who went before you on the journey, in the fire by night and in the cloud by day, to seek out a place for you to camp and to show you the road to travel. Sermons
I. TENDER LOVE. The love is likened to that of the best of fathers to a son (cf. Psalm 103:13). The New Testament goes further. It not only likens God to a father, but tells us he is one. He is "our Father in heaven," "the God and Father of Jesus Christ our Lord." This full revelation of Fatherhood only a Son could have given; and as given in the gospel it is the believer's daily comfort (Matthew 6:25-34). II. CONSTANT CARE. This arises out of the relation and the love. It is a care: 1. Unceasing. "All the way." 2. Provident. "Who went in the way before you, to search you out a place to pitch your tents in." 3. Comprehensive; embracing every want of our lives. God "bare" Israel, i.e. took the entire charge of the nation upon himself; the whole responsibility of seeing them fed, led, clothed, kept, and brought safely to their final destination. So does he provide for his children in Christ. 4. Tenderly sympathetic. "As a man doth bear his son." And God has to bear with, as well as bear us. III. SPECIAL GUIDANCE. This is included in the care, but is more prominent as a peculiar manifestation of it (ver. 33). Guidance is never wanting to those who need it. It is from day to day - just sufficient to show us present duty. It is given in the Bible, in the indications of providence, and in that inward illumination which enables us to discern the Lord's will in both, It was furnished to the Israelites through the pillar of cloud and fire - the symbol: 1. Of fiery guardianship with grateful shade. 2. Of guiding light with attendant mystery. 3. Of light shining to us in the midst of dark providences. 4. Of the adaptation of God's guidance to our needs - by day the cloud, by night the fire. - J.O.
To show you by what way ye should go. I. AS THE PILLAR OF CLOUD AND FIRE WAS A BLESSING TO THE JEWS, SO IS THE BIBLE A BLESSING TO ALL AGES.1. Consider the characteristics of the Bible as set forth by those of the pillar. That pillar had its own history.(1) It was Divine in its origin. It was not a common cloud, nor yet an exhalation from the marshy ground. It was evidently, from the history, a supernatural phenomenon. Does not the Word of God give light, and show the path of duty when all is dark around? Is not its glorious guidance given in the perplexities of this wilderness? All the raging storms of this life diminish not its lustre.(2) The Bible, like the pillar, is exactly fitted for the object for which it is designed. "It is a light to my path and a lamp to my feet," said the Psalmist. "Oh, how I love Thy law; it is my meditation all the day." "How sweet are Thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!"(3) The pillar had two sides, and so has the Bible. The pillar was the same to all in itself, but it looked light and gave light to the Lord's hosts, and it looked dark and cast a deep shadow as seen by their opponents. Such, too, is the Bible. To the child of God it is all good, all cheering; to the ungodly it is all dark and terrible. It speaks of God's power. The power of God is the hope of the Christian, for it is power to help; but the power of God is the terror of the ungodly, for it is power to punish. 2. Consider the general influence of the Bible on the world as illustrated by the influence of the cloud upon those who went with it. The cloud benefited many who never knew or felt its value. In the camp of Israel there were many who were very thoughtless, as there are many in every age, yet did they enjoy the light and beat and guidance. They owed much of their comfort to that mystic cloud, but never felt or even thought of their obligation. Just so is it in reference to the Bible. Its influence is found in many a home where it is not acknowledged. II. SOME OF THOSE WHO WERE BLESSED BY THE LIGHT AND COMFORTS OF THE MYSTIC CLOUD WERE BARRED AT LAST FROM CANAAN, AS SOME WHO HAVE BEEN BLESSED BY BIBLE TRUTH WILL NEVER FIND THEIR WAY TO HEAVEN. When that man on yon northern hills was surrounded by thick mist — when in that mist he lost his way and was overtaken by the chill, dark night, and lost his footing on the narrow ledge along which the path led him, and fell headlong into the deep abyss and was killed — the sight was very sad. But I can point you to a sadder scene than that. It is to see a man walk over some terrible precipice when the sun of heaven is shining to show his danger, and his eyes are open to it. But the saddest sight of all is to see, lost for ever, men and women who have been instructed in the Bible. Many who know the way to heaven come short of it through unbelief. III. THOSE WHO WERE FAITHFUL TO GOD WERE LED BY THE MYSTIC CLOUD TO CANAAN; SO SHALL ALL BELIEVERS BE LED BY THE WORD OF GOD TO HEAVEN. Out of all the people who left Egyptian bondage only two entered the land of promise, Caleb and Joshua. The benefits of the fiery cloud were lost upon the rest. The cloud led them ever Jordan, and left them safe in possession of the land. Thus it ever is. Those who are faithful to God find His Word their guide and comfort to the end. Its promises turn their darkness into day, and calm all storms of inward fear. (E. Lewis, B. A.) People Amorites, Anakites, Caleb, Canaanites, Eshcol, Isaac, Israelites, Jacob, Jephunneh, Joshua, Laban, Moses, Nun, Og, Seir, SihonPlaces Arabah, Ashtaroth, Bashan, Dizahab, Edrei, Egypt, Euphrates River, Hazeroth, Heshbon, Horeb, Hormah, Jordan River, Kadesh-barnea, Laban, Lebanon, Moab, Mount Seir, Negeb, Paran, Seir, Suph, Tophel, Valley of EshcolTopics Camp, Cloud, Encamp, Encamping, Fire, Goes, Journey, Lighting, Pitch, Places, Search, Seek, Shew, TentsOutline 1. Moses' speech in the end of the fortieth year6. briefly rehearsing the history of God's sending them from Horeb 14. of giving them officers 19. of sending the spies to search the land 34. of his anger for their incredulity 41. and disobedience Dictionary of Bible Themes Deuteronomy 1:33 1403 God, revelation 4020 life, of faith Library Foretastes of the Heavenly LifeEarly in the year 1857. NOTE: This edition of this sermon is taken from an earlier published edition of Spurgeon's 1857 message. The sermon that appears in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, vol. 45, was edited and abbreviated somewhat. For edition we have restored the fuller text of the earlier published edition, while retaining a few of the editorial refinements of the Met Tab edition. "And they took of the fruit of the land in their hands, and brought it down unto us, and brought us word again … Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 45: 1899 Preventive against Backsliding. Afraid of Giants Philo of Alexandria, the Rabbis, and the Gospels - the Final Development of Hellenism in Its Relation to Rabbinism and the Gospel According to St. John. A Plain Description of the Essence and Attributes of God, Out of the Holy Scripture, So Far as Every Christian must Competently Know, and Necessarily Believe, that Will be Saves. The Mountainous Country of Judea. Kadesh. Rekam, and that Double. Inquiry is Made, Whether the Doubling it in the Maps is Well Done. Barren Fig-Tree. Temple Cleansed. In the Temple at the Feast of Tabernacles. Moses and his Writings Appendix ii. Philo of Alexandria and Rabbinic Theology. The Blessing of Jacob Upon Judah. (Gen. Xlix. 8-10. ) Deuteronomy Links Deuteronomy 1:33 NIVDeuteronomy 1:33 NLT Deuteronomy 1:33 ESV Deuteronomy 1:33 NASB Deuteronomy 1:33 KJV Deuteronomy 1:33 Bible Apps Deuteronomy 1:33 Parallel Deuteronomy 1:33 Biblia Paralela Deuteronomy 1:33 Chinese Bible Deuteronomy 1:33 French Bible Deuteronomy 1:33 German Bible Deuteronomy 1:33 Commentaries Bible Hub |