Join with me this morning, if
you would, to my 4th of July message. I conjured over that
for some time, thought about it, and I said, it's right here
in the Book of Numbers. So turn with me to the Book of
Numbers, if you would. The Book of Numbers, chapter
9. We've looked at a number of times in this chapter nine about
the Passover and about those who took the Passover and then
those who could not. And the Passover was made a second
time, the second month on the 14th day of the month. And there
was much rejoicing. And then there's a couple of
verses there about those who didn't come and the judgment
that would be against them. We may touch that later, but
I want to go to verse 15 through 23. Brother Craig read some about
this in the scripture reading this morning. and that is the
fire by night and the cloud by day, and what it meant to Israel,
and truly what it means to us spiritually today, that there
is such grand leadership of the Holy Spirit for God's people,
and that that is true liberty to me is not having to worry
about what to do. I don't have to worry about what
to do. It's been done and that's true liberty. It's true liberty
not having to worry about what we have to do. So happy 4th of
July. Even at that, when they signed
that Declaration of Independence, all those who signed it put their
lives on the line really. It was many years later before
there was the nation that we have today. Eight years of warfare. Did you know that if you walked
at a pleasant pace from Mount Horeb to Kadesh Barnea, now that's
the opening up of the land of Canaan, do you know how long
it would take you to walk that distance? 11 days. 11 days. And yet the children of Israel
spent 40 years there in the wilderness. Now, some of it was as a result
of their reaction to not wanting to go in, that they didn't believe
God and so forth. But that is all in the purpose
of God anyway. He's going to show us a great
deal about your and my walk during this life after the Lord saves
us. That it could have been a short
time. I'm going to save you and then I bring you home. Well,
sometimes we wish that it had happened. But the Lord doesn't
do it that way. So let's read this passage of
scripture and look here at this wonderful subject of liberty. The 4th of July, there shall
be liberty. All right. And on verse 15 of
the 9th chapter, on the day that the tabernacle was reared up,
Now, there's a lot of things that have taken place around
this time. We've had the Passover take place, but in retrospect,
he wants us to go back and say, when the tabernacle was completed,
when the tabernacle was finished, when all the work had been done,
and it was reared up, it says, the cloud covered the tabernacle,
namely the tent of the testimony, and at even there was upon the
tabernacle, as it were, the appearance of fire until the morning. And so the Lord shares with us
his presence there at the tabernacle. There's going to be a cloud by
day, the appearance of fire by night, and that is going to be
there, and it will be there the 40 years that the children of
Israel are in the wilderness. And verse 16, and so it was always. The cloud covered it by day and
the appearance of fire by night. And when the cloud was taken
up from the tabernacle, Then after that, the children of Israel
journeyed, and in the place where the cloud abode, there the children
of Israel pitched their tents. At the commandment of the Lord,
the children of Israel journeyed, and at the commandment of the
Lord, they pitched. As long as the cloud abode upon
the tabernacle, what does it say? They rested in their tents. Isn't that a beautiful picture?
They rested in their tents. And then it goes on to tell us
here in verse 18, at the commandment of the Lord, the children of
Israel journeyed. At the commandment of the Lord,
they pitched as long as a cloud above the tabernacle. They rested
in their tents. And when the cloud tarried long
upon the tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel kept
the charge of the Lord and journeyed not. What liberty. They never had to wake up one
day and say, well, I wonder if it's time to move or not. Every
day, they knew exactly whether it was time to rest in their
tents or it was time to get up and move, get prepared. So it was when the cloud was
few days upon the tabernacle according to the commandment
of the Lord, they abode in their tents and according to the commandment
of the Lord, they journeyed. So it was when the cloud abode
from evening to morning, and that the cloud was taken up in
the morning, then they journeyed, whether it was by day or by night,
that the cloud was taken up, they journeyed. Or whether it
was two days or a month or a year, that the cloud tarried upon the
tabernacle, remaining thereon, the children of Israel abode
in their tents and journeyed not. But when it was taken up,
they journeyed. Do you notice that? Two days,
a month, a year, what care God took of his people. He's in charge at the commandment
of the Lord. Now the rest that we have is
at the commandment of the Lord and the journeyings we have are
at the commandment of the Lord. That's what he brings out. In
verse 23, at the commandment of the Lord they rested in the
tents and at the commandment of the Lord they journeyed They
kept the charge of the Lord at the commandment of the Lord by
the hand of Moses. Moses is sharing, this is going
to be the sign. This is going to be what to look
for. And I can't help but think in the next chapter, there's
two silver trumpets that are made that are not going to be
used to help notify too. But we'll get to that at a later
time. This phenomena of a cloud and
fire has been used in the past. Would you turn with me to Exodus
chapter 13? Brother Craig read Exodus 40
but would turn back with me to Exodus chapter 13 if you would.
