Exodus 13:21-22 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.
The people of Israel have finally be set free from slavery in Egypt
and now commences the long, arduous and dangerous journey to the Promised Land.
Furthermore they were not going the direct, conventional route, which would
have taken them up the coast line in to the territory of the Philistines. God
takes them to the Red Sea and into the desert wilderness. The threat of attack,
hunger, thirst, dangerous animals and the harsh elements would have made this a
difficult journey. In such circumstances it would be only a matter of time
before the people would become discouraged and wonder if they were even headed
in the right direction, questioning if God was still leading them.
In these verses we see the grace and goodness of God. He is a God who
knows our feeble frame, He knows how easily and quickly we become discouraged,
and He is aware that we can become fearful and thus doubt Him. God undertakes
so as to continuously encourage and reassure the Israelites. The people at any
time could look up to the sky ahead of them and see the pillar of cloud, or the
pillar of fire and know that God was still with them and that they were heading
in the right direction. The challenge for the Israelites was to trust in God as
He led them, and this trust would be put to the test a number of times,
especially when they came to the Red Sea. The particular challenge was to not
question the wisdom of God and the way in which He was leading them, but to
demonstrate that they trusted in Him and His wisdom and therefore follow
willingly.
Naturally this is easier said than done! Why? We find this difficult
for two reasons, firstly, we like to be in control and secondly, we trust too
much in our own wisdom. This desire to call the shots and be in control,
trusting more in our own wisdom than in God’s, means that we often call God
into question and refuse, object to, or complain about the direction in which
He is leading us. In doing this, we are in fact stating that we are wiser and more
knowledgeable than God, especially about the future and what is best for us. Sadly,
if we continue on this path, we will lead ourselves into danger and maybe even
into the discipline of God, something which the Israelites would soon do and
have to endure.
We may not have a pillar of cloud or fire, but if we are believers in
the Lord Jesus Christ then we have something greater and far more enduring. The
pillar of cloud and fire was temporary and distant, whereas the presence of the
Holy Spirit is permanent and personal. We have God’s Spirit within us, and one
of the works of the Holy Spirit is to be our guide, guiding us in righteousness
and to walk obediently in the will of God. The challenge for us is the same as
it was for the Israelites, to trust in the wisdom of God and follow willingly.
If we believe that God is loving, good, sovereign, all-knowing, wise and
all-powerful, then it should not be a difficult thing for us to follow Him, it
should in fact be a joy!
Sovereign Father, we thank You that You
are a God who leads His people. You lead them into redemption, You lead them
through life and You bring them safely into Your promised rest. We thank You
that Your guidance is one that is wise and best for us. Forgive us for the
times when we have complained against Your leading, or even refused to follow
it, trusting in our own foolish wisdom. We pray that You will deepen our
understanding of Your wisdom so that we might follow more readily. Amen.
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