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This message was preached at Grace Baptist Church in Westlake, OH on May 10, 2009.
I am not very good at preaching messages for special days. I do Christmas messages each year, but not normally messages for memorial Day, Valentines Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day, etc. Other guys do great at that...I don't. So, on this Mother's Day (last Sunday), we were still in Exodus, and this is the message that was preached. It as also fitting, for he message, that we observed The Lord's Table together as well. Don't worry:we did celebrate Mother's Day, by reading some articles, praying for them, giving them flowers and candy; and having a parent/child dedication. It was a good way to honor all mothers, I think. Now for the message:

FREE AT LAST
Exodus 12:33-13:22

Please turn in your Bible to the 2nd book of the Bible, the book of Exodus, and find chapter 12…Exodus 12.

John Bartlett relates an historical event connected to our topic for today: Back in our earliest days as a nation, a determined 39 year old, radical-thinking attorney addressed the Virginia Convention. It was on March 23, 1775, a time of great patriotic passion, and his patriotism refused to be silenced any longer. Sounding more like a prophet of God than a patriot for his country, he announced:

“If we wish to be free we must fight!..I repeat it, sir, we must fight! An appeal to arms, and to the God of hosts, is all that is left in us. It is vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. The gentlemen may cry ‘Peace, peace!’ but there is no peace. The war has actually begun!..Our brethren are already in the field. Why stand we her idle?..Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God. I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!”

What a soul-stirring speech! We applaud the courageous passion of Patrick Henry to this day. Because of it he remains in our minds one of our national heroes. Not quite ninety years later we were fighting one another in our country’s worst bloodbath. And again I remind you, it was for the cause of liberty. The issue was slavery versus freedom. The black people of our nation were not free. It was the conviction of the United States government that they should be free, and if necessary, we would take up arms against those who opposed their liberation from slavery.

Charles Sumner did a masterful job of summing up the issue of the Civil War in a speech made on November 5, 1864: “Where Slavery is, there Liberty cannot be; and where Liberty is, there Slavery cannot be.”

The idea of freedom goes all the way back to the days when the people of Israel were in bondage in Egypt. Eventually, through a mighty display of power, God fought for and bought the redemption of His people. We are going to see the result of that this morning, as the people of Israel are freed, and because of their freedom, they are asked by God to remember Him through ceremonies and celebrations, as well as by how they live each day. We are also going to be reminded, today, that even as Christians who live in the 21st Century, we have freedom to celebrate. But, the freedom I am referring to is not the freedom here in the United States. It is the spiritual freedom, the eternal freedom, that comes to every person who has placed their faith and trust in Jesus Christ alone for salvation. And because of this freedom, we also are asked to remember, to celebrate, and to live our lives for God.

After the 10 plagues of Egypt, the king, Pharaoh, told Moses and the people of Israel to go immediately. The people of Egypt got involved as well:

Exodus 12:33-36 – “The Egyptians were urgent with the people to send them out of the land in haste. For they said, We shall all be dead. So the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneading bowls being bound up in their cloaks on their shoulders. The people of Israel had also done as Moses told them, for they had asked the Egyptians for silver and gold jewelry and for clothing. And the LORD had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have what they asked. Thus they plundered the Egyptians.”

There is fulfillment of prophecy in these verses. God had told Abraham, when He first gave him the promises of a new nation, that his descendants would be in bondage but would come out with great possessions:

Genesis 15:14 – “But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions.”

And then, when God was laying out his plan to Moses, he included this:
Exodus 3:22 –“But each woman shall ask of her neighbor, and any woman who lives in her house, for silver and god jewelry, and for clothing. You shall put them on your sons and on your daughter. So you shall plunder the Egyptians.”

All of this came to pass, just as God said it would. The slaves asked their owners, so to speak, for their gold and silver jewelry; and they gave it to them. And we are told why: because God gave His people favor in the sight of His enemies, the Egyptians.

SO WHAT? does this have to do with us, today? The principle is throughout God’s Word:
· God will use, even, His enemies, to accomplish His will and be a blessing in your life.

Don’t be surprised if God uses non-believers to bring blessings or direction to your life. Even with people who do not claim to believe in God or follow Jesus Christ, God is in control and knows how to give you favor in their eyes, causing them to be a blessing in your life; and providing the resources you need to accomplish God’s will.

Exodus 12:37-39 – “And the people of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children. A mixed multitude also went up with them, and very much livestock, both flocks and herds. And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough that they had brought out of Egypt, for it was not leavened, because they were thrust out of Egypt and could not wait, nor had they prepared any provisions for themselves.”