And we notice here that the Lord has demonstrated his great power
and also his great leadership, his providence, his purpose in
times past with regard to this. In Exodus chapter 13, And there
in verse 21, Exodus chapter 13 in verse 21, it says, the Lord
went before them by day. The Lord went before them. Capture
that. Lay hold of that. Let it become
part of your day. The Lord went before them by
day in a pillar of cloud to lead them, what? The way. The Lord led them the way. Now, I saw a map one time that
was dotted with footprints that someone had taken time of reading
through and kind of sharing where the children of Israel traveled
for those 40 years. And you know what? If the wind
hadn't blown and covered their tracks up, they would have been
like some hunters finding their own tracks. They crossed their
own path. And yet it was the Lord that
led them all the way. They were not on their own. It was a pillar of cloud that
led them. It was a pillar of fire that
led them. In other words, the Spirit of
God leads his people wherever he leads his people and it is
at the commandment of the Lord. It also tells us here in Exodus
chapter 13 and verse 21 verse 22. He took not away the pillar
of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night from before
the people. Now, when they entered into the
land, there was no need for that again. When we pass over the
Jordan River from a spiritual contact, we don't need that anymore,
but I'm thankful that he does not take away his leadership
of his people all our life. None. None are left. Now, we may find ourselves as
I did one time out elk hunting and I found some tracks. And
then I found out they were my tracks. I thought I knew where
I was going, but I found out later that I didn't know where
I was going. Well, thanks be unto God, he got me out of the
mess I was in. You know, the Lord, as it says
here, he took not away the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar
of fire by night from before. the people. Now there is another
wonderful passage of scripture along this line, and it's found
over here in the book of Exodus chapter 14. Would you turn there
with me? Exodus chapter 14. In Exodus
chapter 14 and verse 20, we find that this phenomena, this glorious
phenomena of God had been used as protection for Israel, but
also it was used as a deterrent from the Egyptians. God used
it to protect his people. God used it as a shield. God
used it as a barrier. God used it as protection for
his people in such a glorious way, and that is recorded here
in the book of Exodus, chapter 14, and there in verse 20. The
children of Israel were in the lead, and the Egyptians were
following close by. But notice here, and it, This
pillar of cloud, verse 19, the angel of God, which went before
the camp of Israel. Now that angel of God is none
other than our glorious Savior. None other than the pre-incarnate
Christ. This is the glorious guardian
of Israel. It says the angel of God, which
went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them. I'm just so thankful for readings
like this that share with me God's continuous providential
care of all his people. Do you know what? Even as that
man was thrown into a automobile and lays in a hospital at this
time, and probably when they remove all those mechanical devices,
he will pass into eternity, God is still with all his children. Providence brought him to that
point. And as Brother John and I were
talking this morning, we miss, but we would never ask for them
back, and nor would they want to come. Never. All right, goes on to say here,
and it came between Excuse me, and went behind them, verse 19,
and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face and stood
behind them, and it came between the camp of the Egyptians and
the camp of Israel. I'm thankful for that still today,
that there is a barrier made between the camp of Israel and
the camp of the Egyptians. That is the only reason that
there is any word of God on the face of the earth. If it were
possible, The very elect would be deceived, but it's not possible. Why? Because he's the guardian
between Egypt and Israel, spiritually speaking. He's a guardian between
the world and the church. He's the one that protects it
with all his mighty power. And it goes on to say, and it
was cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light and night to
those So that the one came not near the other all night. Now
the next day the Lord's going to take care of the problem. The Egyptians are going to be
turned loose. They are going to come into the
Red Sea. And I'll never forget that preacher
down there in Texas when he was teaching this in Bible school.
