I am a Christian teen. The prophet Isaiah said, “ Go, and tell this people: `Keep on listening, but do not perceive; Keep on looking, but do not understand.´ Render the hearts of this people insensitive, Their ears dull, And their eyes dim, Otherwise they might see with their eyes, Hear with their ears, Understand with their hearts, And return and be healed” (Is. Thus the one did not come near the other all night.”. When they got to the edge of the sea, God used Moses to part the sea and the pillar of cloud moved behind the people to protect them from the Egyptians. I … © 2021 The Bridge. Sarah Edwards was a godly woman who knew that the Lord led and guided her life. If you are a Christian, Jesus Christ is the Lord and Master of your life. If you want to see the glory of God in all its fullness, just look at Jesus! God knew just what the people needed, and remained attentive to their abilities and needs. Jesus was “God with us.” Jesus was and is God incarnate. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”  My friends, if you are a Christian, Jesus Christ is your resident guide. We live the Christian life by keeping our eyes on Jesus! https://lwfchurch.org/sermons/christ-in-exodus-part-4-the-pillar-of-cloud-and-fire Anything less and anything else is a disappointment to God and to every true man. We place an extremely high value on the Word of God, so we consider the context and intent of the original author to his readers before we bring present day application. Posted-on 7th November 2018 By line Byline admin-mattmcchlery-com. Even when their hearts wandered. These blogs were written to seek to accurately interpret some difficult Biblical passages, These are blogs written concerning the church plant in Rancho Cordova. In Exodus 16:10 it says, “It came about as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the sons of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud.”  When Moses ascended Mt. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people. Scripture: Exodus 13:21-22 | He is in us, because His Spirit is in us. But God didn't just send them the long way around unassisted. We seem to be faced with a pillar of cloud that operates like a pillar of fire illuminating the night. Our Recent Posts. Once He comes into your life through His Spirit, He stays. His presence never left. Throughout the book of Exodus, the Lord’s presence is signified by a cloud and fire. ID. I don’t think we need to overthink this. He gets to choose what path you will take. May God help us to learn to resign ourselves to His divine will and adore Him even when we are hurting. Jesus said in Mt. The Berean: Daily Verse and Comment Now, who or what exactly was this pillar, that appeared as a cloud and a fire? That pillar appeared as a cloud during the day, and it appeared as a fire by night. 1. J. C. Gray. (Ignore the titles – it’s not about Naughty Elephants and its not Clive Butcher speaking – it’s me!) But, it may be that that is the way the Lord is going to lead you to your eternal inheritance in glory. He never somehow blindsides the Lord and gets to you, without the Lord knowing about it. Small is Beautiful – Guest post on BarnabasME, Sermon: Spotlight on Jesus – His Permanent Legacy, All Things New: Stories of Transformed Lives. Having survived a bout with cancer in 2016, he tries to make every day count. O, pray for your lost friends and neighbors with all your heart, that the Lord would remove their blindness and allow them to see His light! The primary purpose of the pillar of cloud and fire was to lead the way for the children of Israel through the wilderness to the promised land. In 1758, the great theologian, Jonathan Edwards lay dying because of a smallpox innoculation which had gone bad. We meet in homes, usually either in Rancho Cordova or Natomas. Speaker, author, songwriter and musician Matt McChlery has a passion for pointing people towards Jesus. The pillar of cloud and fire did not represent even an angel’s guidance and guardianship. Numbers 9:15-23 ... and at even there was upon the tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire, until the morning. You tell me, which one is more fitting for a child of God? Thus there was the cloud with the darkness, and it illumined the night, so that the one could not come near the other all through the night (Exod. The Forward Movement of God's Plan - Exodus 1 4. 14:19b, 24a), and continued to guide and protect the latter uninterruptedly throughout their wanderings. Your affectionate mother, Sarah.”. 