When the people of Israel first arrived in Egypt, they had 70 people:
Exodus 1:5 – “All the descendants of Jacob were seventy persons…”
And now, there were 600,000 men, and on top of that number, the women and the children.Scholars estimate, that with the women and children, there could have been up to 2,000,000 people of Israel who left for the Promised land. And they marched out of Egypt, in clear sight of the people:

Numbers 33:3,4 – “They set out from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month. On the day after the Passover, the people of Israel went out triumphantly in the sight of all the Egyptians, while the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn, whom the LORD had struck down among them…”

Now, verse 38 says a mixed multitude went up with them out of Egypt. In Numbers 11:4, this same phrase is translated: “rabble”, referring to those who were complaining. According to Warren Wiersbe’s commentary on this section: “This suggests that the “mixed multitude” originated with most of the complaining in the camp that created so many problems for Moses. Some of this crowd may have been Egyptians who had married Jews, contrary to God’s law; others were probably Egyptians who were frightened, impressed with Jehovah’s power (Ex. 9:20), and wanted to benefit from being with God’s chosen people. Perhaps they thought more judgments might fall on the land and they wanted to escape them.”

Did you notice, in verse 33, how the Egyptian people said: they must leave, or we might all be dead soon. They had suffered the death of the firstborn, and all the other 9 plagues; and they wondered if they would be next. Some of the Egyptians decided to go with the people of Israel, and take their chances.
Exodus 12:40-42 – “The time that the people of Israel lived in Egypt was 430 years. At the end of 430 years, on that very day, all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt. It was a night of watching by the LORD, to bring them out of the land of Egypt; so this same night is a night of watching kept to the LORD by all the people of Israel throughout their generations.”

Israel is referred to here as the “hosts of the LORD”. It is a military term, used here of Israel. Back in the beginning of Exodus, we met the King of Egypt (Pharaoh) at that time that did not take into account how Joseph, one of Israel’s sons, had protected Egypt in the past; and that Pharaoh became so afraid of the Israelites staging a coup, that they put Israel into hard bondage so that they would not be able to have the strength to overtake Egypt. Isn’t it interesting that it is the LORD Himself who takes of the fight for Israel and counts them as His “hosts” even though they didn’t have to do any fighting yet…they just needed to obey.

Don’t miss this: the fact that there were about 2,000,000 people who left Egypt is a fulfilled promise that God would make a great nation out of Abraham and would protect and deliver His people. Don’t miss what this also means for us:

SO WHAT?
· God keeps all of His promises to you
If there is a promise in God’s Word, that is meant for you, you can be 100% sure that that promise, in God’s timing, will come to pass. Be encouraged by that!

Exodus 12:43-49 – “And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, This is the statue of the Passover: no foreigner shall eat of it, but every slave that is bought for money may eat of it after you have circumcised him. No foreigner or hired servant may eat of it. It shall be eaten in one house; you shall not take any of the flesh outside the house, and you shall not break any of its bones. All the congregation of Israel shall keep it. If a stranger shall sojourn with you and would keep the Passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised. Then he may come near and keep it; he shall be as a native of the land. But no uncircumcised person shall eat of it. There shall be one law for the native and for the stranger who sojourns among you.”

This was a special celebration for God’s people and for those who chose to identify with God’s people through the physical act of circumcision. Back then, that was an identifying mark of those families that were the followers of the one and only true God. Today, the Bible would say that the mark of a true follower of God is one who has been spiritually circumcised: made clean by the forgiveness of sins and given a new, clean heart. The specific laws for the Israelites and for the foreigners who would reside with them will be spelled out later in Exodus and the rest of the Law of Moses.

Do you think it is just a coincidence that the command was not to break any of the lamb’s bones during the Passover celebration (v.45)? Now that we have all the Bible, we know that it was no accident, but a sign for things to come. In the Psalms, there are many statements looking ahead to the future King, Jesus Christ, who would come to redeem His people. This is what it predicted, that is connected to the Passover lamb:

Psalm 34:20 – “He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken.”
And then, when Jesus Christ died on the cross, and they did not break any of his bones, as they normally did, the Bible says:

John 19:36 – “For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: Not one of his bones will be broken.”

God used this story of the Exodus and the celebration of the Passover to look ahead to a time when He would send His own Son, Jesus, to be the Passover Lamb.

Exodus 12:50, 51 – “All the people of Israel did just as the LORD commanded Moses and Aaron. And on that very day the LORD brought the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their hosts.”

Exodus 13:1,2 – “The LORD said to Moses, Consecrate to me all the firstborn. Whatever is the first to open the womb among the people of Israel, both of man and of beast, is mine.”

