The Pillar
Exodus • Sermon • Submitted
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Exodus 13:17-22
Big idea: We are the pillar of cloud and fire. The Shekinah manifestation of God now dwells in us.
Intro - Missing out on the Pillar of Cloud and Fire?
Intro - Missing out on the Pillar of Cloud and Fire?
In our series in Exodus we are at the moment of escape from Egypt. We just heard about this cascade of miracles, God’s direct miraculous hand stretched out over Egypt, doing amazing, visible, powerful things. It all culminated in the miracle of Passover, the angel of death killed the firstborn of every family and flock of Egypt but Passed Over the houses of Israel who had painted the blood of a lamb above their door.
This is some tremendous, visible, obvious acts of God’s power. We are going to see something else awesome and obvious in today’s passage.
Does it ever seem like all the cool obvious stuff happened to them and we get the subtle, mysterious stuff? If so, I am with you. I have often felt that way, especially as a kid reading through these stories for the first time.
Why does the Old Testament get the obvious external signs and we get the subtle, internal “spiritual” signs.
In particular, this week, the people of Israel get an ongoing, visible manifestation of the presence of God.
Escape from Egypt by way of the Pillar
Escape from Egypt by way of the Pillar
We pick up the historical story in Exodus 13:17
17-18
17 When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” 18 So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea. The Israelites went up out of Egypt ready for battle.
Go the long route. Act of grace, not to face Philistines right away. "Ready for battle" probably means organized in groups, not armed for battle. Certainly not trained for battle. Israelites were slaves oppressed for a generation: guaranteed they weren't receiving military training on the side. They were indoctrinated to be subservient and submissive...
The Philistines even made some territorial advances against Egypt, they were a tough foe. Only in the Golden Age of Israel under David at the end of his reign and Solomon did Israel dominate the Philistines.
God shows them grace. He understands their character and what they are capable of. He bypasses the Philistines. The Israelites will have to fight, but not for a while and not against such a formidable opponent.
We should mostly think of the Israelites, at this point, culturally and temper-mentally as escaped Egyptian slaves.
19
19 Moses took the bones of Joseph with him because Joseph had made the Israelites swear an oath. He had said, “God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up with you from this place.”
But the bones of Joseph signify that they held on to the knowledge that Egypt was not their master, home or ultimate destination. They had known, even when the days in Egypt were good, that they were heading to the Promised Land. For 400 years, probably around 20 generations, they held on to that Promise. For 320 years of prosperity and 80 years of slavery.
Now they are going to take the craziest, longest, most round-about journey of all time. This is really insane. It's like "we should walk up to the middle of Wyoming. But let's go by way of Texas... then California... then back to Texas... then we will approach Wyoming from the North. We are going to walk so long that most of you are going to die on the journey.
So they are going to need a really special way of knowing that they are going the right direction.
20-22
20 After leaving Sukkoth they camped at Etham on the edge of the desert. 21 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. 22 Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.
What is the Pillar?
What is the Pillar?
The pillar of cloud and fire.
Repetition in Hebrew means emphasis. There is one pillar of cloud and fire. It sounds here like there's two, but later in 14:24 "Yahweh looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud at the Egyptian army... It is one pillar: cloud by day, fire by night.
What was this thing?
Spinning vortex of cloud and fire. (Okay, I made up the spinning vortex stuff, but come on! You know there was a spinning vortex!)
It could at times be huge. As we will read next week, it expanded to cover the area between the Israel crossing the Red Sea and the army of Pharaoh. Probably not a single-file line.
It could at times be compact. It descends upon the entrance of the tabernacle without taking out half the encampment.
One rationalization of the pillar of cloud and fire could be this. It was common in Arabian caravans of the time to have a large brazier, a giant torch, like the Olympic torch, lead the way. It would be visible as an ascending pillar of smoke by day and as a big old fiery torch by night.
That is a helpful image, and certainly what is happening here echoes that and serves the same purpose, but I don’t think we have here a mythologizing of a common caravan practice. This book is filled with symbolism and metaphor and not shy about things representing other things when that is what is happening. The sacrificial lamb representing and substituting for the firstborn…
This pillar of cloud and fire is the physical manifestation of the presence of God. It does use the term angel of God at times. Other times it is clear that Yahweh himself looks out from the cloud. Maybe they took shifts. But this is, at all times, the presence of God leading the people of Israel in an absolutely literal way.
Why this special guidance? They were about to go some crazy places. They were going the weird way, through the wilderness instead of up the main highway. They were going to wander, in circles.
(Picture of wilderness wanderings)
And at least once in awhile, they were going to wonder, is this really what God has for us? All this wandering and wilderness and pain and sacrifice and suffering? There's a sea in front of us, is this right? There is an army of Pharaoh behind us, is this right? How can this possibly be where God wants me to be? I should go back, or take the main easy road, or something else.
