Jesus was the angel of god

JESUS WAS THE ANGEL OF GOD
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Exodus 14:19 19Then the angel of God, who had been
travelingin front of Israel's army, withdrew and went
behind them. The pillarof cloud also moved from in
front and stood behind them,
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
Light To The Friend, Darkness To The Foe
Exodus 14:19, 20
J. Orr
We are told that as the Israelites were aboutto cross the Red Sea, the fiery-
cloudy pillar changedits position, and came betweenthem and the Egyptians.
It was the self-same pillar, but it wore a very different aspectto friends and
foes respectively. "It was," we read, "a cloud of darkness to them (the
Egyptians), but it gave light to these (the camp of Israel)." We should notice
that the same double aspectbelongs to all God's manifestations of himself, in
Law and Gospel, in matter and spirit, in the world, and in the Church.
I. GOD'S ATTRIBUTES have this double aspect. Notone of his attributes but
has a bright side turned to the believer, and a dark side to the wicked. This is
true even of such attributes as holiness and justice, from which the believer, as

a sinner, might seemto have most to fear. "Faithful and just to forgive us our
sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). So God's
omnipotence, which is hostile to the transgressor, is pledged to defend, bless,
and save the saint (1 Peter1:5; Jude 1:24). God's eternity, in like manner, is
given to the believer for a dwelling-place (Deuteronomy 33:27; Psalm90:1),
but how terrible an aspectit has to the evil-doer! The dark side of love is
wrath. "If God be for us, who can be againstus?" (Romans 8:31). But on the
other hand, "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God"
(Hebrews 10:31).
II. GOD'S LAWS have this double aspect.
1. Physicallaws. The constitution of nature is favourable to virtue, hostile to
vice (See Butler's Analogy).
2. Morallaw, for this, while awarding life to the obedient, is a ministry of
condemnation to the sinner.
3. Mentaland spiritual laws. Take e.g. the law of habit. "The law of habit,
which applies alike to all our physical, mental, and moral actions, must be
regardedin its designas a truly benevolent one. But the law of habit, when the
soul yields to sin, works deathto the sinner: - like the pillar of cloud which
made day to Israel, and was darkness to the Egyptians, so the law, which is
bright to the well-doer, sheds night upon the path of the sinner, until he is
plunged into the sea of death" (Theodore D. Woolsey).
III. GOD'S WORD has this double aspect. To the prayerful, believing, docile
mind, it is a source of unfailing light. It is a lamp to the feet and a light to the
path (Psalm 119:105). Butto the proud, the unbelieving, and the

presumptuous, it is only darkness. Thesecansee nothing in it but difficulties,
incredibilities, contradictions, moral monstrosities. It is full of stumbling-
blocks. The more they read it, the more are they blinded by it. They read only
to discoversome new fault or error.
IV. GOD'S VERY GOSPELhas this double aspect. "The preaching of the
Cross is to them that perish foolishness, but to us who are saved it is the power
of God" (1 Corinthians 1:18-24). It repels the one class, and attracts the other.
To the one, it is a savourof life; to the other, a savourof death (2 Corinthians
2:16). - J.O.
Biblical Illustrator
Betweenthe camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel.
Exodus 14:19, 20
Lessons

G. Hughes, B. D.
1. God in Christ moveth Himself in His hand or work where the Church doth
most need help. Before and behind Israelis He.
2. God by Christ the Angel of His Covenant hath given and doth give all help
to His Church (ver. 19).
3. God sets His posture for help betweencruel persecutors and His Church.
4. The very same means God makes to darkenHis enemies which enlighten
His people. So the gospel.
5. This interposition of God keeps the wickedworld from destroying His
Church (ver. 20).
(G. Hughes, B. D.)
The removal of Israel's cloud to the rear
N. Adams, D. D.
This passageleads me to speak ofGod our Rearward. It is God alone who can
make the past a source ofpeace and comfort. We think much of the future; we
desire greatly to have an assurance thatall will be well with us in time to
come. We acceptwith gratitude the promise, "The Lord shall go before thee";
but do we fully consider how important the concluding part of that passage is
— "and be thy rearward"?
I. WE OFTEN NEED TO BE DEEPLY IMPRESSED WITH THE MEMORY
OF PAST BLESSINGS.

