Page 190 - Through New Eyes

The World of the Patriarchs 187

comes after the exodus, but for completeness let us take
note of it here. ) Noah built an altar and offered sacrifice
(Genesis 8:20). When Abram came out of Ur, he built
altars in the land (Genesis 12:7-8). When Abram came out
of Egypt, he restored the altar at Bethel (Genesis 13:4).
When Abraham was delivered fi-om Abimelech, God opened
Sarah’s womb and gave him a son (Genesis 21:1). Remem-
ber: the altar, the Temple, etc. are all symbols for God’s
people. Thus, the miraculous birth of a messianic son cor-
responds to the building of a house for God. This is ‘coun-
terfeited” with the birth of Lot’s sons after his deliverance
fi-om Sodom (Genesis 19:30-38).10 When Isaac was delivered
from Philistia, he built an altar (Genesis 26:25). When Jacob
arrived back in Canaan after his captivity in Mesopotamia,
he built an altar (Genesis 33:20). When Israel escaped
from Egypt, she built first a golden calf out of spoil, and
then the Tabernacle (Exodus 25:1-9; 32:2-4). The return of
the Ark from Philistine captivity eventually led to the
building of the Temple. The booty from David’s Philistine
wars also went to the Temple, after David’s exodus and en-
thronement (1 Chronicles 22:14-16). The Temple was re-
built after the return of Israel from Babylonian exile (Ezra,
Haggai, Zechariah). After Jesus’ exodus on the Cross, and
His priestly installation in heaven, the true Temple of the
people of God began to be built of living stones.

Such is the exodus pattern as we find it in the Bible. It is in-
teresting to note a couple of other instances of the pattern. There
is a counterfeit exodus in Judges 17-18. There we read of the
erection of a counterfeit Tabernacle and the ordaining of a coun-
terfeit priest. Subsequently we have a counterfeit journey by
apostate Danites who had rejected the land God gave them. This
issues in a counterfeit conquest and the full establishment of a
counterfeit sanctuary in Dan. 11
Another interesting exodus is that of Jeroboam. Like Abra-
ham, Jeroboam was promised part of Canaan (1 Kings 11:29-37).
Solomon drove him into Egypt (1 Kings 11:40). When Solomon
died, his son Rehoboam acted foolishly. Jeroboam returned to
the land, and Northern Israel made him their king (1 Kings
12:1-20). Jeroboam proceeded to apostatize, and built counter-
feit sanctuaries and set up counterfeit priests (1 Kings 12:25-32).