2. But when I read this, a lot of things clicked for me and made sense. But the Lord graciously provided a covering to protect His people from the scorching heat of the sun. The children of Israel have no roads to follow, and no guide to lead them. But God graciously came to them and provided a guide. The Egyptians were going to have to go through God if they were to get to the Israelites! We read that as the people were walking, the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud during the day to guide them and a pillar of fire at night to give them light. The primary purpose of the pillar of cloud and fire was to lead the way for the children of Israel through the wilderness to the promised land. I have gone through the above Pillar of Fire and clouds.it was very meaningful and helps spiritually. Satan is God’s devil, and He has him on a leash. The Shekinah, the pillar of cloud and fire, depicts God's visible presence and protection. But now Moses wants further clarification. The question is: How does God manifest His glory today? The glory of God appeared to the sons of Israel in the cloud. Sermon on the Mount (40) House on the Rock (7) The Widow of Nain (2) ... Pillars of Cloud and Fire (7) Ten Commanment (17) -Golden Calf (3) Ark of the Covenant (6) Tabernacle (11) ... God sends a cloudy pillar by day and a pillar of fire by night to … He prays, not unlike us, "Look, You have told me, 'Lead this people up,' but You have not let me know whom You will send with me. (And other things). Denomination: Pentecostal 6. The pillar of cloud and fire was present throughout Israel’s 40 years in the wilderness (Exodus 40:38). The Spirit of Christ could not come to guide the Church to heaven, until Jesus had first atoned for sin. The Lord went in front of them in a pillar of cloud by day, to lead them along the way, and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light, so that they might travel by day and by night. Here is a sermon I preached a while ago – yet still full of good stuff! He will walk with you through the river of death and bring you safely on to the other shore. All the initiative is on God’s part. The earliest traditions of the Exodus from Egypt refer to the pillar of cloud by day and of fire by night, which accompanied the Children of Israel on their way through the desert (Ex. In spite of all of Israel’s failures, including their murmuring, their unbelief, their forsaking the Lord to worship a golden calf, the Lord never forsook them. Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Charles Whitaker. The Last Account of the Pillar of Cloud and Fire. Permissions: You are permitted and encouraged to reproduce and distribute this material in any format provided that you do not alter the wording in any way and do not charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction. The Christian has a divine guide. 9:2,  “The people who walk in darkness will see a great light, those who live in a dark land, the light will shine on them.”  Jesus told His disciples, “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”  John wrote in John 1:4-5, “In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. 3. Thus there was the cloud with the darkness, and it illumined the night, so that the one could not come near the other all through the night (Exod. So they’ve just come out of Egypt. (Psalms 105:39) “He spread a cloud for a covering; and fire to give light in the night.” d.  Eph. The Pillar Was Darkness To The Egyptians. Anything less and anything else is a … How miserable it would be to travel in the scorching sun. I’m so glad that He is committed to me, because if he weren’t, my sin would have driven Him away a long time ago! We have also interspersed a few other great articles by other notable Christian leaders like John Newton and Charles Spurgeon. the pillar of cloud and fire The church of the Apostles was a living miracle, and so should the church of the nineteenth century be. Well, we have already seen Christ as our Redeemer, the great I Am, and the Passover Lamb. Visit us on Sunday morning. But inside that pillar of cloud, which looked like a pillar was fire and the fire of course, was symbolic of the presence of God and the judgment that characterizes holiness. The children of Israel were able to go day and night through the wilderness because of the pillar of cloud and pillar of fire. When God Leads the Way - Exodus 33 Scriptures: Exodus 33 My heart is inditing a good matter, of the word of God. The guide would be a pillar of cloud by day and fire by night. Jesus said in John 14:16, “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever.”  According to Hebrews 13:5, the Lord will never forsake or desert His people. Bible Camp; Bible Introduction; Guest Speaker; Insight; Insight New Testament; I hope you enjoy it and learn something new. The pillar of cloud and fire did not represent even an angel’s guidance and guardianship. Notice Exodus 14:19-20, “The angel of God, who had been going before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people. Paul writes in Ephesians 1:13, “In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation – having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise.”. 6:10). Now, we can either get mad at God, or we can bow before Him and kiss the hand of His providence. That’s why the Egyptians didn’t come near the Israelites all night. Old Testament scholar Trempar Longman III tells us: “Indeed, there is only one pillar, but the fire burning in the cloud becomes visible only during the evening and in this way remains a constant reminder of God’s presence … 14:19–20). The same One who sheds light on our path, is only darkness to the world. In verse 2, the angel of the Lord appeared to Moses in a blazing fire from the midst of a bush that burned but was not consumed. Exodus 13:21-22 And the (Eternal) went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night. The apostle Paul says in 2 Corinthians 9:15, “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!”  