ARME 13: Camp Mokkuleia, HI - Dec 2012

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Simon Says Musical Chairs and Numbers Chapter 9

Tent of meeting and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.

Wouldn't that have been an amazing sight?

It was all finished and in some powerful way the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle and what did it say?

Later on, I think in the next verse, verse 35, it says Moses was not even able to enter into the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it.

There is something special about this cloud, and patriarchs and prophets, Ellen White says that the standard of their invisible leader was ever with them.

By day, the cloud directed their journeyings and spread as a canopy above the host.

It served as protection from the burning heat and by its coolness and moisture it afforded great refreshment in the parts and thirsty desert.

So here this cloud is protecting them from the heat every day.

It's providing coolness and moisture in the middle of the desert.

She says by night the cloud became a pillar of fire, illuminating their encampment and constantly assuring them of the divine presence.

God wanted them to know that he was going to be with them, that he would lead them, and so day by day the cloud is there, and Night by night the pillar of fire is there turn back though to numbers chapter 9 I don't know if you're like me Maybe you've read through this passage before but I believe that this morning God is trying to teach us a such an important lesson Numbers chapter 9 picking up in verse 17 where we left off verse 17 It says wherever the cloud.

Oh, sorry, whenever the cloud was lifted from over the tent afterward the sons of Israel would then set out And in the place where the clouds settled down the sons of Israel would camp.

At the command of the Lord the sons of Israel would set out and at the command of the Lord they would camp.

As long as the clouds settled over the tabernacle they remained camped.

Verse 19, even when the cloud lingered over the tabernacle for many days, the sons of Israel would keep the Lord's charge and not set out.

If sometimes the cloud remained a few days over the tabernacle, according to the command of the Lord, they remain camped.

Then according to the command of the Lord they remain camped then according to the command of the Lord they set out verse 21 if sometimes the cloud remained from evening until morning when the cloud was lifted in the morning they would move out Or if it remained in the daytime and at night, whenever the cloud was lifted, they would set out.

Verse 22, whether it remained there 2 days or a month or a year, when the cloud stayed above it, the sons of Israel remained in the camp and did not set out but when it was lifted they set out at the command of the Lord they camped and at the command of the Lord they set out they kept the Lord's charge according to the command of the Lord through Moses.

Here's the account of the Israelites and it seems like we can quickly read over it saying okay when the cloud moved they moved, when it stopped it stopped.

But as I read through this recently this past year, God was trying to show me that here is a lesson of waiting on God.

Here is a lesson of waiting on God and seeing where he leads and then being willing to obey it.

Maybe you played the game when you were small called Simon Says.

I remember at recess being an elementary school student and everyone would line up and someone would pretend to be Simon and they would stand there and give the command, Simon Says, lift your right arm.

Or Simon says, touch your head, and they would touch your head.

Or Simon says, you know, tap your foot, and you would tap your foot.

But you never tapped your foot, if Simon didn't say, right?

Or maybe you're familiar with the game musical chairs.

You round up the chairs in a circle and you have the kids walk and you only walk when the music plays and what happens when the music stops?

You wouldn't dare to rub your head or pat your tummy if Simon didn't say, and you wouldn't dare to keep moving when the music stops.

But yet, how often in our life do we really wait for God's leading?

How rare is it that we wait for the cloud to move before we move?

And do we really seek God and wait for His leading in our life?

I love the quote in Ministry of Healing, page 478.

It says, many are unable to make definite plans for the future.

Their life is unsettled and they cannot discern the outcome of affairs.

This often fills them with anxiety and rest.

Let us remember that the life of God's children in this world is a pilgrim life.

We have not the wisdom to plan our own lives and it is not for us to shape our future.

By faith Abraham, when he was called, went out into a place where he would receive an inheritance.

He obeyed and went out, not knowing whither he went.

Christ, in his life on earth, made no plans for himself.

He accepted God's plans for him and day by day the Father unfolded his plans.

So should we depend on God that our lives may be the simple outworking of his will.

Too many in planning for a brilliant future make an utter failure.

Then she says this sentence, let God plan for you.

As a little child, trust to the guidance of him who will keep the feet of his saints.

But that's not the way we operate, is it?

You know, the end of the year is already coming soon, and I would venture to guess that many of you already have your calendars for 2013.

We have to have our phone right there so we can check our calendar.

We're planning and planning and planning for the future.

And we're trained like that from when we're little, right?

How many of you as a little kid were asked, what do you want to be when you grow up?

Or maybe as you get older, where do you see yourself in 5 years?

It's just the way our culture teaches us, right?

Study, plan ahead, make a future and vision for your life, and go for it.

Exodus chapter 40, it's stated here in almost identical language to Numbers chapter 9.

It says, throughout all their journeys, Whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the sons of Israel would set out.

But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out until the day it was taken up.

For throughout all their journeys, the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day there was fire there by night in the sight of the house of Israel over and over in their wilderness experience here God had brought them out of Egypt and many of them thought, you have brought us out here to die, right?

Wasn't that what the people were always telling to Moses?

But from the very beginning of their journey, God was trying to teach them, wait on me.

In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.

God was trying to teach the Israelites the idea of waiting on him.

The idea of letting him say when to go and him saying when to camp.

It's amazing to see that Jesus in his life on earth did the exact same thing.

Ellen White talks about in Signs of the Time, November 21, 1892, it is in neglecting to follow the exact directions of the word of God that many err.

They turn away from God's plans to follow their own idea, and Christ himself declared that the Son of Man can do nothing of himself.

Talking about Jesus during his life on earth, she says, so utterly he emptied of himself that he made no plans for himself.

He accepted God's plans for him day by day, and the Father unfolded his plans.

If Jesus was so wholly dependent, declaring I do nothing of myself, how much more should the human agents depend upon God for his constant instruction?

So that their lives might be the simple outworking of his will.

Oh, the failing, erring mortals would be content to seek the wisdom of God and be entirely submissive in working out his direction in exemplifying his character.

So what would life be like if this is how we live?

What would life be like if we really waited on God day by day?

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Simon Says Musical Chairs and Numbers Chapter 9

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