Now on the day that the tabernacle was erected the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the testimony, and in the evening it was like the appearance of fire over the tabernacle, until morning. So it was continuously; the cloud would cover it by day, and appearance of fire by night.

Numbers 9:15-16

 

     Webster’s Dictionary defines a tabernacle as a “dwelling place” or sanctuary.  The scripture tells us that the very day that the dwelling place was erected which God instructed Moses to build, that He took up residence there, as a cloud by day and a fire by night. And “so it was continuously”, the Bible says.  The scripture goes on to say in following verses that when ever His presence moved, either as the cloud in the daytime or as visible fire at night, the children of Israel rose up and followed Him. Where ever He would come to rest, they would set up His dwelling place and dwell there with Him and not move from there until He moved. 

    

     This was a part of their journey. They were learning the absolute necessity of following Him and dwelling with Him. Verse 23 of that  chapter says, “At the command of the Lord they camped, and at the command of the Lord they set out; they kept the Lord’s charge, according to the command of the Lord.”  As long as He was with them, they were safe. As long as He was with them, they had manna and water, His provision.  As long as they followed Him, they had direction and purpose.  This He had commanded them, and their obedience to His holy presence brought them blessing, which flowed from Him.  The fire and the cloud were simply the evidence of His presence, but it was that presence that was everything. 

 

     When they came from Egypt they knew nothing of His glorious presence. It was in the wilderness that they learned of Him.  As the circumstances of their journey tested them, they found Him faithful. They found Him always present.  They found Him to be their Jehovah Shammah, “The Lord is there”!  Over and over again He proved Himself. He demonstrated His lovingkindness and mercy and His great goodwill toward them, as He labored to bring them to the place of faith where they would be able to enter into and receive His promises to them. He was their Jehovah Rophe and healed them. He was their Jehovah Jireh and continuously provided for them. He was their Jehovah Nissi and lifted up a banner of victory over them. He was their Jehovah Rohi and, as the good shepherd, He led them.  And all of it flowed from the fiery cloud of His presence!

 

     It had been that way from early on. Soon after coming out of Egypt, the Lord began to tell Moses of His plans. In Exodus 19:5-6, the Lord said, “Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep  My covenant, then you shall be My  own possession among all the peoples, for all  the earth is Mine; and you shall be to Me a  kingdom of priests and a  holy nation.” The word “possession” literally means “my own special treasure”.  He was saying, “This is how special you are to me! I have purposed in my heart to have a treasured relationship with you!” Hallelujah! What good things, indeed, the Lord had in His heart for His people.  He said He would make the entire nation a whole “kingdom of priests”; not just a select few.  That was not His original plan.  He wanted all of His people to be welcomed into the intimacy and fellowship of His glorious presence.  At the time that He told this to Moses, He instructed him to prepare the people. Exodus 19:9 says, “The LORD said to Moses, ‘Behold, I will come to you in a  thick cloud, so that the people may hear when I speak with you and may also believe in you forever.’"  Again, “The Presence” is about to make an appearance….the cloud is coming! God instructed Moses to have the people to consecrate themselves.

   

     Exodus 19:16-18a goes on to say,    “So it came about on the third day, when it was morning, that there were thunder  and lightning flashes and a thick cloud upon the mountain and a very loud trumpet sound, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled.  And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.  Now  Mount Sinai was all in smoke because the LORD descended upon it in fire; and its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace…”  My favorite three words in that passage are “to meet God”! Come all you children of God!! Come to the thick cloud! Come to the fiery, thunderous, quaking mountain! Come to where His presence is evidenced!! COME TO MEET GOD!!

 

    Our God is a living God! He is alive and tangible and is to be experienced. His presence is a force of all powerful love that envelops you in His provision and goodness! Come and taste the presence of the Lord and see that it is very good. Come to know that cloud and that fire, that you may follow Him where ever He goes, for therein is your safety, your healing, your provision, your purpose! He commanded the children of Israel to follow that cloud….to follow the fire….to follow His presence….which is to follow Him and He commands the same of us. 

 

      In Exodus 33, Moses wants to know from the Lord how he will know if he has found favor in the Lord’s sight? God’s response to him? “My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.”  Bless the Lord Most High!! That is exactly what Moses wanted to hear.  To affirm what the Lord said to him, he exclaimed, "If Your presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here.  For how then can it be known that I have found favor in Your sight, I and Your people? Is it not by Your going with us, so that we, I and Your people, may be distinguished from all the other people who are upon the face of the earth?" The LORD said to Moses, "I will also do this thing of which you have spoken; for you have found favor in My sight and I have known you by name." Then Moses said, "I pray You, show me Your glory!"  And He said, "I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the LORD before you..."

 

     HALLELUJAH!! It is only the manifest presence of the Lord that distinguishes us from any other people in the earth. That fire! That cloud! That is the evidence of His favor. If Your glory is not going with us Lord, please, do not lead us up from here. We do not want to go anywhere or be anywhere separate from Your presence! But, God has heard our heart cry and answers us that we have found favor with Him and indeed, He knows us each one by name! So, we are looking, dear Lord….with all that is within us, we are reaching to You…. SHOW US YOUR GLORY!  And again, He promises from heaven that “He, Himself will make all of His goodness pass before us and will proclaim His name (all that He is) before us and to us!”

 

    And like the children of Israel, our journey with Him continues, and we behold Him and the fire of His glory. And with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, we are being transformed into the same image, from glory to glory…. Our lives are being changed each day, as he takes us into deeper and deeper realities of His goodness, and calls upon us to pour that goodness out on all who are around us, doing good to all our neighbors. This is the evidence of His presence. This is the goodness of that glorious fire. This is the loving comfort of that covering cloud. It leads us and covers us and empowers us to lead and cover others. To God be the glory for His great and kind goodness! Amen and amen!

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