The Israelites in the Old Testament were an earthly representation of God’s people. Their bondage in Egypt was a picture of the bondage to sin we are under before we are saved. After being freed from bondage, their journey through the wilderness was a picture of the believers’ journey in this world. Revelation chapter 12 speaks of the New Testament era as a wilderness for the believers (see Study on The Woman). At the end of their journey through the wilderness they safely entered Canaan, which was a picture of Heaven. As they crossed the Jordan River into Canaan we read that their feet were “lifted up”:
"And it came to pass, when the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD were come up out of the midst of Jordan, and the soles of the priests' feet were lifted up unto the dry land, that the waters of Jordan returned unto their place, and flowed over all his banks, as they did before." (Joshua 4:18)
This is a detail we may easily ignore the first few times that we read it, but it is language that identifies with the Rapture which immediately precedes the eternal church’s entrance into Heaven near the end of the New Testament era.

Moses is often used in the Bible as a representation of the law of God. When the Israelites were thirsty, Moses struck a rock and water came out of it so the Israelites could drink:
"Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel." (Exodus 17:6)
The Israelites’ thirstiness represents mankind’s need for a Savior. The water represents the living water of the Gospel which brings salvation:
"But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." (John 4:14)

The rock represents Christ:
"And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ." (1 Corinthians 10:4)
When Moses struck the rock that was a foreshadowing of Christ being judged by the law of God in place of the believers. Their sins were placed on Christ so that He stood guilty and was condemned by the law, requiring Him to make the full payment for sin. The rock being struck is a picture of the rod of God’s wrath which is upon the unsaved:
"I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath." (Lamentation 3:1)
"Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes." (Psalm 89:32)
It is because Christ endured God’s wrath that salvation is possible. Salvation comes through the hearing of the Word of God:
"So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17)
The water pouring out of the rock is a picture of the living water, which is the Gospel, that is provided by Christ.

Moses stated to the Israelites that a Prophet would be raised:
"The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken" (Deuteronomy 18:15)
The Prophet in view is Christ. The Old Testament is filled with statements that predict the coming of Christ. Moses, as a representation of the law, also spoke of the coming of Christ.

We see additional confirmation that Moses is used as a figure of the law when we consider the fact that God caused Moses to die just before the Israelites entered Canaan:
"And the LORD said unto him, This is the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying, I will give it unto thy seed: I have caused thee to see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not go over thither. So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD."  (Deuteronomy 34:4-5)
Joshua is actually the one who led the Israelites into Canaan. Joshua is presented as a representation of Christ who leads the believers into salvation. We cannot enter salvation if we are being led by the law because keeping the law will not get us saved:
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)
We are led into salvation by Christ and once we become saved we are no longer under the law:
"But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law." (Galatians 5:18)
This beautiful truth was illustrated by the fact that Moses, a representation of the law, was not permitted to lead the Israelites into Canaan.