Nope, there is the pillar of cloud and fire. Guiding us night and day. The special and obvious presence of God.
What Happened to the Pillar?
What Happened to the Pillar?
That presence led them for 40 years. The pillar of cloud and fire "didn't leave" for 40 years. And it was the cloud on Mt. Sinai. And this cloud descends later on the tabernacle. It is, in the developing Hebrew theology, known as the "Shekinah glory or presence."
The Shekinah: "the specially located presence of the omni-present God".
This was an incredibly special thing. This is the start of it.
It descended upon the tabernacle.
It was then believed, now by faith, no longer visible, to accompany the ark of the covenant.
It took up residence in the temple
It was lost to the people of Israel. One of the reasons they "wail" at the wailing wall, the loss of that presence. Many believe the ark of the covenant was buried somewhere there in the temple mount, and that that is the closest they can get to it.
But in truth, it came in the form of a man. In the person of Jesus Christ. Who was himself that Shekinah presence of God.
Jesus was the Shekinah: the pillar of cloud and fire
He was led by the Spirit into the wilderness for 40 days, in echo of that same leading of the people of Israel into the wilderness for 40 years.
And he promises that Spirit to us.
John 14:16-17
16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.
And Jesus ascended... and his followers waited...
And picture this, that pillar of cloud and fire. Waiting, God's presence waiting to guide and to lead, to stand between his followers and opposing armies, to lead his people in victory. That pillar of cloud and fire, that Shekinah presence of God, that Holy Spirit...
Acts 2:2-4
2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
(Allow me to geek out). That is some super-hero stuff. Picture that! There's the pillar of cloud and fire, ancient symbol of God's presence... longed for by the people of Israel, looked back to and then....
Rushing at them...
Rushing at you... a tongue of that fire, a physical manifestation of the Spirit of God and then...
Wham. It's in you! It is empowering you, it is, He is empowering and inspiring and directing you. And you say "I HAVE THE POWER!" No, you say "This is the Word of God... here is the road to salvation... Here is Yahweh and his name is also Jesus!"
The pillar of cloud and fire lives within you. You know him, for he lives within you, within all that have believed on Jesus and been baptized in His name.
He, as Jesus said, "will teach you all things..." (John 14:26). You "receive power...," you receive the fruit of the Holy Spirit as he guides us into righteous holy living... you receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit to love, serve, and minister to the people of God and to reach the lost.
We are not missing out on the pillar of cloud and fire
We are the pillar of cloud and fire
We are filled with that presence, we are led by that presence, but also, we are the physical manifestation of the presence of God to a watching world. We are the representation of Jesus, we are the direction of God, we speak the word of God, we are the pillar of cloud and fire that show a watching world the road to salvation.
But what about the visual obvious presence?
You think a visible presence is better? Just how quick do you think the visual impact wore off? Just how quick were the Israelites ignoring that miraculous presence and whining about going back to Egypt? Just how quickly, in the visible presence of the Shekinah glory of God, did the Israelites turn to idolatry? All of that to come... but I will give you a hint. Not long.
Pillar of Cloud and Fire at Thornton-fest
Pillar of Cloud and Fire at Thornton-fest
I saw a spinning vortex of cloud and fire at Thornton-fest last week. I saw people exercising the spiritual gifts of mercy, of service, of sacrifice, of giving… showing the love and kindness of God to a watching Thornton. That is the Holy Spirit in us, drawing us together, empowering us to serve and love together.
I saw Eddie rocking the spiritual gift of Jorts. Inspiring.
We are a manifestation of God in our community as we listen to the call of the Spirit, as we develop the fruit of His Spirit, as we employ the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Picture this building as a towering pillar of cloud and fire. We will finally deal with those pesky prairie dogs!
Picture your house as a pillar of cloud and fire in your neighborhood.
Picture yourself, containing the Holy Spirit of God, like a walking moving pillar of cloud and fire everywhere you go. On Wednesday, I went for a run as part of my listening and prayer time. Sometimes I stare at the wall, sometimes I stare at the mountains or lake as I run, all times I am listening for God to unpack and unfold this week’s passage. And I picture this: I am a running pillar of cloud and fire.
Allow me to geek out again, for a moment. That is so stinkin’ cool. That is some super-hero stuff. That is what you are, that is what we are, and it is at least that cool.
God, give me your eyes to see it. Let me see the fire. Let me see the Shekinah glory within us. And let me follow it, follow that pillar, run after it, run after you as you guide me, as you lead us.
Let me be a pillar of cloud and fire, amen.
Benediction
Benediction
Ephesians 3:16-19
16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.