Exodus 40:35-38 NIV “Moses could not enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out; but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out—until the day it lifted. So the cloud of the Lord was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the Israelites during all their travels.”
A while ago, this portion of scripture jumped out at me. The cloud covered the tent; it was so weighty Moses could not enter. The people only moved as the Lord moved. They settled as He settled. It was visible to the ENTIRE tribe.
It is incredible to think of an entire tribe – approximately 2.5 million people – who camped as the cloud settled, and moved as the cloud lifted. When it says, ‘they set out’, it means to pull up the tent pegs. They didn’t even pull up the tent pegs UNTIL they saw the cloud moving! They didn’t wait in readiness in-case today was the day. They watched, waited, and moved as He moved.
Have we moved ahead of Holy Spirit because we felt it was time to or we were tired? Have we stayed where we were camped because it was nice and our structures were set, but the cloud had moved on?
Another aspect was that the entire tribe could see Him in His glory. When it says “in the sight of all the house”, it means ‘any, every, all’! Not only a chosen few, but all the house – any and every individual could see; from the highest to the least. This is His heart for the church; that any and everyone would see the cloud of His glory moving. That they wouldn’t wait to be told where to move or what to build next, but each one gazing upon His glory, packing up and moving because they’ve seen, or settling and hammering in tent pegs because He settles. There is unity and ownership from that place. It starts individually; locking our eyes on Him.
Do you watch for His move and wait until He does? Do you move in His rhythm and time?
What would it look like to do that?
Ask Holy Spirit how to walk step by step with Him.
