The Pillar of Cloud

“So they took their journey from Succoth and camped in Etham at the edge of the wilderness. And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way; and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night. He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night from before the people.” The psalmist says, “He spread a cloud for a covering, and fire to give light in the night” (Psalm 105:39). (See also 1 Corinthians 10:1, 2). It served as a protection from the burning heat, and its coolness and moisture provided welcome refreshment in the parched, thirsty desert. By night it became a pillar of fire, illuminating their encampment and constantly assuring them of the divine presence.BOE 136.6

They journeyed across a dreary, desert like region, and were already becoming weary with the difficult terrain. Some began to be afraid that the Egyptians would come after them, but the cloud went forward, and they followed. Now the Lord directed Moses to turn off their path into a rocky gorge and set up camp beside the sea. God revealed to him that Pharaoh would pursue them but that God would be honored in their deliverance.BOE 137.1

Pharaoh’s counselors told the king that their slaves had fled, never to return. Their great men, recovering from their fears, claimed that the plagues were the result of natural causes. “Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?” was the bitter cry.BOE 137.2

Pharaoh collected his forces, “six hundred choice chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt,” horsemen, captains, and foot soldiers. The king himself, attended by the great men of his realm, led the attacking army. The Egyptians were afraid that their forced submission to God would make other nations ridicule them. If they could now go out with a great show of power and bring back the fugitives, they would redeem their glory as well as recover the services of their slaves.BOE 137.3

The Hebrews were camped beside the sea, which seemed an impassable barrier in front of them, while on the south a rugged mountain blocked their further progress. Suddenly in the distance they saw flashing armor and moving chariots. Terror filled the hearts of Israel. Most of them rushed to Moses with their complaints: “Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? ... It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness.”BOE 137.4

True, there was no possibility of deliverance unless God Himself intervened for their release; but since they had been brought to this position by obeying the divine direction, Moses felt no fear of the consequences. His calm, assuring reply to the people was, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.”BOE 137.5

Lacking discipline and self-control, the hosts of Israel became violent and unreasonable. Their wailings and laments were loud and deep. They had followed the wonderful pillar of cloud as the signal of God to go forward, but now had it not led them on the wrong side of the mountain, into an impassable way? To their deluded minds the angel of God appeared as an omen of disaster.BOE 137.6

As the Egyptian army approached them, the cloudy column rose majestically into the heavens, passed over the Israelites, and came down between them and the armies of Egypt. The Egyptians could no longer see the camp of the Hebrews and were forced to stop. But as night deepened, the wall of cloud became a great light to the Hebrews.BOE 138.1

Then hope returned to the hearts of Israel. “And the Lord said to Moses ... ‘Tell the children of Israel to go forward. But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.’”BOE 138.2

As Moses stretched out his rod, the waters divided, and Israel went into the middle of the sea on dry ground, while the waters stood like a wall on each side. The light from God’s pillar of fire lighted the road cut like a groove through the waters.BOE 138.3