II. WE NEED THE PILLAR OF CLOUD BEHIND US FOR OUR
PROTECTION FROMTHE EVIL CONSEQUENCESOF THE PAST.
Wonderful sight! the angelof the Lord breaking camp and going to their rear!
that beautiful meteor, the guiding cloud, sailing back over their six hundred
thousand fighting men, powerless as their infants, while Egypt was pouring
out its swarming myriads to swallow them up. So, my soul! thy sins and the
hosts of hell are ready this day to destroythee; but the angelof the covenant
has not forsakenthee; faith cansee Him, as plainly as Israelbeheld Him going
to their rear to stand betweenthem and danger;are not His promises a pillar
of cloud to you, and do they not stand betweenyou and the past, saying, "I,
even I, am He that blotteth out thy transgressions forMine own sake, andwill
not remember thy sins"?
III. THIS REARWARD ANGEL AND THIS PILLAR OF CLOUD SEEM
TO BID ME TO SAY TO BELIEVERS, IT SHALL BE WELL WITH YOU.
For these two things are true concerning all who believe in Jesus. First, you
have not seenyour bestdays; and, secondly, you never will. Never through
eternity, will you arrive at that summit of bliss from which you will anticipate
declension. Onwardand upward is to be your way.
(N. Adams, D. D.)
Different effects of the same events and dealings
J. Slade, M. A.
1. A family is visited by dreadful calamity; is reduced from a state of ease and
affluence to comparative want. The members of this family are of very
different characters;some of them sincere believers, devout worshippers,
faithful servants of God; ever considering their talents, as lent for God's use.
Other members of the family are the reverse of all this; sensual, worldly,

regardless ofspiritual things; caring for nothing, but that "to-morrow may be
as this day, and much more abundant." Observe, now, how differently these
members of the same family will be affectedby what has befallen them: how
the calamity will weara bright side to some, and a dark side to others.
Trouble of another kind overtakes the same family; a friend, a relation, upon
whom the comfort of their life depended, is suddenly removed by the stroke of
death. Some acknowledgethe providential hand of God, inflicting a wound,
but supplying a gracious remedy; they are drawn the more closelyto their
sure, unchangeable Friend. But who are they, that are sitting down gloomy
and disconsolateand "refusing to be comforted"? Theyare the godless
members of this family, whose all is in the world, in the creature. And thus,
while some are utterly discomfited by this loss, others canfind it to be their
gain.
2. This leads me to speak upon the different impressions made upon different
persons by the means of grace, by the doctrines, and promises, and precepts of
the gospel. The humble, faithful servant of God, derives light and life from
every portion of Divine revelation. Very contrary to this are the views and
feelings of the blinded sinner; nay, of the careless,lukewarm, outward
believer. The same doctrines, which afford so much satisfactionand peace to
the godly wearto him a different aspect;"there is no beauty in them that he
should desire them"; no power derived from them even to affect, much less to
change, the heart. The same promises also appealto him without any
encouraging, life-giving effect. And the same holy precepts, insteadof being
loved and honoured, are a trouble to his soul: consciencewhispers, that he
ought to obey them; and the law of God, instead of being his guide, stands in
opposition to him, and fills him with fear. "The light that is in him is
darkness";that which is a light to others, and should be a light to him, is
perverted into darkness;and then, "how great is that darkness!"
(J. Slade, M. A.)
The glory in the rear

God is always with those who are with Him. If we trust Him, He hath said, "I
will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." There is a specialand familiar
presence ofGod with those who walk uprightly, both in the night of their
sorrow, and in the day of their joy. Yet we do not always in the same way
perceive that presence so as to enjoy it. God never leaves us, but we sometimes
think He has done so. The sun shines on, but we do not always bask in his
beams; we sometimes mourn an absentGod.
I. In considering the subjectof the Lord's abiding with His people, I shall first
call attention to THE DIVINE PRESENCEMYSTERIOUSLYREMOVED.
"The angelof God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed."
1. The symbol of God's presence removedfrom where it had usually been. So
has it been with us at times: we have walkedday after day in the light of God's
countenance, we have enjoyed sweetfellowshipwith Jesus Christ our Lord,
and on a sudden we have missed His glorious manifestation.
2. Moreover, they missedthe light from where they hoped it would always be.
Sometimes you also may imagine that God's promise is failing you; even the
word of God which you had laid hold upon may appear to you to be
contradictedby your circumstances.Thenyour heart sinks to the depths, for
"if the foundations be destroyed, what canthe righteous do?"
3. The pillar of fire also removed from where it seemedmore than ever to be
needed. Even thus is it with you, who once walkedin the light of God's
countenance;you perhaps have fallen into temporal trouble, and at the same
moment the heavenly light has departed from your soul. Now, it is bad to be in
the dark on the king's highway; but it is worse to be in the dark when you are
out on the open common, and do not know your road. It is well to have a guide
when the road is easy;but you must have one when you are coming upon
precipitous and dangerous places. Thenlet him trust; but he will need all the
faith of which he can be master. Oh, my Lord, if ever Thou dost leave me,

