Waiting on the Will of God

15 On the day that the tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the testimony. And at evening it was over the tabernacle like the appearance of fire until morning. 16 So it was always: the cloud covered it by day and the appearance of fire by night. 17 And whenever the cloud lifted from over the tent, after that the people of Israel set out, and in the place where the cloud settled down, there the people of Israel camped. 18 At the command of the Lord the people of Israel set out, and at the command of the Lord they camped. As long as the cloud rested over the tabernacle, they remained in camp. 19 Even when the cloud continued over the tabernacle many days, the people of Israel kept the charge of the Lord and did not set out. 20 Sometimes the cloud was a few days over the tabernacle, and according to the command of the Lord they remained in camp; then according to the command of the Lord they set out. 21 And sometimes the cloud remained from evening until morning. And when the cloud lifted in the morning, they set out, or if it continued for a day and a night, when the cloud lifted they set out. 22 Whether it was two days, or a month, or a longer time, that the cloud continued over the tabernacle, abiding there, the people of Israel remained in camp and did not set out, but when it lifted they set out. 23 At the command of the Lord they camped, and at the command of the Lord they set out. They kept the charge of the Lord, at the command of the Lord by Moses. – Numbers 9:15-23 ESV

When the people of Israel were released from their captivity in Egypt, they began their journey to the land of Canaan under the leadership of Moses. But they had also been blessed by the visible manifestation of God’s presence.

But God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea.… And they moved on from Succoth and encamped at Etham, on the edge of the wilderness. And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people. – Exodus 13:18, 20-21 ESV

This miraculous demonstration of God’s presence and power was intended to bring the Israelites comfort and security. It was visible proof that He was not only among them but was guiding and directing their every step. Just before God parted the Red Sea so that His people could cross over on dry ground, He had placed Himself between the camps of the Israelites and the Egyptians.

The pillar of cloud also moved from the front and stood behind them. The cloud settled between the Egyptian and Israelite camps. As darkness fell, the cloud turned to fire, lighting up the night. But the Egyptians and Israelites did not approach each other all night. – Exodus 14:19-20 NLT

God protected His people. He illuminated their lives with His glory and assured them that He would always go before them, no matter what they faced along the way.

Years later, Moses would set up a tent on the outskirts of the Israelite camp, where he would meet with God. This “tent of meeting” was a place of communion and communication between God and His chosen leader. This simple tent, secluded from the rest of the encampment, was used by Moses before he received God’s plans for the Tabernacle.

When Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent, and the Lord would speak with Moses. And when all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people would rise up and worship, each at his tent door. Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. – Exodus 33:9-11 ESV

Once the people had finished fabricating all the pieces that would form the new Tabernacle, they dedicated it to God. This new facility would become the new tent of meeting and God confirmed His approval of this “house” by consecrating it by the manifestation of His divine glory.

On the day that the tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the testimony. And at evening it was over the tabernacle like the appearance of fire until morning. So it was always: the cloud covered it by day and the appearance of fire by night. – Numbers 9:15-16 ESV

Each time the people of Israel stopped for an extended time, they set up their camp with the Tabernacle strategically located in the center. The 12 tribes would then pitch their own tents around the circumference of God’s dwelling place. And as long as the pillar of cloud or fire remained above the Tabernacle, the people remained in that location until further notice. Their marching orders were tied to God’s visible presence over the Tabernacle.

Whenever the cloud lifted from over the sacred tent, the people of Israel would break camp and follow it. And wherever the cloud settled, the people of Israel would set up camp. In this way, they traveled and camped at the Lord’s command wherever he told them to go. Then they remained in their camp as long as the cloud stayed over the Tabernacle. – Numbers 9:17-18 NLT

Here in chapter 9, God reveals how He chose to lead the people of Israel. He appeared to them in the form of a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. God’s presence would hover over His dwelling, signifying that He was with them. As long as the cloud or pillar of fire was there, they were to remain encamped around the Tabernacle. But as soon as the cloud or fire moved, they were to pack up and head out. It didn’t matter if the cloud was there for two days, a month, or a solid year. As long as God’s presence remained positioned over the Tabernacle, they were forbidden to move. It was a simple system, or so it would seem.

But think about it. They were at the complete mercy of God. Sure, there was comfort in the fact that they could look up at any moment, day or night, and see the manifested presence of God, but they also had to be prepared at any moment, day or night, to pack up and head out. It didn’t matter how comfortable they may have become in their new surroundings. When God moved, they were obligated to follow – at a moment’s notice.

And setting up camp would not have been an easy or enviable task. The Tabernacle alone would have been a chore to reconstruct every time they relocated. They never knew how long they would stay in one spot. If they got to a site and spent all night getting everything arranged and then, the next morning, God’s presence moved, they were expected to pack up everything and follow. Their entire lives were centered around the Tabernacle, which was meant to be the dwelling place of God. The reason God had designed the Tabernacle to be portable was so that it could travel with them on their way to the Promised Land. This elaborate structure was to be a constant reminder of God’s presence among them.

