It was the morning after the passing-over of the firstborns in Egypt, Pharaoh having decided to let the Israelites go, that they gathered at Rameses (or Raamses) to start their journey toward the Canaan God had promised Abraham, Isaac and Jacob before them.

Rameses was one of their “treasure cities” Pharaoh had the Israelites build for him. Rameses was also the title of the Pharaoh of the oppression and it becomes a most fitting name for the city from which the Israelites were to start their journey toward the “Canaan of Rest.” The Egyptians were sun worshippers. Their sun god was Ra.

It is not surprising then, that this particular Pharaoh took unto himself the title “Rameses” which means “child of the sun.” And what a glorious light he himself was! (sic)

It was this “child of the sun” – Rameses II that had so enslaved the Children of Israel, that they cried for deliverance, and their God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, heard them and delivered them. So too, we have found, that the Pharaoh of our oppression, who had enslaved us and kept us in bondage, and caused us to build for his two great treasure cities bore a similar name, “Lucifer,” which means “light bearer” and who actually presented himself as an “angel of light.”

Perhaps most of the true Israelites of God, started their wilderness journey toward the heavenly Canaan from one or the other of the great treasure cities of Satan, which cities we have already suggested, more particularly might represent Protestantism, which would leave Pithom to represent Catholicism. Pithom is also identified with the sun, for the name signifies “the city of the God Tum (the setting sun).” The fact that Pithom is not mentioned together with Rameses as a starting point of this great wilderness journey, may have the significance that those of God’s true Israelites who had been enslaved in Catholicism, virtually became Protestants ere they began their journey, thus coming to Rameses.

Let it however be noted, that all who left Egypt, by way of Rameses, came under the effect of the Passover lamb while still in Egypt, and it was not so much the nine plagues, as it was the tenth, which brought deliverance. Let it further be noted, that Egypt does not merely represent these two church systems any more than these two cities were all of Egypt. Egypt more particularly represents the world, or “the kingdom of darkness and death” of which Pithom and Rameses (Catholicism and Protestantism) become these symbols of that which kept us, the true Israel, for a time so busily engaged, that no time could be found to think of the more weighty matters of deliverance and consecration. Nor was there aught that the enslaved could do. Deliverance from Egypt, was in the type accomplished by God, so too, antitypically, it is God, through his overruling providence and by way of the shed blood of the Passover Lamb, who brought about our deliverance, our redemption. Again, we would be reminded that even as the coming under the blood brought for Israel deliverance out of Egypt, but not necessarily into the promised land, so too is it with the antitypical Israel. Continued faith, in the God who had delivered them by way of the blood was the only surety they had to entry into the land of Canaan. The exercise of faith in the sprinkled blood, manifested when the Israelites sprinkled it upon their lintels and doorposts – was accounted by God as obedience. Failure to exercise this faith was accounted by God as disobedience. And though he remembered their frame, that they were but dust, and continued to strive with them for a while, their persistence to doubt, and to forget God, yea, the God of their deliverance, caused him in due time to cease his striving with them. It was then that God considered their doubt, their unbelief, their failure to remember – disobedience!

It was then that he turned them back, not into Egypt, but the “terrible wilderness” to die. Ah, dear friends, let us well remember the words of the Apostle Paul when he declared: “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are come.” (1 Cor. 10:11) Let us not presume upon God, nor count the things he had done for us ordinary and commonplace. Let us not take for granted that because he once dealt with us while we were yet in our sins, giving us deliverance through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, that he will continue to deal with us forevermore without us showing the least evidence of an increase in our appreciation and faith. A careful analysis of the matter will reveal to us the fact that the only way we have of showing our appreciation of what God has already done for us, is in the manifesting of faith. Undoubtedly this is what the apostle means when he says: “…without faith it is impossible to please him…” (Heb. 11:6) Is it reasonable to expect God to continue showering his blessings upon us if we do not use these as a means of strengthening our faith before, and in him?

We find that all the Israelites were ready to start for the Promised Land, ready to accept the redemption God was offering to them. Accordingly they met at Rameses, and journeyed to Succoth. Succoth means “booths,” and well sets forth the fact that their journey toward Canaan while giving to them liberty and freedom from servitude, was on the other hand calling for a self-denial of many of the conveniences and necessities which homes in Egypt supplied. No longer were they to enjoy the protection of houses with roofs over their heads until they had come into the Promised Land. There is in this also the suggestion that for the true Israelite of God, there is in his pilgrimage journey between Egypt and Canaan no city nor home which shall afford him protection from the rigors of the way, or the inclemency of the weather. The only protection he has is the “little booth” over which God watches (and He, God, neither slumbers nor sleeps) while faithfully he travels on in the way that his God shall direct. Heaven itself, is the protecting canopy over his head. Surely, he who thus exposes himself to the rigors of the desert, denying himself the protection of a home and roof over head, gives to God’s grace infinite room in which to work. This grace must not be hindered nor handicapped. If it is hindered, we suffer! An exposure to the elements thus becomes an exposure to God’s grace.

Take two plants of the same kind, let one be grown in the cellar, where light and fresh air are excluded, let the other be grown in the open garden. After a few weeks note the difference in the two plants. One will be healthy and strong, the other weak and frail. True, the plant in the cellar may be protected from the winds and the rains and the bad storms, but it doesn’t grow stronger because of this! On the other hand, the plant having no artificial protection, becomes strong in its struggles against the elements, being aided by that which the sun has provided by shining upon it.