forsake me not in the day of trouble.. Yet what have I said? It is a day of
trouble when Thou art gone, whatevermy condition may be.
4. Thus it did seema mysterious thing that the CovenantAngel should no
longerdirect the marchings of the host of God, and I dare say that some of
them began to accountfor it by a reasonwhich their fears would suggest. I
should not wonder that, if they had been askedwhy the blazing pillar was no
longerin the van, they would have replied, "Becauseofour murmurings
againstthe Lord and His servant Moses. Godwill not go before us because of
our sins." This, however, would have been a mistake. There was not a touch of
the rod about this withdrawing of His presence from the van, not even a trace
of anger; it was all done in lovingkindness. So you must not always conclude
that the loss of conscious joy is necessarilya punishment for sin. Darkness of
soul is not always the fruit of Divine anger, though it is often so. Sometimes it
is sent for a test of faith, for the excitement of desire, and for the increase of
our sympathy with others who walk in darkness. There are a thousand
precious uses in this adversity. Yet it is a mysterious thing when the light of
the future fades, and we seemto be without a guide.
II. Now all this while THE DIVINE PRESENCEWAS GRACIOUSLY
NEAR.
1. The Angel of the Lord had removed, but it is added, He "removedand went
behind them," and He was just as close to them when He was in the rear, as
when He led the van. He might not seemto be their guide, but He had all the
more evidently become their guard. He might not for the moment be their Sun
before, but then He had become their Shield behind. "The glory of the Lord
was their rereward." Oh, soul, the Lord may be very near thee, and yet He
may be behind thee, so that thine outlook for the future may not be filled with
the vision of His glory.

2. Note in the text that it is said the pillar went, and "stoodbehind them." I
like that, for it is a settled, permanent matter. The Lord had removed, but He
was not removing still. Even thus the Lord remaineth with the dear child of
God. Thou canstnot see anything before thee to make thee glad, but the living
God stands behind thee to ward off the adversary. He cannot forsake thee.
3. What is more, these people hart God so near that they could see Him if they
did but look back. See how the Lord has helped you hitherto.
4. A thoughtful personwould conclude the Lord to be all the more evidently
near because ofthe change of His position. When a symbol of mercy comes to
be usual and fixed, we may be tempted to think that it remains as a matter of
routine. If the rainbow wore always visible it might not be so assuring a token
of the covenant. Hence the Lord often changes His hand, and blesses His
people in another way, to let them see that He is thinking of them.
III. THE DIVINE PRESENCEWISELYREVEALED. That the symbol of
God's presence should be withdrawn from the front and become visible
behind, was a wise thing.
1. Observe, there was no fiery pillar of cloud before them, and that was wise;
for the going down into the Red Sea was intended to be an act of lofty faith.
The more of the visible the less is faith visible.
2. Moreover, letus mark that the cloudy pillar was takenawayfrom the front
because the Lord meant them simply to acceptHis word as their best
guidance.

3. Moreover, Godwas teaching them another lesson, namely, that He may be
near His people when He does not give them the usual tokens of His presence.
4. The host of Israeldid not require any guide in front when they came to the
sea. "How is that?" say you. There were no two ways to choose from: they
could not miss the way, for they must needs march through the sea. So when
men come into deep trouble, and cannot getout of it, they scarcelyneed a
guide; for their own plain path is submission and patience.
5. What they did want was the pillar of cloud behind them, and that is where
they had it. What was that cloud behind them for? Well, it was there for
severalreasons:the first was to shut out the sight of their enemies from them.
The cloudy pillar went behind for another reason, namely, that the Egyptians
might not see them. Their enemies were made to stumble, and were compelled
to come to a dead stand. Be calm, O child of God; for the Covenant Angel is
dealing with your adversaries, andHis time is generallythe night.
IV. That THE DIVINE PRESENCEWILL ONE DAY BE MORE
GLORIOUSLY REVEALED. "The Lord will go before you; and the Godof
Israelwill be your rereward." This is the condition into which the Lord brings
His people when they depart from Babylon, and are no more conformedto
this present evil world.
V. THIS DIVINE PRESENCE HAS A TWOFOLD ASPECT:that same glory
which lit up the canvas city, and made it bright as the day, darkened all the
camps of Egypt. They could see nothing, for the dark side of God was turned
to them. Oh, is it not a dreadful thing that to some men the most terrible thing
in the world would be God? If you could get awayfrom God, how happy you
would be! One of these days Jesus will tell you to depart. "Keepon as you

were," says He, "you were always departing from God; keepon departing.
Depart from Me ye cursed!" That will be the consummation of your life.
( C. H. Spurgeon.)
Lessons
C. S. Robinson, D. D.
I. THE SURENESSOF GOD'S INTERPOSITION WHEN HE IS NEEDED,
IN THE WAY HIS WISDOM CHOOSES (ver. 19). When we are called to
difficult duty, God will keepHis promise to be with us, and always His help
will be found stationed at the exposedpoint.
II. THE REVELATION OF A TWOFOLD CHARACTER IN GOD'S
DEALINGS WITH MEN (ver. 20;see Luke 2:34; 2 Corinthians 2:16;
Revelation11:5; Matthew 21:42-44;John 9:39).
III. THE PRACTICAL BEARING OF A COURAGEOUS FAITH (ver. 21).
We may never be put before an actualoceantossing with billows under
difficult stress ofdemand like this; but we shall often be placedwhere mere
obedience is commanded, and where God's covenantis all that ensures
success. "Doing duty belongs to us; achieving deliverance belongs to God."
Then it is that an unbroken faith "laughs at impossibility," and says, "It shall
be done!"
IV. THE PERFECTSAFETYOF A BELIEVER'S EXPOSURE, UPON A
PROMISE OF THE LIVING GOD (ver. 22). One of Aristotle's sayings may
well be quoted here. He says:"Every how rests upon a that." That is, if God
has declaredthat a difficult duty is to be done, He may be trusted to show how
it is to be done. He will never ask us into straits of obedience without
providing for our preservation. And when once a path of service is lying out

