out of Pharaoh’s reach by bringing them through the Red Sea; God places hedge of protection around all who are baptized according to His Word, thus placing them out of Satan’s reach (Job 1:10). And, after the children of Israel had crossed the Red Sea, their journey through the wilderness of sin is a type of our journey through this life on our way to the heavenly promised-land.

At this point, I want to make it clear that in the Bible, a “type” is not an exact copy. Instead it is something that (when viewed in a narrow window) gives us a prophetic picture. I need to emphasize that fact because one man I met argued that the land of Israel could not be a type of heaven because it was full of sinners. That man missed the whole point. The type is only found in the contrast between Israel (which at that time was a land of milk and honey) and the desert. That contrast gives us an idea of how much more glorious the new earth will be than the spiritual desert we live in.

Likewise, just as the children of Israel had to have faith that God would continue to hold back the waters as they walked through the sea; baptism is for us an act of faith, not a work. While Christ commanded His church to baptize converts He never commanded anyone to be baptized. Coming to baptism should be an act of faith on the part of those who come, not a work. When Peter said, “Repent, and be baptized,” he was answering a question, not giving a command, and the answer to a question is never imperative. Moreover, the words, “All the people, even the publicans, who heard John agreed with God, by being baptized… But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, by refusing to be baptized,” tell us that just as coming to baptism is an act of faith, a refusal to be baptized can be evidence of unbelief (Luke 7:29-30).

Paul went on to say, “And all ate the same spiritual food; and all drank the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ” (1Corinthians 10:3-4).

Here Paul compares the fact that God kept the children of Israel alive physically through heavenly manna and water from a rock; with the fact that in this world He keeps us alive spiritually by giving us the bread of life and the water of life through His Word. (See John 21:15-17, John 6:33 & 48, 1Corinthians 3:6, Matthew 4:4.)

Paul then followed those words with a warning to all church members who would twist the goodness of God into an excuse to sin, saying, “Nevertheless God was not pleased with most of them: for they were struck down in the desert. Now these things happened to warn us, that we should not set our hearts on evil things, as they did. Nor should you be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. Nor should we indulge in sexual immorality, as some of them did, and twenty three thousand died in one day. Nor should we tempt Christ, as some of them did, and were killed by snakes. Nor should you grumble, as some of them did, and were slain by the destroying angel. Now all of those things happened to them as a warning to us: and they were written for our instruction, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. Therefore let him who thinks that he is standing take heed lest he fall” (1Corinthians 10:5-12).

Conclusion

Those words of the Apostle Paul are a warning to anyone who would pervert the gospel into an excuse to sin (Hebrews 10:26-31). While it is true that just as God saves us by His grace He keeps us saved by His grace; It is also true that He keeps us saved by keeping us repentant, not by letting us sin (1Peter 1:5, Galatians 5:17). And, the words, “If anyone teaches otherwise, and will not agree with sound teaching, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the doctrine that is in accord with godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing… From such withdraw yourself,” tell us exactly how God wants us to react to anyone who contradicts or explains away those words of the Apostle Paul (1Timothy 6:3-5).