Page:An Exposition of the Old and New Testament (1828) vol 1.djvu/309

Rh 2. There was one reason why God did not lead them the nearest way, which would have brought them after a few days march to the land of the Philistines; (for it was that part of Canaan that lay next to Egypt;) that reason was, Because they were not as yet fit for war, much less fit for war with the Philistines, v. 17, Their spirits were broken with slavery, it was not easy for them to turn their hands of a sudden from the trowel to the sword; the Philistines were formidable enemies, too fierce to be encountered by raw recruits; it was more suitable that they should begin with the Amalekites, and be prepared for the wars of Canaan, by experiencing the difficulties of the wilderness. Note, God pro portions his people's trials to their strength, and will not suffer them to be tempted above what they are able, 1 Cor. 10. 13. That promise, if compared with the foregoing verses, will seem to refer to this event, as an instance of it. God knows our frame, and considers our weakness and faint-heartedness, and by lesser trials will prepare us for greater. God is said to bring Israel out of Egypt as the eagle brings up her young ones, (Deut. 32. 11.) teaching them by degrees to fly.

Orders being thus given which way they should go, we are told, (1.) That they went up themselves, not as a confused rout, but in good order, rank and file, they went up harnessed, v. 18. They went up by five in a rank, so some; in five squadrons, so others. They marched like an army with banners, which added much to their strength and honour. (2.) That they took the bones of Joseph along with them, (v. 19.) and probably, the bones of the rest of Jacob's sons, unless (as some think) they had been privately carried to Canaan, (Acts 7. 16.) severally as they died. Joseph had particularly appointed that his bones should be carried up, when God should visit them, (Gen. 50. 25, 26.) so that their carrying up of his bones, was not only a performance of the oath their fathers had sworn to Joseph, but an acknowledgment of the performance of God's promise to them by Joseph, that he would visit them, and bring them out of the land of Egypt; and an encouragement to their faith and hope, that he would fulfil the other part of the promise, which was, to bring them to Canaan, in expectation of which, they carried these bones with them while they wandered in the desert; they might think, "Joseph's bones must rest at last, and then we shall." Moses is said to take these bones with him; Moses was now a very great man; so had Joseph been in his day, yet he was now but a box full of dry bones; that was all that remained of him in this world, which might serve for a monitor to Moses, to remember his mortality. I have said, Ye are gods; it was said to Moses expressly, (ch. 7. 1.) but ye shall die like men.

II. Here is the guidance they were blessed with in the way; (v. 21, 22.) The Lord went before them in a pillar. In the two first stages, it was enough that God directed Moses whither to march, he knew the country and the road well enough; but now that they were come to the edge of the wilderness, (v. 20.) they would have occasion for a guide; and a good guide they had, one that was infinitely wise, kind, and faithful; The Lord went before them, the Shechinah, or appearance of the divine Majesty, which was typical of Christ, or a previous manifestation of the eternal Word, which, in the fulness of time, was to be made flesh, and dwell among us. Christ was with the church in the wilderness, 1 Cor. 10. 9. Now their king passed before them, even the Lord on the head of them, Mic. 2. 13. Note, Those whom God brings into a wilderness, he will not leave nor lose there, but will take care to lead them through it; we may well think it was a very great satisfaction to Moses and the pious Israelites, to be sure that they were under divine guidance. They needed not to fear missing their way, who were thus led, or being lost, who were thus directed; they needed not to fear being benighted, who were thus illuminated, nor being robbed, who were thus protected. They who make the glory of God their end, and the word of God their rule, the Spirit of God the guide of their affections, and the providence of God the guide of their affairs, may be confident that the Lord goes before them, as truly as he went before Israel in the wilderness, though not so sensibly; we must live by faith.

1. They had sensible evidences of God's going before them. They all saw an appearance from heaven of a pillar, which, in the bright day, appeared cloudy, and, in the dark night, appeared fiery; we commonly see that that which is a flame in the night, is a smoke in the day, so was this. God gave them this ocular demonstration of his presence, in compassion to the infirmity of their faith, and in compliance with that infant state of the church, which needed to be thus lisped to in their own language; but blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed God's gracious presence with them, according to his promise.

2. They had sensible effects of God's going before them in this pillar. For, (1.) It led them the way in that vast howling wilderness, in which there was no road, no track, no way-mark, of which they had no maps, through which they had no guides. When they marched, this pillar went before them, at the rate that they could follow, and appointed the place of their encampment, as Infinite Wisdom saw fit; which both eased them from care, and secured them from danger, both in moving and resting. (2.) It sheltered them by day from the heat, which, at some times of the year, was extreme. (3.) It gave them light by night when they had occasion for it, and, at all times, made their camp pleasant, and the wilderness they were in less frightful.

III. These were constant, standing miracles; (v. 22. ) He took not away the pillar of cloud; no, not when they seemed to have less occasion for it, travelling through inhabited countries, no, not when they murmured and were provoking; it never left them, till it brought them to the borders of Canaan. It was a cloud which the wind could not scatter. This favour is acknowledged with thankfulness long after, Neh. 9. 19. Ps. 78. 14.

There was something spiritual in this pillar of cloud and fire. 1. The children of Israel were baptized unto Moses in this cloud, which, some think, distilled dew upon them, 1 Cor. 10. 2. By coming under this cloud, they signified their putting of themselves under the divine guidance and command by the ministry of Moses. Protection draws allegiance; this cloud was the badge of God's protection, and so became the bond of their allegiance. Thus they were initiated, and admitted under that government, now when they were entering upon the wilderness. 2. Some make this cloud a type of Christ. The cloud of his human nature was a vail to the light and fire of his divine nature; we find him, (Rev. 10. 1.) clothed with a cloud, and his feet as pillars of fire. Christ is our Way, the Light of our way, and the Guide of it. 3. It signifies the special conduct and protection which the church of Christ is under in this world. God himself is the Keeper of Israel, and he neither slumbers nor sleeps, Ps. 121. 4. Isa. 27. 3. There is a defence created, not only on Zion's assemblies, but on every dwelling-place in Zion. See Isa. 4. 5, 6. Nay, every Israelite indeed is hidden under the shadow of God's wings; (Ps. 17. 8.) angels, whose ministry was made use of in this cloud, are employed for their good, and pitch their tents about them.