21 The Overshadowing Cloud and the Indwelling Glory
The Overshadowing Cloud and the Indwelling Glory
MOSES having set up the ARK in the most holy place, and brought the ALTAR OF INCENSE, the LAMP-STAND, and the TABLE into the sanctuary or holy place; and having reared up the COURT, and brought in the LAVER, and the BRAZEN ALTAR, “as Jehovah commanded Moses.”
Verse 34. “Then the cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of Jehovah filled the Tabernacle.” The EXTERNAL and INTERNAL manifestation of the Divine presence, protection and glory; Divine and almighty protection above, and Divine glory within.For “he that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” God Himself is “a wall of fire round about His people, and the glory in the midst.” “The Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon them.” “The eternal God is their refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.” This overshadowing cloud and this indwelling glory was a prefiguring of what took place at Pentecost, when the Church of God first commenced its history and its course, and when believers were first builded together for a habitation of God, through the Spirit.
“And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” See also the inspired prayer of the Apostle in Ephesians 3., that being strengthened by God’s Spirit in the inner man, Christ dwelling in the heart by faith, believers might be filled into all the fulness of God. Seven times the Word of God testified that Moses had done each particular as Jehovah commanded. Then, and not till then, the cloud covered the tent, and the glory filled the Tabernacle.
There is a principle of the utmost importance which throws a Divine light on many a perplexing question. Jude said unto the Lord, “How is it that Thou wilt manifest Thyself unto us, and not unto the world? Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love Me he will keep My Words: and My Father will love him, and We will come unto him, and make Our abode with him” (John 14:22-23). So when Solomon had finished the house of Jehovah, according to the Divine will and pattern, then “the cloud filled the house of Jehovah, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of Jehovah had filled the house of Jehovah” (1Ki 8:10-11).
Isaiah prophesies of the future blessing to Israel, when “Jehovah will create upon every dwelling-place of Mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for upon all the glory shall be a defence” (Isa 4:5).
Ezekiel, who saw in a vision the glory taking its gradual departure from the first Temple (Ezekiel 10, 11), afterwards also in a vision saw the glory returning to the millennial Temple. “And, behold, the glory of Jehovah filled the house of Jehovah” (Eze 44:4).
John, in the apocalyptic vision of the Church’s future blessedness, as the Bride of the Lamb, saw that great city, the holy Jerusalem, but “saw no Temple therein, for Jehovah, God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the lamp thereof” (Rev 21:22-23).
There no Temple rose before him,There no glory shone above;All was Temple, all was glory,All in all was God and love.The saints in glory will dwell in God, and God in them. His glory is their overshadowing cloud; His presence is their indwelling glory.
Verse 35. “And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of Jehovah filled the Tabernacle.” And so on the Mount of Transfiguration, when Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus in glory, there came a bright cloud and overshadowed them, and the disciples feared as they entered into the cloud. And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, hear Him.” And when the voice was past, Jesus was found alone (Luk 9:34-36). Thus, whether it be Moses the servant of God, or the priests in Solomon’s Temple in their priestly ministry, or the two men on the Mount of Transfiguration, all give place to the glory of God and of the Lamb. The Guidance Of The Cloud
Exo 40:36-38. “And when the cloud was taken up from over the Tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys; but if the cloud were not taken up, then they journeyed not till the day that it was taken up. For the cloud of Jehovah was upon the Tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the House of Israel throughout all their journeys.” The people of God are a journeying people, yet He will never leave them nor forsake them. The great thing is to walk with God, so as ever to enjoy the light and guidance of His presence. Moses said, “If Thy presence go not with us, carry us not up hence” (Exo 33:15). Who that values that presence, but will often be presenting the same petition? The PRESENCE OF GOD with us—How seasonable! How suitable! Shade in sunshine! Light in darkness! Abiding with us while we tarry!... Going before us when we move.
There is one thing of all-importance taught us here. God’s guidance of His people, and the manifestation of His presence with them, is connected with the Tabernacle, His dwelling-place among them. It was “when the cloud was taken up FROM OVER THE TABERNACLE, the children of Israel went onward.” Their individual movements were controlled by God’s acting in connection with the Tabernacle. So with us, if our individual actions are not influenced by the manifestation of God’s presence and actings with the assembly, no wonder if we miss His guidance, and walk in darkness. Not only were the children of Israel to pitch round about the Tabernacle, having it as their centre, the very place of their tents being regulated by the position of the Tabernacle, because it was God’s dwelling-place; but their every movement was to harmonise with God’s movements in connection with it.
Oh, for grace ever to remember and to act on this! We are so prone to make self our centre, and our individual interests and comforts, temporal or spiritual, the guides of our actions, that we need every now and then to be broken off from them, and to be brought back to God, and to the things of God. May we value the presence of God with us, and the unclouded sunshine of His smile in our individual pathway. But may we also seek the manifestation of His presence in the assembly of His saints, so as ever to see His power and His glory as we have seen it in the sanctuary. May the chill and the darkness, occasioned by the loss of His smile, be to us a warning of our wandering, if we turn aside to the right hand or to the left; whether it be in our individual course, or in our Church associations. May we walk, O God, in the light of Thy countenance, the confident language of our hearts being this, “Thou shalt guide us with Thy council, and afterward receive us to glory.”