There's one man down there that I like to hear talk because he
made sense. He said, what a miracle. Modern people say that the Red
Sea was only five inches deep. It's more of a miracle than he
thought that God would drown the entire Egyptian army in five
inches of water. Well, the scriptures tell us
that they were washed up on the shore. So that's how God took
care of his people. He took care of them. It was
their day of liberty. They were at rest in peace in
God Almighty. He's the one that overshadowed
them all the way. He brought them out of Egypt. He brought them into the wilderness,
and he protected them, and every step that they took in the wilderness,
where we are today, was appointed, directed, and overshadowed by
Almighty God. It is his great light, it is
his great fire that he takes care of his people, protects
them, and leads them with. When the tabernacle was finished,
this cloud settled on it. Now we find in the book of Revelation
that our tabernacle and our temple is not physical, it is a person. It is symbolized as a tabernacle
and a temple in the Old Testament in the physical sense, but the
spiritual knowledge of God's people about this is, I don't
need to go to Jerusalem to worship. I can worship God anywhere because
he is everywhere. It's not a building, it's not
a tent, it is God Almighty that these things represented. And
so the book of Revelation shares with us that every believer in
every age has worshiped at a tabernacle and at a temple whose name we
know as Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews. Jehovah God, they
have worshiped at this one person. He is the one that they have
given homage to and bowed before and worshiped. This one, the
Lord Jesus Christ. Well, here the symbol of it goes
on that there was this one, the Lord, that took care of them
in the wilderness. A picture for us to say, hallelujah. I wondered how I got through
this. I wondered how the word of God
came to me in its truth and in its simplicity. I wondered about
that and then you find out God been taking care of it all along.
He's the one that ordained it from the foundation of the world.
He's the one that brings it out in this life during our lifetime
and he's the one that will carry us through to the promised land
and he will lead all of his people all the way every step of the
way there and that is liberty. I do not have to worry what I
must do because it is done. My sanctification is not a do,
it is a done. My salvation is not a do, but
it's a done. It is real liberty now. Now there is a passage of scripture
back on this page I want you to read. And it is Psalm 105. Would you turn with me to Psalm
105? Psalm 105, and there in verse 39. Psalm 105, verse 39. The Scriptures
share this. He spread a cloud for a covering,
and fire to give light in the night. What's that mean? Back
up. Egypt was glad when they departed,
for the fear of them fell upon them. And then they decided,
this is not a good thing. Who's gonna build our buildings?
Who's gonna make our brick? And so they went after them,
and verse 39, it says, he spread a cloud for a covering, and fire
to give them light. And the people asked, and he
brought quails and satisfied them with the bread of heaven."
My goodness. Now we read this in its context,
we find out that the people were a little anxious about that sometimes. But from a spiritual relationship,
we find, ask, and it shall be given unto you. And he fed them. And it says he fed them, with
the bread of heaven. And the Lord commented on that
in his own personal ministry. I am that bread that came down
from heaven. Moses gave you bread and what? You're dead. I gave you that
living bread that came down from heaven. And in Psalm 27, would
you back up with me in the book of the Psalms for just a moment?
Psalm 27. And there in verse 4, Psalm 27
and verse 4. The greatest form of liberty
ever described. Never having to wonder what to
do. You know, in religion, there's
never any end. In salvation, there's never a
question. We have been brought to rest
upon Christ. We are resting in him and it's
not a wonder about what to do. Never having to wonder what to
do and knowing that you are directly protected on every side and from
every enemy. The Lord Jesus took upon all
the enemies of the church on the cross and won significantly
over them. to be led by divine presence
and promise divine conclusion. Divine conclusion is eternal
rest. It's eternity with the Lord.
Promise, divine conclusion, every day at the end of our life. We
are promised rest in this life, rest in our tabernacle, rest
in our tent, rest in Christ, and at the end, it will be consummated
and forever ours. Oh, and the psalmist shares with
us in Psalm 27, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all
the days of my life. Now going back there to the book
of Numbers chapter 9, would you join me there again in Numbers
chapter 9? This gospel according to Numbers
chapter 9 and verse 23. They rested in their tents, and
it was at the commandment of the Lord. Chapter 23, at the
commandment of the Lord, they rested in the tents. And at the commandment of the
Lord, they journeyed. Now, again, I want to emphasize
the fact that this was at the commandment of the Lord, and
the commandments of the Lord are irrevocable. They cannot
change. He's not going to change his
mind about rest. He will not change his mind about
his rest and what he gives the church. They rested in their
tents. It was the commandment of the
Lord. And how is this with the church? The church is commanded
to rest. When he went to the cross, he
was under command to cause them to rest. They cannot find it
on their own. in our own natural state. Born into this world as children
of Adam, we are always and constantly in turmoil. Now we may settle
it by this doing this, or we might settle it by doing that,
but we're still at natural turmoil about it and that's why it's
so difficult when someone comes to us with the gospel and says
there's nothing to do that we just cannot get it to fit because
we have been told all our life there is much to do and we must
continue doing it and hopefully it will be enough even in some
grace. But the Lord has conveyed to
us in this that the commandment of the Lord is to rest in your
tent The whole travel time, why did it take so long? 11 days
would have covered that, and I got that from Dr. Hawker. 11
days could have covered that entire distance at a medium pace
if it had been God's eternal purpose that they do it that
way. Why did they stop at Sinai for
a year because God purposed it. And why did it take him another
39 years to get there? God was not caught short when
those 10 spies came back with an evil report. He was not, it
didn't affect him when those two came back with a good report.
