Numbers
10: trumpets for gathering Israel and the pillar of fire & cloud. The
leaders of the tribes are the same leaders as in Numbers 7. Moses invites his
father-in-law to come with them, since he knows the wilderness well.
Imagine
being led by the very visual presence of the LORD in the form of a pillar of
fire/cloud.
19 And the angel of God, which
went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of
the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them:
20
And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it
was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that
the one came not near the other all the night.
Why
did the LORD choose to show Himself in a cloud? One might be tempted to
speculate, but here are the reasons we find in scripture.
1.
In the context of Numbers 10, the pillar of cloud/fire was to lead Israel.
Ex
13:21-22 And the LORD went before
them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire,
to give them light; to go by day and night: He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the
people.
See
also Ex. 40:36-38; Nu. 9:17-22; De. 1:33; Neh. 9:19; Ps. 78:14.
2. The pillar was for defense. At the Red Sea, the LORD
divided the pursuing Egyptians from the children of Israel.
Ex 14:19-20 And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel,
removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from
before their face, and stood behind them: And it came between the camp of the
Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these:
so that the one came not near the other all the night.
Ex
14:24 And it came to pass, that in
the morning watch the LORD looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the
pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians,
Ps
105:39 He spread a cloud
for a covering; and fire to give light in the night.
Isa
4:5 And the LORD will
create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud
and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the
glory shall be a defence.
3. The cloud was evidence of the LORD’s glory.
Ex 16:10 And it came to pass, as
Aaron spake unto the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they
looked toward the wilderness, and, behold, the glory of the LORD appeared in
the cloud.
See
also Ex. 40:34.
4. It validated the authority of a person.
Ex
19:9 And the LORD said
unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear
when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever. And Moses told the words of
the people unto the LORD.
See
also Nu. 16:42.
Mt
17:5 While he yet spake, behold, a
bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which
said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.
Mr
9:7 And there was a cloud that
overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my
beloved Son: hear him.
Lu
9:34-35 While he thus spake, there
came a cloud, and overshadowed them: and they feared as they entered into the cloud.
And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear
him.
5. It represented the LORD’s presence.
Ex
34:5 And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood
with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD.
See
also Le. 16:2.
6. It was practical: light at night.
Exodus
13:21 And the LORD went before them
by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar
of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:
7. It was also impractical!
Ex
40:35 And Moses was not able to enter
into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the
glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
1Ki
8:10-11 And it came to pass, when the
priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the
LORD, So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for
the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD.
See
also II Chron. 5:13-14.
8. The LORD acted
when the cloud was present.
Ex
14:24 And it came to pass, that in
the morning watch the LORD looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the
pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians,
Nu
11:25 And the LORD came
down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him,
and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit
rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease.
See
also Nu. 12:5-10.
9. It was a witness to other peoples.
Nu
14:14 And they
will tell it to the inhabitants of this land: for they have heard that thou
LORD art among this people, that thou LORD art seen face to face, and that thy
cloud standeth over them, and that thou goest before them, by day time in a
pillar of a cloud, and in a pillar of fire by night.
Perhaps
this is a little “fleshly,” but I do enjoy the idea of the presence of God
being impractical. Sometimes we have agendas, even good and holy agendas, which
are superseded by God’s better and holier plan. When God shows up, wonderful things can happen.
Maybe you'll get to experience some of God's style of impracticality some time soon.
