I posted this on a facebook group to address the mode of baptism. Hopefully it is helpful I made it quickly a month or two ago and never looked for grammatical errors:
Old Testament References
1 Corinthians 10:2 tells us that the nation of Israel was baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea.
1 Corinthians 10:1-2
Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea
The sprinkling that this is referencing is from the psalmist in Psalm 77. It was through the sea and under the cloud that this baptism came. Psalm 77:14-20 tells of Israel going through the Red Sea between the waters and the rain falling down on them.
Psalm 77:14-20
You are the God who works wonders;
you have made known your might among the peoples.
You with your arm redeemed your people,
the children of Jacob and Joseph.
Selah
When the waters saw you, O God,
when the waters saw you, they were afraid;
indeed, the deep trembled.
The clouds poured out water;
the skies gave forth thunder;
your arrows flashed on every side.
The crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind;
your lightnings lighted up the world;
the earth trembled and shook.
Your way was through the sea,
your path through the great waters;
yet your footprints were unseen.
You led your people like a flock
by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
Similarly the heavens opened when the waters fell upon Noah as he was saved through the water of the flood as Peter tells us.
1 Peter 3:18-21
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ
The ungodly pagans were submersed in the waters of the flood into their death and the righteous household of Noah was saved through the waters and were immersed by the sprinkling of the heavens as it poured down on the ark.
Regarding the New Covenant
Ezekiel 36:25
Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols.
In the Old Testament one of the signs of cleansing for ceremonial purposes was sprinkling
Numbers 19:20
But the man who is unclean and does not purify himself, that person shall be cut off from among the assembly, because he has defiled the sanctuary of the LORD. The water of purification has not been sprinkled on him; he is unclean.
The author of Hebrews makes reference to this cleansing
Hebrews 10:19-22
Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
New Testament References
The last point regards Jesus' baptistm. This was a baptism into his priestly calling and ‘it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.’ The necessary requirements for being a priest under the Mosaic Covenant were the following: 1) be at least thirty years of age, 2) called by God through a Priest, and 3) be sprinkled to cleanse them.
The author of Hebrews says “And no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God, just as Aaron was.”
Numbers 4:1-4
The LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, "Take a census of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, by their clans and their fathers’ houses, from thirty years old up to fifty years old, all who can come on duty, to do the work in the tent of meeting. This is the service of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting: the most holy things.
Numbers 8:5-7
And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, "Take the Levites from among the people of Israel and cleanse them. Thus you shall do to them to cleanse them: sprinkle the water of purification upon them, and let them go with a razor over all their body, and wash their clothes and cleanse themselves.
As such Jesus was able to speak in the temples with the authority His Father through John the Baptist (son of a priest) gave him and by fulfilling the necessary requirements of the Law. Moreover he states in rebuke to the Pharisees questions the following:
Luke 20:2-6
Tell us by what authority you do these things, or who it is that gave you this authority." He answered them, "I also will ask you a question. Now tell me, was the baptism of John from heaven or from man?" And they discussed it with one another, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say, 'Why did you not believe him?' But if we say, 'From man,' all the people will stone us to death, for they are convinced that John was a prophet."
Would Jesus need a baptism of repentance? If so what was he to repent of, but he would need a baptism unto high priestly calling by God.
Some Baptists turn to the Ethiopian Eunuch (Acts 8) who was reading Isaiah (around Isaiah 52-53) and inquiring of baptism.
Part of the section of Isaiah that the Eunuch was reading said the following interestingly.
Isaiah 52:13-15
“Behold, my servant shall act wisely;
he shall be high and lifted up,
and shall be exalted.
As many were astonished at you—
his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance,
and his form beyond that of the children of mankind—
so shall he sprinkle many nations;
kings shall shut their mouths because of him;
for that which has not been told them they see,
and that which they have not heard they understand.”
In the epistles of Paul, it is the washing of regeneration and the Spirit whom he poured out on us.
Titus 3:4-7
But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
In conclusion, if we are to partake in the same baptism of Christ and be a “royal priesthood” as Peter spoke of then we most certainly are sprinkled. Now the mode is not of the utmost necessity and dipping is certainly permissible. As such the Westminster Confession of Faith concerning Baptism says the following:
WCF XXVIII.III
Dipping of the person into the water is not necessary; but Baptism is rightly administered by pouring, or sprinkling water upon the person
Hopefully this was helpful.
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