Likewise, the Spirit of Christ, is also God’s gift to us. Comments are closed. He will take us in ways that we would never have chosen. The fire and the cloud are constant manifestations of the presence of God. O that we may kiss the rod, and lay our hands upon our mouths! So thank you!!! 5:17-18, “So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. My friends, Jesus Christ is God’s gracious gift to mankind. At The Bridge, we usually work verse-by-verse through books of the Bible. Do you get mad at God, and turn your back on Him? Notice Psalm 105:39, “He spread a cloud for a covering, and fire to illumine by night.”  The pillar of cloud was for a covering. The Lord appeared to Moses in a bush that was on fire. Misusing God's Name - Exodus 20 5. But my God lives; and he has my heart. the pillar of cloud and fire The church of the Apostles was a living miracle, and so should the church of the nineteenth century be. First there was the slaying of the Passover Lamb, and then the giving of the pillar of cloud. If you want to know how to follow Jesus, you must be thoroughly acquainted with His ways in the Scriptures. PILLAR OF CLOUD AND FIRE. We live the Christian life by watching where He goes, and following Him. Praise be to God! If you are interested in joining us, call us at 916-304-3014. You can imagine traveling through the wilderness in the hot, arid wilderness of the Middle East, with babies and little children. And as to my children, you are now to be left fatherless, which I hope will be an inducement to you all to seek a Father who will never fail you.”, He was only 54 years old! There is not a single word about them asking God to give them this precious gift. Sermon: Pillars of Cloud and Fire. The prophet Isaiah wrote in Is. Jesus absorbed in His body on the cross the hell that we deserved. The pillar of cloud and fire was God’s gracious gift to the children of Israel. “Dear Lucy, it seems to me to be the will of God that I must shortly leave you; therefore give my kindest love to my dear wife, and tell her, that the uncommon union, which has so long subsisted between us, has been of such a nature as I trust is spiritual and therefore will continue forever: and I hope she will be supported under so great a trial, and submit cheerfully to the will of God. (Ignore the titles – it’s not about Naughty Elephants and its not Clive Butcher speaking – it’s me!). It was cloud, it was a vapor; and by a miracle, of course, what God did, He then converted it into a pillar of fire, self-sustaining fire … Pastor Alfred J. Chompff. The Shekinah, the pillar of cloud and fire, depicts God's visible presence and protection. When you find yourselves in a perplexing situation, ask yourself where the Lord is going in all of it. 1 Thess. It was apparently a vertical column, and it was vapor during the day. One of the most often asked questions of any pastor is how we can know the will of God. No, there was one pillar. If you have any doubt about that, just look back to Exodus 3:2-6. He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. Here is a sermon I preached a while ago – yet still full of good stuff! A Pillar of Cloud and of Fire: 9/27/2009 (SUN) | Bible: Exodus 13:21. He is the Light that shines on your path. Yet His glory is manifested in many other ways as well. There we read that whenever the cloud rested on the camp of Israel, the Israelites would stay put. 13:5 Paul wrote, “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! He has made me adore his goodness, that we had [your father] so long. But the cloud could set out at any time. Abraham, Called of God - Genesis 12 3. The Lord is a cloud that stands between us and our enemies! Then it manifested in a cloud in the Tent of meetings and the Tabernaccle. Without this pillar, they would just be stumbling around in the dark and getting lost. Sign in Pillar of Cloud and Fire. 1. This allowed them to travel by day and by night. The Pillar of Cloud and Fire. He remains and leads you to heaven every day, every step of the way. Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you – unless indeed you fail the test?”  So, how is Christ in us? The visible symbol of the presence of God caused a panic among the Egyptians as it cut them off from the Israelites (Ex. Sermon: Pillars of Cloud and Fire. SERMON: THE PILLAR OF CLOUD AND FIRE (OWON AWOSANMA ATI TI INA) Text: Exodus 13:21-22. The mission of SermonIndex is the preservation and propagation of classical Biblical preaching and the promotion of Christ-centered revival to this generation. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people. 6 adults began meeting in May of 2011 for the purpose of glorifying God by making disciples. God's Glory manifested in the Desert, in Moses' time, within a Pillar of cloud and Fire. I have had a lot of visions of clouds and fire lately. His last words were written to his daughter, Lucy. How am I supposed to live? Sometimes the cloud would rest on Israel for many days, or a month, or a year, and in those times they would just camp and stay put. Interestingly, though the pillar provided light to the Hebrews, it brought darkness upon the Egyptians (Ex.14:21). When Jesus is among us, God is among us. Let’s just take those 4. “When the cloud removed from over the tent, behold, Miriam was leprous, like snow. James P. Cooper Toronto, February 9, 2009 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night. Just as the pillar went before them, leading them on their journey, so the Lord Jesus does the same. The pillar of cloud is traditionally paired with the manifestation of the divine presence by night as the pillar of fire, which provided light. So this is a pillar of fire and a pillar of cloud. He is your indwelling guide to heaven. In Numbers 9:15-23, this is made very clear. You may even pray that the Lord will not make you experience those things. Isn’t that exactly what the children of Israel did? “He who has seen Me has seen the Father.”  