“THE LORD WENT BEFORE THEM!”

Exodus 13:21-22                         (ESV)

“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.”

Imagine, if you will, traveling with the Children of Israel on their exodus from being enslaved by the Egyptians and headed to the Promised Land?  To know that ALMIGHTY GOD, the CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE, the ONE WHO spoke EVERYTHING into existence, was running interference for you and fighting all your battles for you had to give Moses and Aaron a great deal of confidence as they were leading the Israelites?  Being protected by the PILLAR OF CLOUD during the blistering hot days and the PILLAR OF FIRE in the cold nights had to be reassuring to the Children of GOD.  However, remembering that ALMIGHTY GOD was there wasn’t something that came easily for the Israelites.

The same GOD WHO Promised to go before them has Promised to NEVER LEAVE US NOR FORSAKE US (Hebrews 13:5-6), even if we are headed directly into precarious situations!  While we may not have the PILLAR OF FIRE and the PILLAR OF CLOUD going before us, we have HIS PROMISE that HE will always be with us in whatever we do.  Remember Numbers 23:19 which says “GOD is not man, that HE should lie, or a son of man, that HE should change HIS mind. Has HE said, and will HE not do it? Or has HE spoken, and will HE not fulfill it?”  

Like the Children of Israel, we have to remind ourselves what GOD has Promised and HAVE FAITH in HIS WORD, that HE will do what HE said HE is going to do, because “....Has HE said, and will HE not do it? Or has HE spoken, and will HE not fulfill it?”  When “THE LORD WENT BEFORE THEM”, HE was right where HE Promised HE would be, even n their unbelief!  All of the whining and bickering about their conditions still didn’t change the Promise that GOD had made.  We can KNOW that ALMIGHTY GOD, the CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE, the ONE WHO spoke EVERYTHING into existence, will NEVER LEAVE US NOR FORSAKE US because HIS WORD promises that!  “THE LORD WENT BEFORE THEM” because HE Promised HE would, not because they were worthy of HIS Blessings!  “THE LORD WENT BEFORE THEM” because HE IS GOD, and HE does what HE says HE will do.........PERIOD!!!!