15And on the day that the tabernacle was reared up the cloud covered the tabernacle, namely, the tent of the testimony: and at even there was upon the tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire, until the morning.
16So it was alway: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night.
17And when the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle, then after that the children of Israel journeyed: and in the place where the cloud abode, there the children of Israel pitched their tents.
18At the commandment of the LORD the children of Israel journeyed, and at the commandment of the LORD they pitched: as long as the cloud abode upon the tabernacle they rested in their tents.
19And when the cloud tarried long upon the tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel kept the charge of the LORD, and journeyed not.
20And so it was, when the cloud was a few days upon the tabernacle; according to the commandment of the LORD they abode in their tents, and according to the commandment of the LORD they journeyed.
21And so it was, when the cloud abode from even unto the morning, and that the cloud was taken up in the morning, then they journeyed: whether it was by day or by night that the cloud was taken up, they journeyed.
22Or whether it were two days, or a month, or a year, that the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle, remaining thereon, the children of Israel abode in their tents, and journeyed not: but when it was taken up, they journeyed.
23At the commandment of the LORD they rested in the tents, and at the commandment of the LORD they journeyed: they kept the charge of the LORD, at the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.
3 comments:
Katie,
The Israelites were following the leadership of the Spirit while in the wilderness. From their perspective the journey may have seemed like aimless wandering; but God's leadership indicates it actually had purpose. God had a reason for leading them where He did all those years. Thoughout the 40 year long ordeal they repeatedly experienced God's providential mercies, (e.g. thier shoes didn't wear out) This is a model for how God intends we live our lives in a sin cursed earth. When we follow the leadership of the Spirit, going and staying by His direction, we experience the mercy of God's providence every day in various and countless ways.
Dad
Oh, help me follow the leading of the Spirit!
Katie,
The second half of the lesson is there is a place in life God intends for us to dwell. It is a joyous place, one that "flows with milk and honey." However, in order to dwell there we must overcome enemies and obsticles to our faith. We must embrace not only the belief of faith, but also exercise the courage of faith. The length and path of Our journey to this place in life depends on whether we are willing to engage in couragous faithfulness. At first, the Israelites were unwilling to exercise courage faith. So God led and nurtured them for in the wilderness. By the end of the forty years they trusted God enough to take courage to go in and possess the land. Having had their faith strenghtened by daily experiences of the providencial powers of God gave them couragous faith; so that they engaged and overcame the enemies that had so terrified them forty years earlier. May we all have the courage of faith to meet life's challenges with confidence in God's love and abilities.
Dad
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