Today, in mainstream Christianity, the Old Testament is often minimized by those who see the New Covenant as not only replacing the Mosaic law, but supplanting the Old Testament altogether. Not realizing that the “keys” to the scriptures in the New Testament are contained in the old and that the understanding of the old is revealed by the new, they go about inventing private interpretations, which in some cases change the very nature and person of God.

God spoke at various times and in different manners in the past to Israel through the prophets. These were holy men of God whom he raised up to be leaders and mediators over Israel, and he placed his glory upon them and set them as a sign to reveal his word to his people. The Lord also chose the people of Israel in the same way to be a light to the nations. As the prophets were to Israel, so is Israel to the nations. Salvation is of the Jews; whether they are in obedience or not, they are given as an example. In them are revealed both the goodness and the severity of God.

Among the prophets of Israel were some who were used symbolically as archetypes of Christ. Although they were faithful in all their houses, they all fell short of perfection. Moses, having brought the people out of Egypt, failed to lead them into the promised land. After Moses, Joshua led the Israelites into the land of promise but fell short of driving out all of the inhabitants. Solomon, being a prefigure of the Messiah, the son of David, failed to continue the rule of the House of David over all of Israel by falling away in his old age into sin.

These men, being archetypes of Christ and not Christ, could not perform the work of Christ to perfection. Therefore, God sent his own Son to perfectly fulfill all of the foreshadowings of Christ that his forerunners had established.

Israel is also a picture of the Lord’s relationship with his people even today, even though they also failed to fulfill their calling perfectly until the end of all things. But let us learn from their examples.

Israel is God’s firstborn among the nations. They were saved by a figure when they passed through the Red Sea. Their antagonists were destroyed in the sea—even Pharaoh and all the armies of Egypt who attempted to follow after the Israelites into the sea. This figure given in Exodus is like salvation. The “Red Sea” is not a misnomer. We are saved by the blood of Jesus when we pass through the Red Sea. Evil ones cannot pass through the Red Sea, nor can they reach the river Jordan.

Once the Israelites set foot on the other side of the Red Sea, they had been saved; however, they were not yet in the promised land but in the wilderness. The symbolism of this paints a very important picture regarding our salvation.

For we see that the children of Israel were saved by faith by passing through the Red Sea, but to enter the promised land, the river Jordan still had to be crossed over. Salvation had been attained and a promise of rest given, but the rest was only to be fulfilled at the end of the journey with the dispossessing of the inhabitants of Canaan, as it is written,

“For ye are not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance, which the Lord your God giveth you. But when ye go over Jordan, and dwell in the land which the Lord your God giveth you to inherit, and when he giveth you rest from all your enemies round about, so that ye dwell in safety” (Deuteronomy 12:9-10)

We see then that there was not one crossing to be made before the inheritance of the kingdom was fulfilled, but two crossings. It was the second crossing that secured the promise of the kingdom by finishing the course set before them through obedience to their faith after the first crossing at the Red Sea.

Indeed, we who have been saved and washed in the blood have the promise, as did the children of Israel. We must therefore continue our pilgrimage through the wilderness, resisting temptation in obedience to the faith, until the waters are again parted before us as we cross over to the other side of Jordan into the land of promise.

But with many of the children of Israel, God was not well pleased, for they perished in the wilderness after having been saved. As Paul admonishes us in Hebrews 4:1, “Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.” “For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses. But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcasses fell in the wilderness?” (3:17). And again in 4:11, Paul says, “Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.”

Peter concurs with Paul, writing in 2 Peter 1:10, “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure.” Peter does not say your calling and election are sure; he says give diligence to make them sure. If you are saved, you have received the promise; now you must obey, pick up the cross, and follow him to receive the fulfillment.

Israel in the wilderness is the example God has given us so that we might avoid what befell them. By disregarding the keys to the scriptures in the New Testament—which keys are contained in the Old Testament—much of modern Christianity has been corrupted, and we see the fruit by looking around us at many churches today. A number of the greatest and most well-known preachers today have been led astray by the false teaching of “once saved, always saved.”

God did not shaft humanity for 4000 years and change the rules for us so we could glide into heaven freely. He perfected the means of salvation in due season by bringing in the perfect sacrifice for our sins. His judgments still stand. He is still the same God yesterday, today, and forever—a consuming fire to those who walk in sin. His personage has not changed.

I admire the preaching of a number of preachers who seem of sound doctrine on other matters but have fallen for the falsehood of eternal security. However, they desperately need to awaken and repent of this harmful teaching. We have eternal security when we cross Jordan and secure the land; until then, we have eternal life and a promise of eternal security. Our salvation is in effect as long as we walk in Christ and do not turn back to walk in sin. We have forgiveness of sins unless we fulfill the scripture John 6:66 by departing from Christ and walking no more with him.

I pray for those who are in error by preaching the doctrine of “once saved, always saved.” May the Lord open their eyes to this widespread false teaching for it has caused great spiritual devastation in the lives of many.

