(Exodus) Exodus 40:34-38 — J. Vernon McGee

The Cloud and Glory at the Tabernacle

Now, I have left very little time for this 40th chapter. What you have here is the setting up of the tabernacle. And I only wanted to lift out one thing because we have dealt with every article of furniture, every part of the tabernacle.

The Glory of the Lord Fills the Tabernacle

And when Moses set it up in the camp of Israel, this is what happened. Verse 34 of chapter 40 now. Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.

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 the Lord 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. When Paul attempts to identify these people over in the 9th chapter of Romans, he says, who are Israelites, and of the things he enumerates that one is, they had the glory.

Following the Cloud Rather Than Human Wisdom

They are the only people that ever had the visible glory of God, the visible presence of God. And that was what led them. That cloud would lift in the morning if they were to journey. And if it didn't lift, the children of Israel stayed in the camp.

They didn't attempt to move that day. They didn't move by their own wisdom or their own judgment. And they didn't vote on it, and Moses didn't make the decision the cloud did. Now, we sometimes say this, and I think in our conservative churches it's pretty meaningless today.

Christ as Head of the Church

We say Christ is the head of the church. How about your church? Is he the head of the church? Are we following the cloud today, or do we put a man on the board because we say, well, you know he's a successful businessman?

My friend, that's not the reason to put him on the board. That ought not to exclude him, don't misunderstand me, but that ought not to be the reason. And you hear people say today, well, I want to talk to my preacher about whether I should do this or not.

A lot of people consult me on things. I'm no expert at telling them what to do. I can't solve their marital problems. And by the way, the psychologists can't either. May I say to you there's the pillar of cloud today, but you don't see it.

The Holy Spirit as the Church's Guide

You know it's the Holy Spirit of God, and he ought to be the one to lead us and to guide us and let us know that we're in the will of God. Oh, how this is neglected today. We're always appealing to something human and something outside.

Spirit-Filled Leadership and Submission to Scripture

We need a church. We need preachers. We need teachers. We need laymen. We need church members that are filled with the Holy Spirit of God. There are too many of them that are just spouting off, talking, and they're talking without any unction at all coming from heaven.

Pay no attention to the Word of God. I have been to church board meetings and listened to officers just spout off. No reference at all to what the Word of God says or what might be God's will. Just this constant wanting to put forward our own way.

From the Gloom of Egypt to the Glory of God's Presence

My friend, there's no visible cloud over the church today, but the Holy Spirit of God wants to lead us and guide us. And this book that we just now concluded is a very wonderful book. Did you notice? Again, it opened in gloom in the brickyards of Egypt, and it closes in glory.

The presence of the Lord is there in the tabernacle now and leading these people through the wilderness. God today wants to deliver you from the gloom of the slavery of sin and bring you into the glory of His presence and in the very center of His will that He might lead you and guide you.

What a wonderful book, Exodus. He leads you out that He might lead you into a good land. Until next time, may God richly bless you, my beloved.