This goes beyond the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread celebrations. This is something they were to continually celebrate, even when it wasn’t a certain time of year. Sometimes translated “sanctify”, consecrate means: “To make holy by giving to God.” We will see more of this in a moment.

Exodus 13:3-7 – “Then Moses said to the people, Remember this day in which you came out from Egypt, out of the house of slavery, for by a strong hand the LORD brought you out from this place. No leavened bread shall be eaten. Today, in the month of Abib, you are going out. And when the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, you shall keep this service in this month. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a feast to the LORD. Unleavened bread shall be eaten for seven days; no leavened bread shall be seen with you, and no leaven shall be seen with you in all your territory.”

We have already read and discussed last week, some of the details of the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread. You can go to our website or at the welcome center table, sign up for the message: GOD ALMIGHTY, to be better informed on these celebrations. Verses 2-26 focus on the time when God would bring His people to the Promised land, where the Canannites lived and would give them victory over many groups of people.

This repeated statement (vs.3) that God brought his people out by “a strong hand” (vs.9,14,16) gives the framework for the instructions in this section and gives the foundation for why Israel is to faithfully keep the Feast of Unleavened bread (vs.3,9) and to consecrate the firstborn (vs14,16). It is also to remind Israel of God’s power and encourage them to fear the LORD but not to fear those who they will have to battle for the promised land (vs.5,11)

Exodus 13:8-10 – “You shall tell your son on that day, It is because of what the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt. And it shall be to you as a sign on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes, that the law of the LORD may be in your mouth. For with a strong hand the LORD has brought you out of Egypt. You shall therefore keep this statue at its appointed time from year to year.”

Again, they are told not only to keep the commands of God as it relates to the celebrations, but also to pass them along to future generations (12:26; 13:14).
Later, Jews took this literally and wrote these passages of Scripture on separate strips of paper and put them in two small leather boxes. A man bound these boxes (called phylacteries in Matthew 23:5) on his forehead and left arm before beginning his morning prayers.

But God was not saying that they were to make containers of the laws and put them on their bodies, but they were to live in such a way, as a regular part of life in obeying God, that it would be as though they had actual marks on their hands and between their eyes (vs.16). They would know the law and live it to the extent that it abides in their mouth, as they speak the truths of God. They would be constantly talking about it and teaching it to their children:

Deuteronomy 6:7 – “You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”

SO WHAT? are we supposed to do with all this information on the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread celebrations. Let me suggest that this is our application today:

· Celebrate the Lord’s Table, remembering that Jesus Christ redeemed you by dying for your sins.

We will celebrate this together in just a little while. But, for us today, who are not Jewish, we go back, not to the Exodus, but 2,000 years to when Jesus told us to remember what He was about to do: to give His body and blood, as a sacrificial substitute for us.

Exodus 13:11-13 – “When the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites, as he swore to you and your fathers, and shall give it to you, you shall set apart to the LORD all that first opens the womb. All the firstborn of your animals that are males shall be the LORD’S. Every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, or if you will not redeem it you shall break its neck. Every firstborn of man among your sins you shall redeem.”

In the 10th plague, God had spared the firstborn livestock and children from destruction; and therefore, into the future, they were to be dedicated to Him. They would either be sacrificed, some of the animals; or redeemed, with an animal’s blood being shed to take the place of a certain animal and the place of every firstborn child. The donkey, which was unclean (and could not count as a sacrifice) had to be redeemed with another animal or killed. All the firstborn children had to be redeemed, with the blood of a lamb being sacrificed in their place.

Redeem means: “To attain ownership or release of something or someone by paying a price.” This would be a continual reminder of what God did the night He brought the 10th plague and that they belonged to God. They needed to understand the importance of dedicating themselves, and their firstborns to God.

Because God had redeemed them from bondage in Egypt, He was now becoming their rightful owners. And in demonstrating that truth, they were to dedicate their firstborns to Him. We see this played out spiritually, in the New Testament as well:

Please read out loud with me the words that are highlighted:

Romans 6:17,18, 22 – “But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and , having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness…But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.”

Romans 12:1 – “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”

I Corinthians 6:20 – “For you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”

Just as the firstborn of Israel belonged to God, so all of us who are Christians are redeemed by Him and are therefore His.

SO WHAT? are we to do with the consecration ceremonies they had for the firstborn? Well, we should apply it, keeping in mind what Jesus Christ did for us; and do this:
· Commit yourselves, your children, and your resources to the service and glory of God.