before us, it does not matter at all how dangerous it appears;we shall go
through it without harm. So our safetyis in the exposure when God is our
companion. His love will hold the sea-walls steady, andthe seawallswill keep
back Pharaoh. Some solicitous friends once warned Whitefield to spare
himself in such extraordinary efforts;he only answeredwith words that long
ago went into history "I am immortal till my work is done!"
V. THE FORGETFULNESS AND INCORRIGIBLENESS OF A DARING
UNBELIEF (ver. 23).
VI. THE MERCYOF GOD, EXHIBITED IN THE FACT THAT THE WAY
OF THE TRANSGRESSORIS HARD (ver. 24). Up to the last moment there
was a chance for that pursuing army to retreat by the way they came. So it
was a manifest benevolence to them on the part of God to hinder them as
much as possible. calls attentionto the familiar fact that God always warns
before He waits, and waits before He strikes, and strikes before He crushes, so
as to give space for repentance. He threatens plagues so that we may avoid
plagues;and indeed, remarks the golden-tonguedorator, it is doubtful
whether the prospectof hell has not availed as much as the promise of heaven
in hindering the blasphemies of open sin. We may safelyassertnow that many
a man has had occasionto thank God that his chariot-wheels drave heavily, so
that he recognizedthe hindering hand of his Maker(ver. 25).
VII. Our last lessonis concerning THE SURE JUDGMENTSOF
ALMIGHTY WRATH WHEN ONCE THE CUP OF INIQUITY IS FULL
(ver. 26).
(C. S. Robinson, D. D.)

A double aspect
H. C. Trumbull.
It makes a gooddeal of difference which side of a barrier you are on, in your
estimate of the actualworth of that barrier. To the burglar, a strongly barred
door is a greatannoyance. It is a real comfort to those who can lie down to
sleepbehind it at night. A garden wall is a pleasantprotectionto those who
can walk freely within its enclosure. It frowns gloomily on those whom it shuts
out from a share of the joys within. Another's wrong-doing which separates
him from us, may be a source of light to us and of only despair to him. Even a
cause ofmisunderstanding with others may be a source of advantage to us and
of worry to them. The cloud of trouble which they and we facedtogetherfor a
while, now that it has been put behind us, and before them, may shed light on
our path by the lessons itteaches us, while it confuses them just as much as
ever. The knowledge ofthe Scriptures, and the commandments of the moral
law, only make plainer the course of the child of God; but they are a cause of
continued trial and discomfort to him who is unwilling to walk in the wayGod
has pointed out.
(H. C. Trumbull.)
The dividing pillar
S. S. Times.
A tradition current in the westof Scotlandtells that when one of the
Covenanting preachers and his little band of hearers had been surprised on a
hill-side by the military, the minister cried out, "Lord, throw Thy mantle over
us, and protectus." And immediately out of the clearsky there fell a mist,
which sundered and protectedthe pursued from the pursuers. And a
Netherland tradition tells how a little army of Protestants was once saved
from the king of Spain's troops by the flashing lights and noise as of an army
sent by the Lord to throw confusioninto the camp of the enemy. The teacher
will recollectthe story of the Christian woman, who calmly awaiting in her

home the approachof the enemy, was, in answerto her prayer, savedfrom
them by a circling wall of snow. The dividing pillar is a reality yet.
(S. S. Times.)
Different aspects ofthe same thing
J. A. Froude.
There are many scenes in life which are either sador beautiful, cheerlessor
refreshing, according to the direction from which we approachthem. If, on a
morning in spring, we behold the ridges of a fresh-turned ploughed field from
their northern side, our eyes, catching only the shadowedslopes ofthe
successive furrows, see anexpanse of white, the unmelted remains of the
night's hailstorm, or the hoar-frostof the dawn. We make a circuit, or we
cross over, and look behind us, and on the very same ground there is nothing
to be seenbut the rich brown soil, swelling in the sunshine, warm with
promise, and chequered perhaps here and there with a greenblade bursting
through the surface.
(J. A. Froude.)
COMMENTARIES
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(19, 20) The angelof God, which went before the camp of Israel—The
“Jehovah” ofExodus 13:21 becomes here “the angelof God,” as “the angelof
Jehovah” in the burning bush (Exodus 3:2) becomes “God” (Exodus 14:4),
and “Jehovah” (Exodus 14:7). The angelis distinguished from the cloud, and
representedas antedating its movements and directing them. It is clearthat
the objectof the movement now made was double: (1) to check and trouble

