So as I selected the pericope for our reading, I noticed a little detail that might have been taken for granted, as it was overlooked. Did you notice that the angel wasn’t arbitrary? The angel was assigned, i.e., deputised to go in front of the Children of Israel. That’s what went before the camp suggests. Siblings, let’s not miss the point, God goes before us and deputises angels to fight for us.
Now, let’s unpack what the Spirit of God did as their rear guard. Consider Today’s Holy Nougat.
Exodus 14:19-20 AFV
[19] And the angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved. And he went to the rear of them. And the pillar of the cloud went from in front of them and it stood behind them.
[20] And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel. It was a cloud of darkness to one, but gave light by night to the other, so that the two did not come near one another all night.
Two Sides
I’ve told you all before that fighting with fists wasn’t my forte during my childhood days. Unfortunately, that didn’t stop my mouth from going. I was a champion in treating others apart. (I’m sorry folks, it’s true. Hurting people seek to hurt people). As you can imagine, things would escalate on occasion. Not many folks tried to fight me though – it had a not-so-secret weapon.
My sisters would appear before the fight even started, they and their friends. At times they surrounded me, other times they flanked me and also covered my back. Their war cry was the same every single time: ‘If you touch one (i.e, me), you’ve got to touch them all!’ We probably seemed like the Philistines to folks. It really didn’t matter to me, I knew that when they were there, I was covered.
Self-Check
Who fought your battles for you as a child? Do you think you can rely on them to do the same now?
Application
Siblings, the Cloud of God’s Spirit has a similar effect. As that pillar went behind the Children of Israel, there was a darkness that separated the two groups. My mind sees that as a thicker darkness than night, as the Egyptians could no longer see the Children of Israel. (Had they thought about it, they should have retreated, like my potential foes did, 0but they didn’t.)
At the same time, while darkness was present with the Egyptians, the Children of Israel basked in the light. It must have been magnificent. Night or day, God’s Spirit was a lamp and light for their journey. For those among them who feared darkness or the Egyptians, it would have been comforting. Hopefully, they might have attributed it to YHWH.
I can’t help thinking that the darkness the Egyptians experienced also represented their separation from God’s presence. For if the radiance of God’s glory is as brilliant as the noonday sun, then outside of God’s presence is as outer darkness.
Siblings, when we fail to choose the brilliance of God’s presence, we risk being in outer darkness. I don’t mean the occasional sin, though we really ought to sin less, I’m referring to the choice to walk away from God’s plans and purposes for our lives.
My siblings defended me even when I messed up. I had consequences, but they didn’t leave me alone. Their presence was enough to reassure me if I were afraid.
The Children of Israel messed up a few times, they even enraged YHWH, yet God’s Spirit protected them at their most vulnerable. I assure you, God does that for us also. As God’s chosen, God will defend us even when we mess up. We will face consequences – Saul did too – but that didn’t mean God wasn’t with him.
Do we know who and whose we are? Which side of God’s Spirit do we wish to face?
Points to Ponder
As Children of God, we’re also under God’s protective detail when we’re most vulnerable. Let’s permit God to flank us and say to our detractors, ‘If you touch one (i.e., one of us), you’ve got to touch us all (i.e., God and God’s battalion, alongside us)!’
God is on our side.That’s Who we’ve got fighting for us now.
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May all we seek be found in Christ