I believe that is an appropriate application…not just the firstborn; but everything you have. Wouldn’t you say that is what the Bible has just told us to do? Like the parents did this morning, because we belong to God, we dedicate ourselves, our families and everything we have to God. We want to be used by Him and we want to bring glory to Him. And just like with the Passover and Feast of unleavened Bread, the parents were to teach their children about why they were following this command:

[Alex come forward when I begin to read this passage]
Exodus 13:14-16 – “And when in time to come your son asks you, What does this mean? You shall say to him, By a strong hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery. For when Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the LORD killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of animal. Therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all males that first open the womb, but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem. It shall be as a mark on your hand or frontlets between your eyes, for by a strong hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt.”

As we have already seen, these special celebrations and times of remembrance would bring questions from children; and it would be the parent’s responsibility to explain why they were doing the things they were doing. When they celebrated the Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and even the consecration of the Firstborn, it would provided opportunities to talk about who God was and what He had done for them in the past. The redeeming of the children was to be such a significant teaching and sacrifice that they would embody the teaching, as though it was an actually marked on their bodies. The way they lived was to point to Jehovah God, who brought them out of bondage with great power.

Let’s bring that ahead to today, for those of us who are not a part of Israel, but are children of God, if we have trusted in Jesus Christ alone for our salvation. What do we celebrate today that parallels Passover and points us to how God has delivered us through the shed blood of a lamb? It is the Lord’s Table, sometimes referred to as the Lord’s supper or Communion. And it is an opportunity for us to consider what God has done and how it should affect our lives today. And it just so happens that my eldest son has some questions for me, just like they did back then.

Alex: What is the Lord’s Table, and why do we celebrate it?

Great question Alex…glad you asked! Jesus established the Lord’s Table, just after celebrating the Passover with His disciples, the night he was betrayed, which led into his trials and crucifixion the next day. Jesus was the fulfillment of the Passover lamb, who died for the sins of the world. He told His followers that He wanted them to celebrate this, remembering Him, until He returned. Since He has not yet returned, we continue to remember Him through this celebration, even today. Every time we have the Lord’s Table, we remember that He died for our sins; and it motivates us to be dedicated to humbly live for and obey Him.

Alex: Is this just a Baptist thing?

This has nothing to do with being a Baptist, or being a member of this church. It has to do with a person’s personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. If anyone here has placed their faith and trust in Jesus Christ alone for salvation, they should partake of the elements...even if they are not a part of this church. If they have not done so, we encourage them to refrain from partaking, but to take the time to pray during the passing of the elements, in order to ask God to help them to know whether or not this is truth.

Alex: So, why do we use crackers? They are not very tasty you know.

Great question! We use crackers because it is like the unleavened bread: no yeast. They used unleavened bread to remember how quickly they had to leave Egypt; but the Bible talks about leaven as a symbol for sin. So, when we celebrate the Lord’s Table with this unleavened cracker, we are celebrating that Jesus’ body was given for us; and He had absolutely no sin: He was the unblemished Lamb of God.

Alex: And what’s with the grape juice?

They used wine to represent the blood of Jesus Christ. We use grape juice, but the actual contents are not the important part. The Bible talks about the cup representing the blood of Jesus Christ. We drink of the cup, using grape juice, as a reminder that Jesus Christ shed His blood to save us from our sins.

Alex: Anything else dad?

Yes, one more thing son. As you remember this celebration, don’t forget that this is to make an impact, not just on your emotions at this moment; but on how you live your life. It is to be as though you had markings on your body and the commands of God on your forehead. You are to live out, humbly, the teachings of God, each day of your life. That is the best way to remember what Jesus Christ has done for you! Thanks, son, you can have a seat.

We are now going to celebrate this together, as a present day application of what we have just read. Would you bow your heads with me for prayer please? Take a moment and thank God for giving of His Son and for how He gave His body as a sacrifice. Then, once the music starts, please remain seated as the element of the bread is passed out; and sing along with us, as we honor the King of our lives. Please hand on to the bread until I give you instruction to eat of it. Please pray now on your own and then sing with us.
[silent prayer; worship team gets set]

You Are My King

Jesus said:
Matthew 26:26 - “…Take and eat – this is my body” [eat the bread]

I Peter 1:18,19 – “Knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.”

Jesus Christ was that lamb, and the cup we are about to partake of represents His blood. This is to remind us of what He did, as our substitute. We deserved to die, but He died in our place. And just as when the firstborn children were redeemed with the blood of the lambs, so we were redeemed with the blood of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ.