the Egyptians by involving them in “cloud and darkness;” and (2) to cheer
and assistthe Israelites by affording them abundant light for all their
necessaryarrangements. Although there is nothing in the original
corresponding to our translators’expressions, “to them,” “to these,” yetthose
expressions seemto do no more than to bring out the true sense. (Comp, the
Targums of Onkelos andJonathan, the Syriac Version, and the
Commentaries of Rosenmüller, Maurer, Knobel, and Kaliseh.)
MacLaren's Expositions
Exodus
A PATH IN THE SEA
Exodus 14:19 - - Exodus 14:31.
This passagebegins at the point where the fierce charge ofthe Egyptian
chariots and cavalry on the straggling massesofthe fugitives is inexplicably
arrested. The wearyday’s march, which must have seemedas suicidal to the
Israelites as it did to their pursuers, had ended in bringing them into a
position where, as Luther puts it, they were like a mouse in a trap or a
partridge in a snare. The desert, the sea, the enemy, were their alternatives.
And, as they camped, they saw in the distance the rapid advance of the
dreaded force of chariots, probably the vanguard of an army. No wonder that
they lost heart. Moses alone keeps his head and his faith. He is rewardedwith
the fuller promise of deliverance, and receives the poweraccompanying the
command, to stretch forth his hand, and part the sea. Thenbegins the
marvellous series ofincidents here recorded.
I. The first step in the leisurely march of the divine deliverance is the
provision for checking the Egyptian advance and securing the safe breaking

up of the Israelitish camp. The pursuers had been coming whirling along at
full speed, and would soonhave been amongstthe disorderly mass, dealing
destruction. There was no possibility of getting the crossing effectedunless
they were held at bay. When an army has to ford a river in the face of hostile
forces, the hazardous operation is possible only if a strong rearguard is left on
the enemy’s side, to coverthe passage. This is exactlywhat is done here. The
pillar of fire and cloud, the symbol of the divine presence, passedfrom the van
to the rear. Its guidance was not needed, when but one path through the sea
was possible. Its defence was neededwhen the foe was pressing eagerlyon the
heels of the host. His people’s needs determined then, as they ever do, the
form of the divine presence and help. Long after, the prophet seized the great
lessonof this event, when he broke into the triumphant anticipation of a yet
future deliverance,-whichshould repeatin fresh experience the ancient
victory, ‘The Lord will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your
rearward,’In the place where the need is sorest, and in the form most
required, there and that will God ever be to those who trust Him.
We cansee here, too, a frequent characteristic ofthe miraculous element in
Scripture, namely, its reaching its end not by a leap, but by a process. Once
admit miracle, and it appears as if adaptation of means to ends was
unnecessary. It would have been as easyto have transported the Israelites
bodily and instantaneouslyto the other side of the sea, as to have takenthese
precautions and then cleft the ocean, and made them march through it.
Legendary miracle would have preferred the former way. The Bible miracle
usually adapts methods to aims, and is content to travel to its goalstep by
step.
Nor canwe omit to notice the double effectof the one manifestation of the
divine presence. The same pillar was light and darkness. The side which was
cloud was turned to the pursuers; that which was light, to Israel. The former
were paralysed, and hindered from advancing a step, or from seeing whatthe
latter were doing; these, on the other hand, had light thrown on their strange

path, and were encouragedand helped to plunge into the mysterious road, by
the ruddy gleamwhich disclosedit. So every revelation is either light or
darkness to men, according to the use they make of it. The ark, which slew
Philistines, and flung Dagonprone on his own threshold, brought blessing to
the house of Obededom. The Child who was to be ‘set for the fall,’ was also
for ‘the rising of many.’ The stone laid in Zion is ‘a sure foundation,’ and ‘a
stone of stumbling.’ The Gospelis the savour of life unto life, or of death unto
death. The same fire melts wax and hardens clay. The same Christ is salvation
and destruction. God is to eachof us either our joy or our dread.
II. The sudden march of the Egyptians having thus been arrested, there is
leisure, behind the shelter of the fiery barrier, to take the next step in the
deliverance. The sea is not divided in a moment. Again, we have a process to
note, and that brought about by two things,-Moses’outstretchedrod, and the
strong wind which blew all night. The chronologyof that fateful night is
difficult to adjust from our narrative. It would appear, from Exodus 14:20,
that the Egyptians were barred advancing until morning; and, from Exodus
14:21, that the wind which ploughed with its strong ploughshare a furrow
through the sea, took allnight for its work. But, on the other hand, the
Israelites must have been well across, andthe Egyptians in the very midst of
the passage,‘in the morning watch,’ and all was oversoonafter ‘the morning
appeared.’Probably the wind continued all the night, so as to keepup the
pressure which dammed back the waters, but the path was passable some
hours before the gale abated. It must have been a broad way to admit of some
two million frightened people with wives and children effecting a crossing in
the short hours of part of one night.
But though God used the wind as His besomto sweepa road clearfor His
people, the effectproduced by ordinary means was extraordinary. No wind
that ever blew would blow water in two opposite directions at once, as a man
might shovel snow to right and left, and heap it in mounds by the sides of the
path that he dug. That was what the text tells us was done. The miracle is

