~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GOOD NEWS FROM THE REDEEMER
February 3, 2001 RADIO MESSAGE #357
Christ in Exodus #50
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I. The name and title by which Christ was extolled at the Red Sea (v.3): "The LORD is a man of war; Jehovah is His name." His name is Jehovah; His title is man of war.
The fact that Jehovah is here identified as a "man" does not contradict the fact that "God is not a man" (Numbers 23:19). We have here an anthropomorphism (from Greek anthropos="man" + morphee="form"), a term which conceives of God as having a human form (as in vv.6, 16, 8) even though He actually does not.Additionally, we have here an anticipation of the incarnation of Jehovah. This incarnation occurred when the second person of the Holy Trinity, Christ the Word, "became flesh and dwelt among us" (John 1:14), thereby becoming "God ... manifested in the flesh" (1 Timothy 3:16). In Christ, and in Christ alone, is Jehovah a man. Of course, this truth was not understood by the children of Israel when they sang this song. But it was understood by the Holy Spirit who inspired their words (2 Timothy 3:16), and who identified Christ as a "man of war."
1. Christ manifested Himself as a "man of war" for the first time at the Red Sea. But He would do so often subsequently. He shortly afterward appeared to Joshua – again as a man – as "Commander of the army of Jehovah" (Joshua 5:13-15). David extolled Him as "Jehovah of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel" (1 Samuel 17:45), and in a Messianic psalm as "Jehovah strong and mighty, Jehovah mighty in battle" (Psalm 24:8).i. Christ was a just "man of war." The ungodly had risen in open rebellion against Him, and had disregarded all His terms of peace, and had sorely oppressed His people and were now determined to exterminate them. He would have been unjust if He had not responded by becoming a "man of war." "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" (Genesis 18:25). Most certainly He shall! His actions against them are therefore a just war.
ii. Christ was a victorious "man of war." "He has triumphed gloriously!" (v.1). He has done so effortlessly, delivering His people and destroying His enemies with but the breath of His nostrils (vv.8-10).
2. Christ is manifesting Himself as a "man of war" at the present time. This He does in fulfillment of Messianic prophecy (Isaiah 42:13): "The LORD shall go forth like a mighty man; He shall stir up His zeal like a man of war. He shall cry out, yes, shout aloud; He shall prevail against His enemies."
i. Christ is a just "man of war" (Psalm 7:11-13): "God is a just judge, and God is angry with the wicked every day. If he does not turn back, He will sharpen His sword; He bends His bow and makes it ready. He also prepares for Himself instruments of death; He makes His arrows into fiery shafts."
ii. Christ will be a victorious "man of war." His final victory (Revelation 20:7-10) will be much like that at the Red Sea. As Pharaoh mustered the army of Egypt in an attempt to exterminate Israel, Satan will muster the army of unbelievers in an attempt to exterminate the church of Christ. As Christ came to the Red Sea as a "man of war" to deliver the oppressed and to destroy the oppressors, He will come again to do the same at the last day. As Pharaoh and his forces were destroyed in the Red Sea, Satan and his forces will be destroyed in "the lake of fire." This final victory is very graphically portrayed in Revelation 19:11-21. What we have here observed regarding Christ is generally denied in Churchianity. They want a Christ of love and peace, not of vengeance and war. But He is both. He is the loving "Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6) to all who trust in Him, giving them peace with God (Romans 5:1) and with each other (Ephesians 2:14).
But He is also a "Man of War" for His people against their enemies (Deuteronomy 32:41f): "For I lift My hand to heaven, and say, 'As I live forever, if I whet My glittering sword, and My hand takes hold on judgment, I will render vengeance to My enemies, and repay those who hate Me. I will make My arrows drunk with blood, and My sword shall devour flesh, with the blood of the slain and the captives, from the heads of the leaders of the enemy.'"
(To be continued.)