Exodus 13 – May 29

My devotional thought for this chapter is simple but has proven to be of great encouragement to me. The Israelites had been living in Egypt for 400 years. No living Israelite had likely ever traveled in the wilderness where the Lord had led them. There was no GPS or Google Maps. The people were fully dependent upon the guidance of the Lord. Moreover, the people were in one of the most hostile environments in the entire world. The men, women, children, animals, and everything else were in danger of the extreme heat in the day and the shocking cold of the nights. The Lord provided a source of cool in the day in the form of a cloud. He provided heat in the night in the form of a pillar of fire. And through these two mysterious gifts, the Lord led the Israelites through the wilderness.

But things are much deeper than just the heat, cool, and directions. The pillars of cloud and fire were not just meteorological events sent by God like He might send a rain storm. They were physical manifestations of the presence and glory of God. Verse 21 says, “And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way…” In 14:19 it adds that, “Then the angel (or messenger) of God who was going before the host of Israel moved and went behind them, and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them.” This cloud continues with the Israelites all throughout the book and in the very last chapter of Exodus we read, “Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.”

God never left the Israelites. His presence went before them, protected them, and led them. But here is the best news. Every single believer has something even greater than the pillar of cloud and fire. God has promised to guard and protect us. “But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.” Our older brother in the faith, Jesus Christ, has gone on before us and showed us exactly how to get to the true and better promised land. “We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf…”  (Hebrews 6:19-20) And better than the presence of the Lord being near our camp, the Holy Spirit has taken up residency within our very bodies. “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God?” (1 Cor. 6:19)

Every blessing that the Israelites experienced during their Exodus from Egypt, we have been given on an exponentially greater scale. I hope that this encourages your soul today.