none the less a miracle because Godemployed physical agents, just as Christ’s
miracles were no less miraculous when He anointed blind eyes with moistened
clay, or sent men to washin Siloam, than when His bare word raised the dead
or stilled the ocean. Wind or no wind, Moses’rodor no rod, the true
explanation of that broad path clearedthrough the sea is-’the waters saw
Thee, O God.’ The use of natural means may have been an aid to feeble faith,
encouraging it to stepdown on to the untrodden and slippery road. The
employment of Moses and his rod was to attesthis commissionto actas God’s
mouthpiece.
III. Then comes the safe passage. It is hard to imagine the scene. The vivid
impression made by our story is all the more remarkable when we notice how
wanting in detail it is. We do not know the time nor the place. We have no
information about how the fugitives got across, the breadth of the path, or its
length. Characteristicallyenough, Jewishlegends know all about both, and
assure us that the waters were parted into twelve ways, one for eachtribe, and
that the length of the road was three hundred miles! But Scripture, with
characteristic reticence, is silent about all but the fact. That is enough. We
gather, from the much later and poeticalpicture of it in Psalm1:1 - Psalm1:6,
that the passage wasaccomplishedin the midst of crashing thunder and
flashing lightnings; though it may be doubted whether these are meant to be
takenas realor ideal. At all events, we have to think of these two millions of
people-women, children, and followers-plunging into the depths in the night.
What a scene!The awestruckcrowds, the howling wind, perhaps the
thunderstorm, the glow of the pillar glistening on the wet and slimy way, the
full paschalmoon shining on the heapedwaters!How the awe and the hope
must both have increasedwith eachstep deeper in the abyss, and nearer to
safety! The Epistle to the Hebrews takes this as an instance of ‘faith’ on the
part of the Israelites;and truly we canfeel that it must have takensome trust
in God’s protecting hand to venture on such a road, where, at any moment,
the walls might collapse and drown them all. They were driven to venture by

their fear of Pharaoh;but faith, as well as fear, wrought in them. Our faith,
too, is often called upon to venture upon perilous paths. We may trust Him to
hold back the waterywalls from falling. The picture of the crossing carries
eternal truth for us all. The wayof safetydoes not open till we are hemmed in,
and Pharaoh’s chariots are almost come up. It often leads into the very thick
of what we deem perils. It often has to be ventured on in the dark, and with
the wind in our faces. Butif we tread it in faith, the fluid will be made solid,
and the pathless passable, orany other apparent impossibility be realised,
before our confidence shall be put to shame, or one real evil reachus.
IV. The next stage is the hot pursuit and the panic of the Egyptians. The
narrative does not mark the point at which the pillar lifted and disclosedthe
escape ofthe prey. It must have been in the night. The baffled pursuers dash
after them, either not seeing, ortoo excitedand furious to heed where they
were going. The rough sea bottom was no place for chariots, and they would
be hopelesslydistancedby the fugitives on foot. How long they stumbled and
welteredwe are not told, but ‘in the morning watch,’that is, while it was yet
dark, some awful movement in the fiery pillar awedeven their angerinto
stillness, and drove home the conviction that they were fighting againstGod.
There is something very terrible in the vagueness,if we may call it so, of that
phrase ‘the Lord looked. . .through the pillar.’ It curdles the blood as no
minuteness of narrative would do. And what a thought that His look should be
a trouble! ‘The steady whole of the judge’s face’is awful, and some creeping
terror laid hold on that host of mad pursuers floundering in the dark, as that
more than natural light flared on their path. The panic to which all bodies of
soldiers in strange circumstances are exposed, was increasedby the growing
difficulty of advance, as the chariot wheels became cloggedorthe ground
more of quicksand. At last it culminates in a shout of ‘Sauve qui peut!’ We
may learn how close togetherlie daring rebellion againstGod and abject
terror of Him; and how in a moment, a glance of His face, a turn of His hand,
bring the wildest blasphemer to cowerin fear. We may learn, too, to keep
clearof courses whichcannot be followed a moment longer, if once a thought
that God sees us comes in. And we may learn the miserable result of all
departure from Him, in making what ought to be our peace and blessing, our

