THE MIXED ASSEMBLY

by furaha nchimbi | 8 December 2022 08:46 pm12

Bless the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Welcome as we study the Bible the Word of our God, which is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path (Psalm 119:105, NIV).

There is an important lesson to learn about the journey of the Israelites from Egypt to Canaan. The Scriptures reveal that the Israelites did not leave Egypt alone they departed with a mixed group of people.

Let’s examine the passage from the New International Version (NIV):

Exodus 12:35-38 (NIV):

“The Israelites journeyed from Rameses to Succoth. There were about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children.
A mixed crowd also went up with them, along with flocks and herds a very large number of livestock.”

Here, the “mixed crowd” (Hebrew: ‘edah‘, meaning assembly or congregation) indicates that the group included not only Israelites but others who chose to leave Egypt with them.

Who were these people?

The mixed crowd likely included Egyptians dissatisfied with their circumstances in Egypt possibly due to the harsh conditions following the plagues and Egyptians married into Israelite families. The Mosaic Law, given later, sought to maintain the purity of the covenant community (Deuteronomy 7:3-4), but at this point, there was a mixture of peoples who aligned themselves with God’s chosen nation.

This is supported by the incident described in Leviticus 24:10-16 (NIV) concerning the son of an Israelite woman whose father was Egyptian:

“He got into a fight with an Israelite man in the camp and blasphemed the Name of the Lord. The assembly brought him to Moses, and he was put in custody until the Lord’s will was made clear.”

This case illustrates the complex social dynamics within the camp and the seriousness of blasphemy, which was punishable by death, affirming God’s holiness and the need for purity within His people.

The Burden of the Mixed Assembly

At first, this mixed assembly may have seemed like a blessing or a practical necessity, but it quickly became a source of trouble. The mixed crowd’s influence led to rebellion and dissatisfaction against God’s provision.

In Numbers 11:4-5 (NIV), we read:

“The rabble among them began to crave other food, and the Israelites started wailing, saying, ‘If only we had meat to eat!
We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic.’”

The term “rabble” (Hebrew: ‘edah‘) refers to this mixed group who incited desire and rebellion among the Israelites. This is significant because it shows that the Israelites’ faith was weakened by association with those not fully committed to God’s covenant.

Theological Reflection

The journey from Egypt to Canaan is a profound Old Testament typology of the believer’s journey from slavery to sin toward salvation in Christ (Romans 6:6-7; Galatians 5:1). Just as Israel had to separate from the corrupt influences of Egypt to enter the Promised Land, Christians are called to separate from unbelievers and sinful influences to walk faithfully with God.

Paul makes this explicit in the New Testament:

2 Corinthians 6:14-18 (NIV):

“Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?
What harmony is there between Christ and the devil? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols?
For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said:
‘I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.’
Therefore, come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will welcome you.
I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”

This passage underscores the necessity of holiness and separation for God’s people, not as isolationism but as faithful obedience to God’s call.

Practical Application

When God calls you to salvation, it is His call alone not yours or anyone else’s. If someone close to you is unsaved, you must be careful about binding yourself to them in ways that compromise your faith. The “yoke” metaphor suggests close partnership (whether in marriage, business, or close fellowship).

If you shared habits or sinful practices with someone before your conversion, such as going to bars or engaging in gossip, it is vital to stop those habits and pursue holiness (1 Corinthians 5:11). Your new life in Christ requires breaking from past associations that might lead you astray.

Failure to separate from these old influences can become a stumbling block, hindering your spiritual growth and opening doors for the enemy to pull you back, just as the mixed assembly hindered Israel’s faith journey.

Maranatha!

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Source URL: https://wingulamashahidi.org/en/2022/12/08/the-mixed-assembly/