August 3 2023
Whenever the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle, the Israelites would set out on each stage of their journey; but if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out until the day that it was taken up. For the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, before the eyes of all the house of Israel at each stage of their journey.
From Exodus 40:16-21, 34-38, NRSV
In this final reading from the Book of Exodus, we hear about the final setting up of the Tent of Meeting (tabernacle) to house the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark and the tabernacle were built to very precise instructions that Moses received from God and with Moses’ involvement at each stage. The care taken in construction indicates the awe and reverence for the presence of the Lord which led the people through the desert. As the Ark was carried through the desert, a cloud rested above it. This cloud was understood to signify God’s guiding presence. Even though the people were weak and had not always been faithful, God was still with them giving them hope and encouragement.
- What might the Israelites have thought as they saw the cloud guiding their journey?
- When have you been able to rely on God’s presence and guidance?
Give thanks for those times in your life when you have been aware of God’s guiding presence.
Image from a Bible card published between 1896 and 1913 by the Providence Lithograph Company
Date: circa 1896-1913