misery and terror, and turning the brightness of His face into a consuming
fire.
V. Then comes, atlast, the awful actof destruction, of which a man is the
agentand an army the victim. We must suppose the Israelites allsafe on the
Arabian coast, whenthe level sunlight streams from the easton the wild hurry
of the fleeing crowd making for the Egyptian shore. What a solemn sight that
young morning lookedon! The wind had dropped, the rod is stretchedout, the
sea returns to its strength; and after a few moments’ despairing struggle all is
over, and the sun, as it climbs, looks downupon the unbroken stretchof quiet
sea, bearing no trace of the awful work which it had done, or of the quenched
hatred and fury which slept beneath.
We canunderstand the stern joy which throbs so vehemently in every pulse of
that greatsong, the first blossomof Hebrew poetry, which the ransomed
people sang that day. We can sympathise with the many echoes in psalm and
prophecy, which repeated the lessons offaith and gratitude. But some will be
ready to ask, Was that triumphant song anything more than narrow national
feeling, and has Christianity not taught us another and tenderer thought of
God than that which this lessoncarries? We may ask in return, Was it divine
providence that sweptthe Spanish Armada from the sea, fulfilling, as the
medal struck to commemorate it bore, the very words of Moses’song,‘Thou
didst blow with Thy wind, the sea coveredthem’? Was it God who
overwhelmed Napoleon’s army in the Russiansnows? Were these, and many
like acts in the world’s history, causesfor thankfulness to God? Is it not true
that, as has been well said, ‘The history of the world is the judgment of the
world’? And does Christianity forbid us to rejoice when some mighty and
ancient systemof wrong and oppression, with its tools and accomplices, is
clearedfrom off the face of the earth? ‘When the wickedperish, there is
shouting.’ Let us not forgetthat the love and gentleness ofthe Gospelare
accompaniedby the revelation of divine judgment and righteous retribution.
This very incident has for its last echo in Scripture that wonderful scene in the

Apocalypse, where, in the pause before the sevenangels bearing the seven
plagues go forth, the seerbeholds a company of choristers, like those who on
that morning stoodon the Red Sea shore, standing on the bank of the ‘sea of
glass mingled with fire,’-which symbolises the clearand crystalline depth of
the stable divine judgments, shot with fiery retribution,-and lifting up by
anticipation a song of thanksgiving for the judgments about to be wrought.
That song is expressly called‘the song of Moses’and‘of the Lamb,’ in token
of the essentialunity of the two dispensations, and especiallyofthe harmony
of both in their view of the divine judgments. Its ringing praises are modelled
on the ancient lyric. It, too, triumphs in God’s judgments, regards them as
means of making knownHis name, as done not for destruction, but that His
charactermay be knownand honoured by men, to whom it is life and peace to
know and love Him for what He is.
That final victory over ‘the beast,’whether he be a person or a tendency, is to
reproduce in higher fashion that old conquestby the Red Sea. There is hope
for the world that its oppressors shallnot always tyrannise; there is hope for
eachsoul that, if we take Christ for our deliverer and our guide, He will break
the chains from off our wrists, and bring us at last to the eternal shore, where
we may stand, like the ransomedpeople, and, as the unsetting morning dawns,
see its beams touching with goldenlight the calm ocean, beneathwhich our
oppressors lie buried for ever, and lift up glad thanksgivings to Him who has
‘led us through fire and through water, and brought us out into a wealthy
place.’
BensonCommentary
Exodus 14:19. The angelof God — Whose ministry was made use of in the
pillar of cloud and fire, went from before the camp of Israel, where they did
not now need a guide, (there was no danger of missing their way through the
sea,)and came behind them, where now they needed a guard, the Egyptians
being just ready to seize the hindmost of them. There it was of use to the
Israelites, not only to protectthem, but to light them through the sea;and at
the same time it confounded the Egyptians, so that they lostsight of their prey

