Numbers 9:15-23 And on the day that the tabernacle was reared up the cloud covered the tabernacle, namely, the tent of the testimony… I. WHY IS THE CHURCH IN OUR DAY SO MUCH OF THE TIME UNDER THE CLOUD, AND SEEMINGLY PUT BACK IN THE PROGRESS OF LONG-CONTINUED REVIVALS OF RELIGION? Sin is the trouble. It took but a few moments to bring it into the world, but it takes ages to get it out. It makes us ignorant, weak, self-reliant, and self-seeking, so that we cannot march long at a time without getting so elated that God must let down the cloud a little while; a day, a month, or a year, as our case may be, to get us ready to march again. It requires great grace and a large measure of previous discipline, and frequent humiliations to keep us feeling and saying, as we go to our work of conquest for Christ, "Not by might, nor by power, but by Thy Spirit, O Lord." And so, God must often bring us into pecuniary straits, and cut off our men and our means, and cause painful delays, and sad embarrassments, and short triumphs, and unforeseen obstacles, and cloud-falling times, that we may feel our weakness and renew our strength; and, with all our facilities for saving ourselves and the world, that we may just lay ourselves over, with the simplicity of children, upon the supernatural power of God, and the sole guidance of Christ, saying, "Help, Lord, for without Thee we can do nothing." II. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE PROMINENT DUTIES WHICH GOD REQUIRES FROM US WHILE UNDER THE CLOUD, THAT WE MAY BE READY THE SOONER TO ARISE AND GO FORWARD IN THE MORE ACTIVE DUTIES, AND IN THE MORE JOYFUL EXPERIENCES OF THE REVIVAL DAYS? 1. In general, to be ready for the lifting up of the cloud, that we may go forth in efficient service in revival scenes, we must be diligent in all the ordinary duties of the tabernacle when it is resting. 2. Among the duties which are specially incumbent when the Church is under the cloud we will enumerate those which God has signalised in the history of the tabernacle as those which are at all times essential to the Christian character and life. (1) Christian benevolence, which answers quickly to the voice of God, as stewards of His manifold grace, in liberal and conscientious giving to the various objects of religious charity which are designed to promote the good of men and the glory of Christ. (2) The ordinary means of grace should be specially improved by the entire membership of the Church as a preparation for seasons of extraordinary effort. It is not by artificial stimulants, occasionally taken, that we gain the compactness of muscle and the strength of frame which fit us for those emergencies which call forth great physical strength. This strength is the slow growth of nutriment habitually taken to satisfy the cravings of hunger and to supply the daily waste of the system. (E. S. Wright.) Parallel Verses KJV: And on the day that the tabernacle was reared up the cloud covered the tabernacle, namely, the tent of the testimony: and at even there was upon the tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire, until the morning. |
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