Jesus is the glory of God made manifest. I want to show you 7 truths about this pillar of fire and cloud that will throw light on the glory of Christ. Later generations remembered it as a special sign of divine favor (… Oh, let’s rejoice in the fact that the Lord Jesus Himself is our pillar of fire and cloud! DEFINE AND REMEMBER: We must depend on the eyes of faith. Categories Ministry Sermons Tags, cloud fire matt mcchlery pillar powerful preaching sermon… The Christian has a divine guide. — Exodus 13:22. He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.”. Series: Beholding Christ In Exodus, Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 59:25 — 27.2MB). Oh rejoice my brethren! When the Egyptians pursued Israel, the cloud moved around and got in between them, and brought an eerie darkness over them. But whenever the cloud lifted, the Israelites would break camp, whether it was in the day or the night. Wherever the children of Israel were, there was a cloud to cover and protect them during the day. The Spirit of Christ did convict you of sin before you were saved, but He could not move in as your Resident Guide and Teacher until you had been cleansed of sin. What does the Bible say the will of God is? 6:5-8,  “Slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ; not by way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. (And I love verse 22.) ( NIV ) Besides the practical purpose of leading the people through the wilderness, the pillar also comforted the Hebrews with God's protective presence. It was a symbol of the "zeal of the Lord." This morning I want to show you Christ as the pillar of cloud and fire. First there must be the death of God’s Son, followed by His resurrection and ascension, and then the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. He shields us from the awful wrath of God against sin. Sermon notes in PDF file can be downloaded here in this link: Sermon Notes 23Aug20. Anyway, I suggest to you that this pillar was one: that is in the daytime, the thing that they saw was the pillar of cloud. The ladies gather every other Thursday evening at 7:00 for bible study. My friends, the Lord Jesus will never forsake you. by Brian Anderson | Scripture: 2 Chronicles 5:1-7:3. Founded in 2002. 4:3, “For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality”, c.  1 Thess. 13:2122). I desire to have both heaven and hell ever in my eye, while I stand on this isthmus of life, between two boundless oceans. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit. The Lord has revealed to us in His Word how He moves and where He goes. Comments are closed. Just like the Israelites, God has given us the Spirit of Christ to lead us there. “Discipleship Training Manual” was Pastor Brian’s attempt to provide some material to enable an older believer guide a younger believer into a growing and more obedient relationship to Christ. You can be sure that when Satan attacks you, he has to go through Jesus to get to you. Pillars of Cloud and Fire A Sermon by the Rev. Here you will find some biographical sketches of men God has used and spiritual awakenings He has sovereignly brought to pass. The second thing I want you to see is that the Lord Jesus Himself will guide you in all your ways to heaven. In His wisdom, He saw fit to take us that way. “Overwhelmed By Grace” – a Biblical study of the sovereign grace of God in salvation. So, how do we know when the Lord is moving so we can follow Him? 7:1, when the temple had been completed, God sent fire down from heaven to consume the sacrifice. Well, look at Exodus 14:19, “The angel of God, who had been going before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them.”  This pillar of cloud and fire is identified here as “the angel of the Lord.”  Well, who is that? In Numbers 9:15-23, this is made very clear. A holy and good God has covered us with a dark cloud. In verse 6 this “angel of the Lord” says, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”  This angel of the Lord is God. They are dead in their sins, and must be given life, in order to see Christ in His glory. 2:14, “But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.”. 11:25, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants.”  Paul said in 1 Cor. In 2 Chron. Glory be to the Most High God. We know how to follow Christ by knowing the will of God. However, in this place there can be no doubt that this “angel of the Lord” is none other than a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ. January 30th, 2017 | Hebrews 12:1-2 says, “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith.” The Christian life is to be lived by fixing our eyes on Jesus. The Berean: Daily Verse and Comment. How about you? Moreover thou leddest them in the day by a cloudy pillar; and in the night by a pillar of fire, to give them light in the way wherein they should go (Neh. We in the New Testament era can likewise incur great blessings by “following the cloud” of God's presence, purposes, and guidance.. Exodus 13:17-22 ...