"By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people." - Ex 13:21-22 (NIV)
When the Exodus began, God gave his people a tangible vision of his presence (although he chose not to reveal himself as he really is). This continued all the way through the wilderness wanderings and all the way up to Moses' parting from his people:
"Then the LORD appeared at the Tent in a pillar of cloud, and the cloud stood over the entrance to the Tent." - Deut 31:15-16 (NIV)
This was not a small matter to the Israelites, because centuries later, it still remained a symbol of God's compassion for his people:
"Because of your great compassion you did not abandon them in the desert. By day the pillar of cloud did not cease to guide them on their path, nor the pillar of fire by night to shine on the way they were to take." - Neh 9:19-21
What is remarkable to me is that you don't read about the pillar in the story of Joshua. When did the pillar of cloud leave? When God makes his exit, it is frequently a big deal (just look at his exit in Ezek 10 or Acts 1). But the scriptures never tell us when the cloud of pillar left. Don't you imagine that God's people had to wonder where God was? Don't you think that their children would be asking about it? This is similar to the problem mentioned by Jason in his post, Where is God? I personally think that the pillar may have ceased to appear when the manna and quail stopped. After that, God's providence through the land became the symbol of his continual presence.
I believe that since then God has required incrementally more faith of his people. It was easier for those who had seen the mighty acts of God in the wilderness and the taking of Canaan than it would be for those who came later. The prophets, despite the things that they heard and saw looked forward to the things that would happen in the time of the Messiah: "For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it." (Luke 10.24 (NIV) And finally, Jesus made it clear that "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." - John 20:29 (NIV)
Yet, at the same time, God has given his written word as evidence and the Spirit as a Comforter to allow us to maintain a faith that glorify him as surely (if not as largely) as Joshua's did. God grant us a childlike faith in his presence: simple, loving, and dependent.
2 comments:
Ann and I talked, and we think that just to tell the story of the pillar of cloud, or of God’s conversations with Joshua, begs the question, "Where is God?" As you have said, Jason, kids are going to ask.
At first he talked to the fathers. Then, when he chose a people, he selected an emissary: a Moses or a Joshua. Once he had delivered both a law and a land, he worked periodically through judges. After his people showed their resistance to faithfulness, he allowed them to have a king, who could enforce faithfulness (or who could encourage apostasy), but was held in check by prophets. When the king concept failed, he redoubled his efforts through the prophets to appeal to the hearts and the challenged faith of the remnant. In every step, he reveals more about himself and then makes his person and power less visible. But finally, he came himself in our form so that at last we might have a lightning flash glimpse of the unseen but still have the choice to affirm or deny what we had seen. Who God is, and what God desires of us has been revealed. Some will believe, some will not. That is one thing about people that has not changed.
God has not changed either. He is who HE IS. It seems though that he is deliberately leading us as a people higher and higher up, eliminating forks in the road as we go. We might think that a Theocracy would work, for example; I have heard for people long for it. But he has shown us through the kings that this will not work in the world as it now is. Now we are in the Way, and we long for the day that our faith shall be sight. Let us trust in his wisdom about his self-revelation and faithfully follow. Maranatha!
You know, I guess I just missed it. I either didn't read this post before, or I just missed the scope of this conversation.
One of the questions that should arise from our narrative of Israel, is when we get to the book of Joshua where is the pillar?
Was it needed? It certainly would have been nice.
It frightens me, and excites me that God places so much stock in humanity to accomplish his plans.
As leaders of our local churches, camp staff, parents, youth workers, etc., we are given great responsibility and it should force us to our knees constantly asking and seeking where God is. We ask where, not because he has departed from us, but to make sure where we are going is where he wants.
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