Today, in mainstream Christianity, the Old Testament is often minimized by those who see the New Covenant as not only replacing the Mosaic law, but supplanting the Old Testament altogether. Not realizing that the “keys” to unlock the scriptures in the New Testament are contained in the old and that the understanding of the old is revealed by the new, they go about inventing private interpretations, which in some cases change the very nature and person of God.

God spoke at various times and in different manners in the past to Israel through the prophets. These were holy men of God whom he raised up to be leaders and mediators over Israel, and he placed his glory upon them and set them as a sign to reveal his word to his people. The Lord also chose the people of Israel in the same way to be a light to the nations. As the prophets were to Israel, so is Israel to the nations. Salvation is of the Jews; whether they are in obedience or not, they are given as an example. In them are revealed both the goodness and the severity of God.

Among the prophets of Israel were some who were used symbolically as archetypes of Christ. Although they were faithful in all their houses, they all fell short of perfection. Moses, having brought the people out of Egypt, failed to lead them into the promised land. After Moses, Joshua led the Israelites into the land of promise but fell short of driving out all of the inhabitants. Solomon, being a prefigure of the Messiah, the son of David, failed to continue the rule of the House of David over all of Israel by falling away in his old age into sin.

These men, being archetypes of Christ and not Christ, could not perform the work of Christ to perfection. Therefore, God sent his own Son to perfectly fulfill all of the foreshadows of Christ that his forerunners were sent to established.

Israel is also a picture of the Lord’s relationship with his people even today, even though they also failed to fulfill their calling perfectly until the end of all things. But let us learn from their examples.

Israel is God’s firstborn among the nations. They were saved by a figure when they passed through the Red Sea. Their antagonists were destroyed in the sea—even Pharaoh and all the armies of Egypt who attempted to follow after the Israelites into the sea. This figure given in Exodus is like salvation. The “Red Sea” is not a misnomer. We are saved by the blood of Jesus when we pass through the Red Sea. Evil ones cannot pass through the Red Sea, nor can they reach the Jordan River.

Once the Israelites set foot on the other side of the Red Sea, they had been saved; however, they were not yet in the promised land but in the wilderness. The symbolism of this paints a very important picture regarding our salvation.

For we see that the children of Israel were saved by faith by passing through the Red Sea, but to enter the promised land, the river Jordan still had to be crossed over. Salvation had been attained and a promise of rest given, but the rest was only to be fulfilled at the end of the journey with the dispossessing of the inhabitants of Canaan, as it is written,

“For ye are not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance, which the Lord your God giveth you. But when ye go over Jordan, and dwell in the land which the Lord your God giveth you to inherit, and when he giveth you rest from all your enemies round about, so that ye dwell in safety” (Deuteronomy 12:9-10)

We see then that there was not one crossing to be made before the inheritance of the kingdom was fulfilled, but two crossings. It was the second crossing that secured the promise of the kingdom by finishing the course set before them through obedience to their faith after the first crossing at the Red Sea.

Indeed, we who have been saved and washed in the blood have the promise, as did the children of Israel. We must therefore continue our pilgrimage through the wilderness, resisting temptation in obedience to the faith, until the waters are again parted before us as we cross over to the other side of Jordan into land of promise where we find rest.

But with many of the children of Israel, God was not well pleased, for they perished in the wilderness after having been saved. As Paul admonishes us in Hebrews 4:1, “Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.” “For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses. But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcasses fell in the wilderness?” (3:17). And again in 4:11, Paul says, “Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.”

Peter concurs with Paul, writing in 2 Peter 1:10, “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure.” Peter does not say your calling and election are sure; he says give diligence to make them sure. If you are saved, you have received the promise; now you must obey, take up your cross, and follow Christ to receive the fulfillment.

Israel in the wilderness is the example God has given us so that we might avoid what befell them. By disregarding the keys to the scriptures in the New Testament—which keys are contained in the Old Testament—much of modern Christianity has been corrupted, and we see the fruit by looking around us at the many fallen churches today. A number of the greatest and most well-known preachers today have been led astray by the false teaching of “once saved, always saved.” Both Christianity and the unsaved have long been suffering the effects.

God did not shaft humanity for 4000 years and change the rules for us so we could glide into heaven freely. He perfected the means of salvation in due season by bringing in the perfect sacrifice for our sins. His judgments still stand. He is still the same God yesterday, today, and forever—a consuming fire to those who walk in sin. His personage has not changed.

I admire the preaching of a number of preachers who seem sound in doctrine on other matters but have fallen for the falsehood of eternal security. We have eternal security when we cross Jordan and secure the land; until then, we have a promise of eternal security that is effective as long as we walk in Christ and do not turn back to walk in sin. We have forgiveness of sins unless we fulfill the scripture John 6:66 by departing from Christ and walking no more with him.

I pray for those who are in error by preaching the false doctrine of “once saved, always saved.” May the Lord open their eyes to this widespread teaching, for it has led many souls astray caused much spiritual devastation in the lives of many.

Straight is the gate, narrow is the way, but be of good cheer! We can do this and all things through Christ Jesus. He has overcome the world. Therefore, take courage like Joshua and Caleb, who, by faith, entered the land and took possession of it by force. You do not have to die in the wilderness.