[18a] So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea.... [20] After leaving Succoth they … Read some of our stories here, Here you will find blogs geared toward the believer’s spiritual life and growing in grace. And so, God, in this pillar of fire and cloud provided what Israel needed that night—protection, illumination and comfort to the fearful Israelites. Paul speaks of “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” In 2 Cor. We are all given to God; and there I am, and love to be. Numbers 12:10 refers to it in the incident of Miriam’s complaint against Moses. And this pillar is what I’d like for us to focus on in this sermon—the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. But as we face all of those enemies, we can know that they have to go through Jesus to get to us. However, God is sovereign over the direction of our lives. By night it was a pillar of fire to give them light (Psalm 105:39). Acts 2:33 says, “Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear.”  This is also true in our own experience. O what a legacy my husband, and your father, has left us! We usually have a meal together. Features Pricing Upload Sermon Get started for FREE. Exodus 13:21-22 says, “The Lord was going before them in a pillar of cloud by day to lead them on the way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. What is the will of God for me in the rest of my life? We can’t do that. Do as Augustine said, “Love God and do as you please.”  My friends, if you are pursuing sanctification, joy, prayer, thanksgiving, and being filled with the Spirit, I’m confident that what your renewed wants to do will be the will of God. The Lord must shine His light into their hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ (2Cor.4:6). 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, … We are introduced to one of the hugely significant ways that God revealed His glory in the Exodus – through the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire. My friends, you and I have many enemies in this Christian life. Manna, the heavenly bread falling each morning. The Lord has done it. He never withdrew the pillar of cloud and fire. Also, notice that the pillar became a fire at night, so that it would illumine their paths and enable the children of Israel to march at night. When Satan wanted to destroy Job, God let him attack him, but only to a point. Exodus 13:21–22 explains that God gave them the pillar of cloud by day to lead them in the way He wanted them to go and the pillar of fire by night to give light. He is the One who calls Himself, “I Am Who I Am.” And, remember that in John 8:58, Jesus says, “before Abraham was born, I Am.”  So, in this pillar of cloud and fire, we are seeing Jesus Christ before He became man. As they stood at the edge of the wilderness (reminds me of Merry and Pippin at Fangorn Forest), God sent a pillar of cloud to guide them by day and a pillar of fire to guide them by night. And the Lord will not allow any of them to touch us unless it is part of His sovereign plan. He… The Baptist Faith and Message: Mankind - Genesis 1 2. Now, there is much for us to learn here about our Savior, as we examine the pillar. 9:12).. Answer: The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night guided the Israelites during their exodus from Egyptian bondage. Pillars of fire leading the crowd by night. In the same way the Church of the living God has a supernatural leadership. Now, there are several things we should learn from this. First, we trust in Christ’s atoning work on the cross to wash us from our sins, and then we experience the indwelling of the Spirit of Christ to lead and guide us. Paul said, “if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.”  Folks, we are pilgrims, traveling through a strange land on our way to eternal glory. Missional Communities are groups of disciples who meet either every week or every other week to spur one another on to bring the lost to Christ and help them obey everything Jesus commanded. Here is a sermon I preached a while ago – yet still full of good stuff! Most of the Articles found here were written by Brian Anderson from 1990 – 2000 when he served as Pastor at Milpitas Bible Fellowship. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people. Featuring a sermon puts it on the front page of the site and is the most effective way to bring this sermon to the attention of thousands including all mobile platforms + newsletter. My friends, you could not receive the Spirit until you trusted Christ. I’m thankful for the understanding of the pillar of clouds and fire. The pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire stayed with God’s people each step of the way…. Some other web sites of our friends in gospel ministry that will be a blessing to you. a.  Eph. Now, my friends, if Jesus is our pillar of cloud and fire, leading us to glory, how do we live the Christian life?