To me, at least, Succoth, meaning “booths” gives the thought of exposure, inasmuch as a booth does not afford the natural protection against the elements that a house or home does. To the true Israelite, this “booth” life, must mean even as it does to the unprotected plant – exposure! But, as already suggested, this exposure while it is to the elements, is at the same time an exposure to God’s grace, and favor. This exposure, this homelessness of the saint of God, is what really makes him strong. Adverse winds coming upon a tree, will cause it to become stronger and stronger as it shoots its roots correspondingly deeper and deeper into the ground. Yet it must be borne in mind that it is the sunshine that really gives it its ability to withstand the storms. We too, grow strong through the resistance of all things evil, yet it is God by his Holy Spirit who gives us the ability to resist.

Now the zeal with which we started our pilgrimage, often does not last very long! It often carries us only to the very edge of the wilderness. So indeed was it with the typical Israelites: “and they departed from Succoth and pitched in Etham, which is in the edge of the wilderness.” (Num. 33:6) The Israelites seem first to have moved northward, then eastward to Etham where suddenly they are directed to turn southward. The most natural thing for them to have done, would have been to continue going eastward for then would they have come to the little fords which lie north of the Red Sea, which surely would have been much easier to cross, and more directly in line with Canaan their goal. This course, surely seemed most inconsistent for them to take, for instead of increasing the distance between themselves and the domain of Pharaoh, they were virtually shortening it, and further, they were increasing the barrier between themselves and the promised land. Yet this move was God-directed! How wonderful! The account reads: “And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham in the edge of the wilderness, and the Lord went before them… to lead them the way…” (Exod. 13:20-21)

To the Spiritual Israelites, there must be many of these Ethams, where God directs, not in the direction in which the flesh might expect to find greatest progress and least resistance, but in the very reverse direction, so that the demonstration of his grace and power may be the greater. We must not choose our own way, but must ever let God direct our course even though at times this course seems most hazardous. There is a way that seemeth right, but the end thereof is (not full and complete deliverance, but) death. (Prov. 14:12)

Of this may we be sure, that our natural tendencies, the way of the flesh will be to follow the line of least resistance. In this way God cannot be glorified, nor can our faith be demonstrated. It is easy enough to have faith (?) while we can see the farther shore, but when the fogs set in, and we cannot see, then it is that we must either fear, or exercise faith. When crossing New York Bay on the Staten Island Ferry Boat, a distance of about 4-½ miles, on a clear sunshiny day, one hardly ever gives a thought to the skill and the competency of the pilot. But when a thick split-pea soup fog sets in, and the old familiar land marks are no longer visible, perhaps it is then and only then, that we appreciate the pilot, and his ability to bring us safely to our desired haven of rest. What, under such circumstances could we possibly do? Absolutely nothing! All our uneasiness, our nervousness, our fearing and fretting, will not help a bit. We must stand by while the pilot brings us through. How true is this also of our spiritual journeyings. There are times when in the providences of God we can do nothing to extricate ourselves from difficult situations. At such times we must let go and let God! Our extremities are God’s opportunities. Just so did God bring the Israelites into an extremity. He changed their course at Etham and brought them down to Pi-hahiroth, which means, “where sedge grows.” Truly a place where according to the flesh, they would be entangled, a place where instead of finding their deliverance from Egypt complete, they found themselves in an apparently worse condition than when they first undertook the journey. Did they then remember the God who already had done so much for them? No! They murmured and cried. They saw only the Red Sea before them and the Egyptians behind them, but no way of escape!

How often have we, the spiritual Israel of God reached our extremity in the entangling sedges of a Pi-hahiroth, and found before us insurmountable obstacles, a Red Sea and a great mountain chain cutting off as it were every visible means of escape. How we feared and quaked the impending doom! Ah, but here comes God’s great opportunity. And so that we may learn the much needed lesson that deliverance is not of ourselves, the command comes to us as it did to Israel of old, “Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord!” (Exod. 14:13) If we but let him, he then and there becomes our Tower of Refuge, our tower of strength. How good it is, indeed, when we have lost ourselves in a woods and no longer know our way out, to suddenly spy a familiar tower, marking a spot, which if we can but reach it, will mean safety for us. We could truthfully say that that tower to us in the extremity was our only salvation.

The account tells us that God directed the Israelites to Pi-hahiroth, “between Migdol and the Sea.” (Num. 33:7; Exod. 14:2) Migdol means “Tower.” How significant! It was here that God revealed himself to them as a tower of refuge. He instructed Moses as to what was to be done, and obedience to these instructions brought deliverance through the very sea which only a short time before had presented itself as a most formidable barrier to their escape.

So too, ofttimes are the experiences of spiritual Israel. How else would we ever learn the fact that “by grace are ye saved through faith: and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Eph. 2:8,9) It is important to our ultimate salvation at times to stand still and see the salvation of the Lord! However, when the order to move on comes from the Lord, then we are no longer to merely stand still, for to then stand still will just as surely mean our discomfiture as to move on when God says “stand still.”

The following quotation from C.H.M.’s “Notes on Exodus” we believe are worthy of our prayerful consideration:

“However, when God, in his great mercy, opens the way, faith can walk therein. It only ceases from man’s way in order to walk in God’s. (‘And the Lord said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? Speak unto the children of Israel that they go forward.’) It is only when we have learned to stand still that we are able effectually to go forward. To attempt the latter, until we have learned the former, is sure to issue in the exposure of our folly and weakness. It is, therefore, true wisdom, in all times of difficulty and perplexity to ‘stand still’ – to wait only upon God, and he will assuredly, open a way for us; and then we can peacefully and happily ‘go forward.’ There is no uncertainty when God makes a way for us; but every self-devised path must prove a path of doubt and hesitation.… It is when our eyes have seen God’s salvation that we can walk therein; but this can never be distinctly seen until we have been brought to the end of our poor doings.” (pages 181, 182)