A shadow by day and a pillar by night

Redeemer of Israel,

Our only delight,

On whom for a blessing we call,

Our shadow by day

And our pillar by night,

Our King, our Deliv'rer, our all!

LDS Hymn #6

Mormon Tabernacle Choir performing Redeemer of Israel

While the Israelites were fleeing from the Egyptians they were literally saved by water and by fire (Exodus 14:19-30). A pillar of fire led them at night so that they would have the light they needed to travel in order to be beyond the Egyptian’s grasp. While they were crossing the Red Sea, they were saved by water. The water that had previously blocked their escape parted so they could pass through on dry ground while being chased by Egyptians. Once the Israelites were through, the Egyptians were caught in the middle of the Red Sea when the water returned to its place, freeing the Israelites from their captors.

That isn’t the end; the point wasn’t just to show that our God is a God of miracles, there is still more. The symbolism of what happened is amazing. If you replace “Israelites” with yourself and “Egyptians” with sin, “water” with baptism, and “fire” with the Holy Ghost you see a pattern

Here is the first paragraph with those changes

The Holy Ghost led me so that I would have the knowledge that I need to travel in order to be beyond sin’s grasp. While I was crossing through life, I was saved by baptism. The water of baptism parted so I could pass through while being chased by Sin. Once I was through, Sin was caught in the waters of baptism, freeing me from my captors.

The Lord saves us from the captivity of our sins through baptism and our continual repentance. After we are baptized by water, we are baptized by fire; that is by receiving the Holy Ghost. We are spiritually saved by water and by fire, just as the Israelites were literally saved by a pillar of fire and the water of the red sea.

1 Corinthians 10:1-4 gives us an interesting insight to this situation as well. It states that “all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea” it continues that they were baptized “in the cloud and in the sea.” The Israelites were baptized by water and by fire. They were spiritually saved. 1 Corinthians 10:3-4 continues that they all are the same spiritual meat and drank the same spiritual drink. Does this make anyone else think of the sacrament?