He knew that. He had purposed that. His children
will do that. Those Caleb and Joshua and Caleb,
he knew would come back with a good report because why? He
dwelt in their tent. He's the one that had given them
safety. He's the one that had given them
light. He's the one that had given them his spirit and those
ten that came back and did not have a good report, he was not
caught short by them. He knew that that's what they
would do because they did not have him dwell in their tent.
He did not give them rest and he did not cause them to stop
from their work. They came back with an evil report
and God knew all about it. In fact, he purposed that that
would come back that way. Unsettled men without Christ
cannot come back with anything else but what they have by nature,
and that's what they brought back. The people of God rested
at the first sign of the cloud or the fire stopping. Think about
that. At the very first sign that it
was stopping, they set up the tabernacle, they set up all of
that, and they began to put their tents up, just like they had
that orderly fashion with their tents. They knew exactly what
to do. The sign of the cloud or fire
stopped them, and they rested in their tent. And the people
of God were prepared to travel at the first sign that that pillar
of cloud or that fire began to move. It was second nature to
them. It's much like we heard this
morning about those in that great day when he sits on his throne
and as a shepherd divided his sheep from the goats. It was
those folks on the right-hand side, the nature was given to
them or the impetus was given to them to serve the Lord and
they did it without even many times knowing about it. They
didn't write it down. Some of us remember when we moved
into this building, all of the little cubby holes out here to
store all of the paperwork that went with all of the religion
of the people who were in here. And if you didn't do a number
of doors, if you didn't do this, pass out tracks and all that,
you were taken out. and tongue lash because that
is not what we do. One of the first things that
was removed from here was those cubiciles because we didn't want
the remembrance of what we had to do because we already knew
that what has already been done, the Lord. Would you turn with
me to the book of Matthew chapter 10 verse 22. Now this shares
a lot with why the Lord spent the next 39 years from the completion
of the tabernacle the next 39 years with those children of
Israel out there in the wilderness. Here in the book of Matthew chapter
10, the Lord is going to show them
it is not he who begins the race. That's not the one who wins,
not the one who begins the race. Now, he set them out there in
the wilderness. In actuality, they had 11 days of travel. But
for the next 40 years, he is sharing with us what we find
here in Matthew chapter 10. Matthew chapter 10, verse 22. And ye shall be hated of all
men, he's talking to his disciples, for my namesake. But he that
endureth to the end shall be saved. Now why did he give them
40 years of travel? What we find in the book of Hebrews,
he's identifying a whole bunch of folks that didn't know the
first thing about the gospel. These all died in unbelief. They
traveled their entire lifetime and in the end it was resolved
they didn't know the first thing about the gospel. They had never
tasted of the riches of Christ. They had never really been led
of the Lord. They are pawns. They are those
who are on the stage. They're not the actors. They're
just those that are supplied. They are the ones who are the
hewers of wood and drawers of water on the behalf of the church.
But when it came to the end, It was demonstrated they knew
nothing of grace. They were still doing and not
relying on what had already been done. He that endures to the
end shall be saved. It's not those who begin the
race. It wasn't those who crossed the Red Sea and came into the
Sinaitic Peninsula. It wasn't those who traveled
the first year, or the second year, or the third year, or the
10th, or 20th, or 30th year. It was those who crossed over
Jordan. And many graves were left behind. Turn with me, if you would, over
to the book of John. John chapter 6 and verse 27. John chapter 6 and verse 27. And you know who protects us
from falling out? The one that oversees us even
in our dire times, as we follow Abraham, Noah, as we follow David,
as we follow Paul, as we follow those who seem to have great
knowledge about God and their physical life, it is atrocious. Why did he give us those examples?
To let us know that if we make it to the end, it's not by our
effort. It is by the grace of God and
the grace of God alone. It is because he paid for all
the debt of all his people completely and totally on the cross. and
they will be presented spotless. They will be presented without
spot or blemish, just like he is. It's not because we wandered
well, it's because he had his hand upon us and we traveled
with him. Here in the book of John chapter
six and verse 27, labor not for the meat which perishes, but
for the meat that endures unto everlasting life. What is the
meat that perishes? Well, you must do. What is the meat that leads to
everlasting life? It's been done. What's the food
that's satisfied? It's been all completed. When
he said it is finished on the cross, the church believes that
with every fiber of their being, there's nothing left to do. Which the son shall give you,
for him hath God the Father sealed. Let's read that completely now.
Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for the meat which
endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of Man shall give
unto you. It wasn't that manna that fell
in the wilderness. It is the true bread of life
that makes the difference, which the Son of Man shall give unto
you. In the book of 2 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Second Timothy, chapter four.
I think it's probably been in every generation. I think probably when we get
to Korah. Korah's coming up here in the
book of Numbers. He's Moses' cousin. And he comes up with
an idea that Moses has just taken upon himself too much and he
should share that duty. Now I think for, you know, probably
most of his grown up years, he thought he was in pretty good
shape. And then he identified himself. You know, I was talking this
morning about those who have, in every generation, who have
appeared for a season to know what the gospel is, and then
find out, after you hear them some, they don't know the first
thing about the gospel. They're still trying to get people
to do works, or they're declaring lies about the Lord. Here in
the book of 2 Timothy chapter 4 and verse 3, what is another
reason that the Lord gave them, instead of 11 days, gave them
40 years? For the time will come, in Cain and Abel's time, till this time. He's not saying
that this hasn't happened in the past, he's just saying it's
going to be continuing on. For the time will come when they
will not endure sound doctrine, but after their own lusts, Shall
they reheap to themselves teachers having itching ears?" You know
what that means? Itching ears? Desirous of hearing
something pleasant. That's another reason we have
40 years there instead of 11 days. Well, turn with me if you
would back to the book of the Psalms. The book of the Psalms. I'm so thankful that when the
Lord does His work, it is so complete that we truly understand
what it is when He said, when I stop, rest in your tent. When I move, let's travel. You're at liberty. I'll make
the decisions. I'll watch over you. I'll care
for you. I protected Israel against the
Egyptians. He's going to protect all his
church from all sin that we've ever committed. He's going to
lead us by his and truly another thing that we can see here is
as that cloud overshadowed the tabernacle, we see that the Holy
Spirit only. Dwells over the Savior, the Lord
Jesus Christ. This is my beloved son. in whom
I'm well pleased. Well, here in Psalm 107, beginning
with verse one, O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good,
for his mercy endureth forever. You know, when we come across
the word mercy in the scriptures, we have to identify ourselves
as natural man at one time, because this mercy is only given to sinners. It is an absolute need that God
gives to us. If we have mercy, he has taken
care of sin. It is not given mercy just because
it's free. It's mercy that has taken care
of sin, and therefore we can be free. Let the redeemed of
the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the
enemy. Now, he's redeemed us from the hand of the enemy. And
sometimes I think Moses, Joshua, and Caleb saw all the things
going on around them, and they just said, so? God is God. God is doing his work. God is
providing for us. So, and then it says here, and
gathered them out of the land from the east and from the west
and from the north and the south. He gathers his elect out of every
nation, kindred, people, and tribe. None shall not go through
this world and never hear the gospel message if they belong
to him. They wandered in the wilderness
in a solitary way. They found no city to dwell in. What is it recorded about Abraham
who had all of that property, and yet in the book of Hebrews,
he looked for a city whose builder and maker was God. He was not
here, even though he walked through here. And that's the church today. We look for a city whose builder
and maker is God. It's a spiritual blessing that
he gives us. Now he does take care of us.
As it says, hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. Then
they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them
out of their distresses. And he led them forth by the
right way, that they might go to a city of habitation. What
did he do to the children of Israel for all of those years?
He led them by the right way. Now we say, I remember that rocky
pass we just went through. That didn't seem he led them
by the right way. Well, remember that trouble we
had? He led them by the right way. His ways are not our ways. As
far as heaven is above the earth are his ways above our ways.
He is not expected to be understood. He never said, you must understand
me before I can save you. He said, you will never understand
me. I will reveal some about me. And that's what Peter said when
Christ asked him, who do you say that I am? Thou art the Christ,
the son of the living God. And you just think about that
for a moment. That is a full confession of faith. I trust
you and I trust you alone. You're all my hope. You're all
my salvation. And Jesus said, flesh and blood
did not reveal this unto you, but my father, which is in heaven.
And everyone that went from this point to this point and entered
into there that were spiritually quickened understood that every
step they took was by the providence of almighty God and not by mistake. And when Joshua and Caleb entered
into the promised land it was by grace and not by works. Brother Mike.