“They set out from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month. On the day after the Passover, the people of Israel went out triumphantly in the sight of all the Egyptians,“ (Numbers 33:3, ESV)
Moses recounted the Journey of Israel beginning with the exodus from Egyptian bondage. God’s plan for His people is one of triumphant victory. Paul describes the believers as being “more than conquerors” (Romans 8:37). He states that God continuously “gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57). John says that this “victory has overcome the world” (1 John 5:4).
Yet while we have an ongoing present victory in Christ, we will also have a future victory like the picture Moses describes of the exodus.
At Christmas time we focus on the First Advent of Christ. Yet the Scriptures proclaim a Second Advent. In the Second Advent Jesus will gloriously return with His church to establish His kingdom on earth. We who believe look forward to this triumphant event.
However, prior to this Second Advent we look forward to another triumphant event. We call this event the rapture when the church will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. See Paul’s words.
“For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, ESV)
Paul’s description of this event has the signs of triumphant victory written all over it. He mentioned the command of the Lord, the voice of an archangel, the sound of the trumpet of God.
As the Egyptians watched the triumphant march of the Israelites out of Egypt those who are not of the faith will observe the triumphant departure of the church from the earth. Jesus also spoke of this event.
“Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left.“ (Matthew 24:40-41, ESV)
While this event will occur in the “twinkling of an eye” (1 Corinthians 15:50), those that remain will clearly recognize the triumphant and glorious departure of the believers.
So, let us rejoice also in our relationship with Christ. It is by God’s grace through Jesus’ sacrifice that we have the ongoing victory. With this victory we also have the guarantee of a future triumphal procession when all believers will meet the Lord in the clouds. In Christ we rejoice together.
Renewing the Heart 