Fiery Clouds

 February 3, 2024

“And the Angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud went from before them and stood behind them. So it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel. Thus it was a cloud and darkness to the one, and it gave light by night to the other, so that the one did not come near the other all that night.“ —Exodus 14:19-20 

So the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on the dry ground, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. And the Egyptians pursued and went after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. Now it came to pass, in the morning watch, that the Lord looked down upon the army of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and cloud, and He troubled the army of the Egyptians.“ —Exodus 14:22-24

Israel had escaped from Egypt. You can imagine the excitement, the exuberance of the people as they plundered their former masters and danced their way into the wilderness: “Free at last; free at last; thank God Almighty, we’re free at last!” They had no idea what the future held, but they knew they were out of Egypt. Camping by the seashore must have been deliriously exhilarating as they rested and waited for God to act once more.

Then from the outskirts, the rearguard of the camp came the word. “That cloud of dust…Pharaoh with his cavalry and infantry are on our tail! We’re doomed!” Joy vanished into panic and despair.

Isn’t that the way life works? For once in your life everything was coming up roses. You could see a glorious future stretching out before you; the love of your life said “Yes,” the promotion just came through, you aced the test. Things are looking good! Then you see that little cloud of dust and the shivers run up and down your spine. Your back is to the sea. There is no place to run. “I knew it was too good to be true,” is all that comes to mind.

But God is there. He sees, and he puts an invisible barrier between you and the destruction you feared. I love the phrase, “In the morning watch…the Lord looked down upon the army of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and cloud, and He troubled the army of the Egyptians.” God sees more of the situation than you do, and is clandestinely maneuvering for your benefit. He has a deliverance greater than you can imagine. Not only are you going to make it to the other side of the sea, but you will get to see the destruction of those who would snatch your freedom from you. 

Cry out to Jesus! He looks down from the fiery cloud and is waiting for just the right moment to not only deliver you, but destroy your enemy.