“I will consecrate the Tabernacle and the altar, and I will consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve me as priests. Then I will live among the people of Israel and be their God, and they will know that I am the Lord their God. I am the one who brought them out of the land of Egypt so that I could live among them. I am the Lord their God.” – Exodus 29:44-46 NLT

Each time the Levites set up the Tabernacle, the cloud would come to dwell over the Holy of Holies, indicating that God’s glory had taken up residence over the Ark of the Covenant (Exodus 40:34-35). When the cloud lifted up and moved, it was a clear sign that God wanted His people to break camp and follow Him to the next destination on their journey. This system was designed to test their obedience. God was less interested in their comfort and convenience than He was in their willingness to follow His leadership. The Israelites didn’t need to determine what God’s will might be; they simply had to keep their eyes on the cloud and follow it wherever it led.

The truth is that most of us already know God’s will for our lives but we choose to ignore or avoid it. The real issue is that we don’t want to obey it because we find it inconvenient or impractical. There had to be times when the people of Israel became impatient with God, wondering why the cloud hovered over one spot for so long. They were anxious to get to the Promised Land but for some reason, God kept stopping in these obscure and sometimes unpleasant spots in the wilderness, and as long as He stayed, they were stymied. They couldn’t move without Him.

There were probably other times when the cloud remained over the Tabernacle for longer periods and they grew comfortable and complacent. They became set in their ways and perfectly happy to stay right where they were. Then, one morning they woke up to find that the cloud had moved, and they had to begin the whole process of disassembling the Tabernacle and the entire camp once again. They must have wondered why God kept disrupting their comfort with His constant wanderings. But when God moved, they were obligated to follow – obediently.

As chapter 10 reveals, God provided Israel with an early warning system to inform them when the cloud had moved and it was time for them to pack up.

“Make two silver trumpets. Of hammered work you shall make them, and you shall use them for summoning the congregation and for breaking camp. And when both are blown, all the congregation shall gather themselves to you at the entrance of the tent of meeting. But if they blow only one, then the chiefs, the heads of the tribes of Israel, shall gather themselves to you. When you blow an alarm, the camps that are on the east side shall set out. And when you blow an alarm the second time, the camps that are on the south side shall set out. An alarm is to be blown whenever they are to set out.” – Numbers 10:2-6 ESV

While the Bible doesn’t make it clear, there were probably sentinels assigned to watch the sky over the Tabernacle 24/7. Someone had to warn the people when the cloud moved, so they could react. Once their camp had been set up, each person would have gone about their daily responsibilities. Life would have gone on as usual. There were chores to do, livestock to care for, firewood to gather, and meals to prepare. The people were kept in a constant state of uncertainty, never knowing from one day to the next what their next move might be or when it might occur. They were obliged to remain in a constant state of readiness to march at a moment’s notice.

But isn’t that how every child of God should live; constantly waiting on God and ready to respond to His leading at any moment? God wants to direct our paths but that requires that we be ready to hear and answer when He speaks. Like the Israelites, we must recognize His constant presence in our lives and seek to know when He is moving and where He might be leading us.

It is God’s will that we seek Him, live for Him, and obey Him. We are to eagerly watch for when He is moving in our lives. But, if we are not careful, we can become distracted by the cares of this world and miss when He has other plans for us. We are to seek His direction by watching Him. An Israelite could have easily taken his flocks to a nearby stream to water them and never noticed that the cloud had lifted up from the Tabernacle. That’s why God provided the trumpets as a call to action. Today, rather than silver trumpets, we have the Word of God and the indwelling Spirit of God. That is how He communicates His will to us. But we must spend time in His Word, seeking to meet with Him and waiting for Him to direct our paths. Yet, too often, we get comfortable in our surroundings and, even when God speaks, we find His will for our lives to be inconvenient, so we ignore it.

The Scriptures speak to us, but we tend to rationalize away what they have to say, deeming their content as impractical or impossible. But God calls His people to obedience. He doesn’t ask us to obey only when it's convenient or comfortable. He expects us to move when He moves – day or night – willingly, obediently, and faithfully.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Will You Trust Me?

17 When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near. For God said, “Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt.” 18 But God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. And the people of Israel went up out of the land of Egypt equipped for battle. 19 Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for Joseph had made the sons of Israel solemnly swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones with you from here.” 20 And they moved on from Succoth and encamped at Etham, on the edge of the wilderness. 21 And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. 22 The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people. 

1 Then the Lord said to Moses, 2 “Tell the people of Israel to turn back and encamp in front of Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, in front of Baal-zephon; you shall encamp facing it, by the sea. 3 For Pharaoh will say of the people of Israel, ‘They are wandering in the land; the wilderness has shut them in.’ 4 And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord.” And they did so. – Exodus 13:17-14:4 ESV

The day of deliverance had finally arrived. After a series of divinely-ordained plagues had devastated the Egyptian economy and taken the lives of thousands of its citizens, Pharaoh finally relented and gave his permission for the Israelites to go into the adjacent wilderness to worship their God. His understanding of the agreement was that Moses would lead his people on a three-day journey outside the borders of Egypt, where they would conduct their worship service, and then return.

