Good Morning.
At the command of the Lord the children of Israel would journey, and at the command of the Lord they would camp; as long as the cloud stayed above the tabernacle they remained encamped. (Numbers 9:18)
When the tabernacle was raised up, a cloud that had the appearance of fire hovered over the Sanctuary. It served as a manifestation that God was in their midst and directing their path. Thus the camp of Israel would move and would stop depending upon the the cloud. When it moved they moved; when it rested, they rested. Consequently, they were not to act presumptuously in their journeys but to be content to wait on Him. Sometime they waited for days, at other times the wait was weeks, months or even a year. But when the cloud began to move, regardless of time of day, they were expected to break camp and move with the cloud.
In consideration of this, it is important for us who wish to be led of the LORD to take this lesson to heart. Sometimes being led of the LORD means staying put for a while and being content to do so. I know that, in my life, that has been difficult at times and I have wanted to make something happen when I was feeling antsy. When I did try to make something happen it typically turned out to be the wrong thing to do or, occasionally, the right thing but at the wrong time. Most of us can identify with this and, so, when we feel we need to move we must be certain it is at His direction, otherwise, we are better off to wait until we can be certain.
In fact, the Scripture teaches that there was no ambiguity about their movement, meaning that it was obvious when they were supposed to move. Through the school of hard knocks, I have come to believe that the LORD will clearly indicate when it is time for us to move thus allowing us to be certain of the timing. However, this is likely to be clear only to those who are in close contact with Him, meaning those whose ears are keen to hear His voice. I submit that it is critical, especially in these perilous times, to be able to hear His Voice. Furthermore, it is very important that we know when to move and when to rest, understanding that waiting on the LORD will be rewarded with renewed strength for the next part of our journey.
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
Recent Comments