DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- GOD LEADS HIS PEOPLE

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – GOD LEADS HIS PEOPLE

"Now on the day that the tabernacle was raised up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the Testimony; from evening until morning it was above the tabernacle like the appearance of fire. So it was always: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night. Whenever the cloud was taken up from above the tabernacle, after that the children of Israel would journey; and in the place where the cloud settled, there the children of Israel would pitch their tents." (Numbers 9:15-17)

What a wondrous sight that must have been – to see the cloud with the appearance of fire above the tabernacle as a sign of God's presence and His guidance of the nation of Israel as it journeyed to the land that God had promised them.

This cloud actually appeared first when the Egyptians were chasing the Israelites as they fled from Egypt. It went before them as a light to guide them and went behind them bringing darkness upon the Egyptians (Exodus 14:19-20). The cloud continued to travel with them as the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud (Exodus 16:10).

Throughout the wanderings of the people of Israel, the cloud remained as a sign of God's presence, leading them in the way that they should go. The same cloud of the glory of the LORD covered Mt. Sinai when Moses was given the Ten Commandments, and it blazed with lightnings and thunderings and which made the people tremble (Exodus 19:16). "Mount Sinai was completely in smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire. Its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked" (Exodus 19:18). No wonder the people shook with fear.

When the tabernacle was completed, "Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter the tabernacle of meeting, because the cloud rested above it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. Whenever the cloud was taken up from above the tabernacle, the children of Israel would go onward in all their journeys. But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not journey till the day that it was taken up. For the cloud of the LORD was above the tabernacle by day, and fire was over it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys" (Exodus 40:34-38)

We do not have the awesome experience of seeing the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. But we do have God's presence to lead and guide us. The Holy Spirit of God fills these tabernacles, and we have the sure Word of God to guide us. God is present.

As the song says, "Guide me, O Thou Great Jehovah, Pilgrim through this barren land. I am weak, but Thou art mighty; Hold me with Thy powerful hand."

Another composer wrote, "Someday my journey will be o'er, and I will reach that blissful shore, I'll sing while entering heaven's door, Jesus led me all the way. Jesus led me all the way, led me step by step each day. I will tell the saints and angels as I lay my burden down, Jesus led me all the way." He does lead His people.

Love, Dad