…Moses and Aaron went and said to Pharaoh, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.’” – Exodus 5:2 ESV

Then they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us go a three days' journey into the wilderness that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God, lest he fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword.” – Exodus 5:3 ESV

Pharaoh never agreed to a permanent departure that would free the Israelites from their role as his virtual slaves. These people had become his unpaid workforce and he could not afford to give them up. They had become a vital source of labor and were critical to building the Egyptian infrastructure.

…they ruthlessly made the people of Israel work as slaves and made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and brick, and in all kinds of work in the field. In all their work they ruthlessly made them work as slaves. – Exodus 1:13-14 ESV

Yet, God had other plans for His people. They would not be returning to Egypt but instead, would be traveling all the way to the land of Canaan. The most logical and shortest route for this journey would have taken the Israelites along the southern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. Moses refers to it as the “way of the land of the Philistines” (Exodus 13:17 ESV). This region of western Canaan was occupied by a variety of warring nations collectively referred to as Philistines. Some of these people groups were of Semitic lineage, while others had migrated from Crete and Greece.

Had the Israelites taken this much shorter and easier route, they would have encountered stiff resistance upon their arrival in the land of Canaan. And it is likely that this well-traveled northern trade route was fortified and protected by an Egyptian military presence. God knew that the people of Israel would become disheartened at the first sign of conflict, so He instructed Moses to lead the Israelites in a different direction.  

So God led them in a roundabout way through the wilderness toward the Red Sea. Thus the Israelites left Egypt like an army ready for battle. – Exodus 13:18 NLT

The English Standard Version states that the people of Israel “went up out of the land of Egypt equipped for battle” (Exodus 13:18 ESV). The Hebrew word is חָמַשׁ (ḥāmaš) and it can be translated as “in battle array.” It is not suggesting that the Israelites were a well-armed militia but that they were leaving in an orderly manner. It is estimated that the Israelites may have numbered in the millions by the time they left Egypt, so Moses would have needed to arrange them in an orderly fashion just to maintain crowd control.

Moses provides a parenthetical statement that reveals his knowledge of his own people’s rich heritage. He somehow knew that the patriarch, Joseph, who had died more than four centuries earlier, had made his brothers swear an oath that they would bring his bones back to Canaan when the eventually returned.

Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.” So Joseph died, being 110 years old. They embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt. – Genesis 50:25-26 ESV

So, Moses arranged to have Joseph’s body exhumed and prepared for transport to Canaan.

As this mass of people made their way south toward the wilderness, the Egyptians must have watched with a mixture of relief and awe. They were glad to see the Israelites go because they had been the reason for all the disasters that had overtaken their land. But they must have been shocked at the sheer size of the multitude that was making its way out of Egypt; a group that included some of their own people. And they would have been dumbfounded at the sight of the pillar of cloud that seemed to be leading the procession.

Little did the Egyptians know that this atmospheric apparition was a sign of Yahweh’s presence and power. The God of Israel was leading His people as they made their way out of Egypt. There would be no doubt as to which direction they should go because God was directing their path. During the daylight hours, He would appear as a pillar of cloud, and during the dark of night, He would manifest His presence as a pillar of fire. At no point along the way would the people of Israel run the risk of taking a wrong turn or losing their way because “The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people” (Exodus 13:22 ESV).

So, when God instructed Moses to have the people backtrack and reverse their course, the pillar of cloud would have led the way.

“Order the Israelites to turn back and camp by Pi-hahiroth between Migdol and the sea. Camp there along the shore, across from Baal-zephon.” – Exodus 14:2 NLT

This abrupt change in direction was God-ordered and God-led. He wanted Moses to lead the people back toward Egypt, knowing full well that the Egyptians would interpret their actions as a sign of confusion. It was all intentional and part of God’s overall strategy for assuring Israel’s full and final release from Egyptian domination.

“Pharaoh will think, ‘The Israelites are confused. They are trapped in the wilderness!’ And once again I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will chase after you.” – Exodus 14:3-4 NLT

God had one last judgment He was going to pour out on Pharaoh. Yahweh was not yet done displaying His power and authority over this self-consumed and overly confident sovereign of the Egyptian people. To his own people, Pharaoh was more than a king who wielded great power; he was a god who was worshiped and revered. They believed that he possessed divine power and god-like attributes that made him invincible and worthy of their adoration and complete allegiance. And while the ten plagues had shaken their faith in the reliability of their gods, they still had Pharaoh at the helm of the national ship of state. But God was about to expose Pharaoh for the fraud he really was.

“I have planned this in order to display my glory through Pharaoh and his whole army. After this the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord!” – Exodus 14:4 NLT

The sudden change of course must have left the Israelites a bit confused. It would have left them wondering what Moses was thinking. But they couldn’t argue with the fact that the pillar of cloud was still out front, leading them to their next destination. God was with them, so they obeyed. But as they made camp for the night, they had no way of knowing what was about to happen next. Their little excursion into the wilderness was going to become a living nightmare and a test of their faith in Yahweh.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.