Would you please take a minute, once again, to pray silently, and talk to God about the blood of His Son that was shed for your sins. Perhaps, for the first time, you need to accept the free gift of eternal life, that is offered through His blood. Or, you might need to thank Him, again, for what He did for you on the cross. Or, perhaps, you need to re-commit yourself to living for Him, based on what He has done for you. Take some time to pray, and then join us as we sing about God’s Amazing Grace. Let’s pray.

[silent prayer; worship team gets set]

Amazing Grace/My Chains Are Gone

Jesus said:
Matthew 26:27,28 – “…this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins…drink of it, all of you.”

[worship team down]
It was by the body and blood of Jesus Christ that we have the opportunity for true freedom. The people of Israel had physical freedom out of Egypt. We can have true, spiritual and eternal freedom, out of the bondage of sin, because of His sacrifice, as the perfect, spotless, Lamb!
President Dwight D. Eisenhower spoke these words in his first inaugural address, January 20, 1953: “History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid.” As the man who helped lead the Allies to victory in World War II, General Eisenhower knew a great deal about the high cost of victory as well as the heavy burden of freedom that always follows.

British novelist Charles Kingsley rightly said, There are two freedoms – the false, where a man is free to do what he likes; and the true, where a man is free to do what he ought.” The people of Israel were now going to learn of the responsibilities that come with true freedom. God was going to teach them to make Him first in their lives, Kings of their lives. He was the Almighty God that redeemed them; but He did it so that they would have a special relationship with Him, which included God giving the commands and direction; and the people following with humble obedience. The same is true today.

Exodus 13:17,18 – “When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near. For God said, Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt. But God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. And the people of Israel went up out of the land of Egypt equipped for battle.”

God did not lead them the short route, because he knew they were not ready for the wars they would have to fight. But, instead he led them the long way, where very soon, they would need the LORD to deliver them once again. There were Egyptian military posts along the shorter route; and God knew they were not ready to face the Philistine armies…not yet. As God said, they would be tempted to turn back to bondage in Egypt after just being freed from it by the Almighty God. That is hard to understand, but nevertheless true. And God had something else He wanted to teach them, which we will see next week. They came out of Egypt ready to fight, as far as they were concerned; but it is God who would be doing the fighting for them, according to His plan. Let me pause, here, to apply this to our spiritual journey today, as it relates to our freedom:

SO WHAT?
· After trusting in Jesus Christ for salvation, we might be tempted to see how difficult the Christian life is, and turn back to our bondage to sin.

Believe it or not, people have done this. They trust in Christ, realize quickly that the Christian life is not easy; and they go back to their old, comfortable, destructive life styles. Just as insane as the Israelites wanting to go back to Egypt, so it is for us to desire the old way of living. And yet, because this is what can happen, God will many times bring other circumstances or people in to our lives to remind us of truth and to keep us from going back to what can destroy us.

· God knows what we need, and leads us to the people and places that will best strengthen our faith

Exodus 13:19,20 – “Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for Joseph had made the sons of Israel solemnly swear, saying, God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones with you from here.”

Joseph was the guy God used to bring Israel into Egypt in the first place, as a refuge from the famine at that time; and to give them a place to live and grow. As long as Joseph was alive, things were good for the people of Israel. When Joseph died, he knew there would be a day when God would fulfill His promises and lead the people out of Egypt:

Joseph’s last wishes are recorded in:
Genesis 50:24,25 – “And Joseph said to his brothers, I am about to die, but God will visit you and bring you up out of this land to the land that he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.”

This was a connection to the promises that God had made over centuries before; as they were released from bondage. In the New Testament, the fact that Joseph desired to be buried in the Promised Land was evidence of his great faith:

Hebrews 11:22 – “By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.”

This is like the faith we must have today, as we believe in God’s promises for our future.

Exodus 13:21,22 – “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. The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people.”

The cloud and fire demonstrated the presence of God throughout this book of Exodus:
· 3:2 – the burning bush
· 16:10 – giving the people manna
· 19:18 – on Mount Sinai
· 40:38 – in the tabernacle

Today, God doesn’t necessarily give us a cloud and fire to guide us; but that doesn’t mean that He doesn’t guide us. He has given us His Holy Spirit to convict us; and He has given us His Holy Word, to be our guide. David rightly said:

Psalm 119:105 – “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
You have the full revelation of God, that He wants you to have. You only have to read it, study it; and of course, apply it to everyday life. The people of Israel had the cloud and the fire, to show the presence of God. We have Him living within us, if we are His children; and we have His Word to guide us through life.

SO WHAT? does that mean for us? We must do what the Israelites needed to do…what Moses chose to do…
· By faith, we must trust that God will guide us through the journey of this life.