just when they were ready to lay hands on it. The word and providence of
God have a black and dark side toward sin and sinners, but a bright and
pleasantside toward those that are Israelites indeed.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
14:15-20 Moses'silentprayers of faith prevailed more with Godthan Israel's
loud outcries of fear. The pillar of cloud and fire came behind them, where
they needed a guard, and it was a wall betweenthem and their enemies. The
word and providence of God have a black and dark side toward sin and
sinners, but a bright and pleasantside toward the people of the Lord. He, who
divided betweenlight and darkness, Ge 1:4, allotted darkness to the
Egyptians, and light to the Israelites. Sucha difference there will be between
the inheritance of the saints in light, and that utter darkness which will be the
portion of hypocrites for ever.
Barnes'Notes on the Bible
The angelof God - Compare the margin reference, andsee Exodus 3:2.
Jamieson-Fausset-BrownBible Commentary
19. the angelof God—that is, the pillar of cloud [see on [18]Ex 13:21]. The
slow and silent movement of that majestic column through the air, and
occupying a position behind them must have excitedthe astonishmentof the
Israelites (Isa 58:8). It was an effectualbarrier betweenthem and their
pursuers, not only protecting them, but concealing their movements. Thus, the
same cloud produced light (a symbol of favor) to the people of God, and
darkness (a symbol of wrath) to their enemies (compare 2Co 2:16).
Matthew Poole's Commentary
Not changing his place, for he was the omnipresent God, Exodus 14:15; but
his operation, from leading the Israelites forwardin their way, to the
protecting of them from their pursuers.
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And the Angel of God which went before the camp of Israel,.... The Jews say
(y) this was Michael, the greatprince, who became a wall of fire between
Israeland the Egyptians;and if they understood by him the uncreatedangel,
the eternalWord, the Son of God, who is always in Scripture meant by
Michael, they are right: for certainly this Angel of the Lord is the same with
Jehovah, who is said to go before them in a pillar of cloud and fire, Exodus
13:21,
removed, and went behind them; but because removing from place to place,
and going forwards or backwards,cannotbe properly said of a divine Person,
who is omnipresent, and fills every place and space;this is to be understood of
the emblem of him, the pillar of cloud, as the next clause explains it:
and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stoodbehind
them; the Targum of Jonathan adds,"becauseofthe Egyptians, who cast
arrows and stones, and the cloud receivedthem;''and so Jarchi; whereby the
Israelites were protectedand preserved from receiving any hurt by them: so
Christ is the protection of his people from all their enemies, sin, Satan, and the
world, that sin cannot damn them, nor Satandestroy them, nor the world
overcome them; for his salvationis as walls and bulwarks to them, and he is
indeed a wallof fire about them.
(y) Pirke Eliezer, c. 42.
Geneva Study Bible
And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and
went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and
stoodbehind them:
EXEGETICAL(ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Cambridge Bible for Schools andColleges

19, 20. The angelof God, and the pillar of cloud, insteadof being: as hitherto,
in front of the Israelites, now take their place behind them. ‘That here two
accounts ofthe same thing have been placed side by side, is as clearas
anywhere (e.g. Genesis 21:1)’ (Di.). The parts relating to the ‘angel of God’
(Genesis 21:17;Genesis 31:11)will belong naturally to E; those referring to
the pillar of cloud, as in Exodus 13:21 f., to J.
Pulpit Commentary
Verse 19-22. - THE PASSAGE OF THE RED SEA. The Egyptians had
arrived in the near neighbourhood of the Israelite camp, at the close ofa long
day's march, towards evening. Having ascertainedthat the fugitives were still,
as they had expectedthem to be, shut in betweenthe sea and the wilderness,
they were content, and made no immediate attack, but encamped over against
them. Hereupon, "the pillar of the cloud," which was at the time in front of
the Israelite camp - probably near the point where God intended the passage
of the sea to be effected"removed" from this position, and placeditself
directly behind the Israelite encampment, betweenthem and the Egyptians.
This movement alone was calculatedto alarm the latter, and prevent them
from stirring till near daybreak; but, the better to secure their inaction, the
pillar was made to overshadow them with a deep and preternatural darkness,
so that it became almost impossible for them to advance. Meanwhile, on the
side which was turned towards the Israelites, the pillar presentedthe
appearance ofa bright flame, lighting up the whole encampment, and
rendering it as easyto make ready for the march as it would have been by
day. Thus, the beasts were collectedand laden the columns marshalled and
prepared to proceedin a certainfixed order - and everything made ready for
starting so soonas the bed of the sea should be sufficiently dry. Moses, about
nightfall, descending to the water's edge, stretchedforth his rod over the
waves, and, an eastwind at once springing up - accompaniedperhaps by a
strong ebb of the tide - the waters of the gulf were parted in the vicinity of the
modern Suez, and a dry space left betweenthe Bitter Lakes, whichwere then
a prolongationof the Gulf, and the present sea-bed. The space may have been
one of considerable width. The Israelites entering upon it, perhaps about
midnight, accomplishedthe distance, which may not have exceededa mile,
with all their belongings, in the course offive or six hours, the pillar of the

cloud withdrawing itself, as the last Israelites enteredthe sea-bed, and retiring
after them like a rearguard. Thus protected, they made the transit in safety,
and morning saw them encampedupon the shores of Asia. Verse 19. - The
angelof God. The Divine Presence, whichmanifesteditself in the pillar of the
cloud, is calledindifferently "the Lord" (Exodus 13:21; Exodus 14:24), and
"the Angel of God" - just as the appearance to Mosesin the burning bush is
termed both "God" and "the angelof the Lord" (Exodus 3:2). Which went
before - i.e.., "which ordinarily, and (so to speak)habitually precededthe
camp" (Exodus 13:21;Psalm 78:14). And stoodbehind them. Took up a fixed
station for the night, or the greaterportion of it.
Keil and DelitzschBiblical Commentary on the Old Testament
Moses mettheir unbelief and fear with the energy of strong faith, and
promised them such help from the Lord, that they would never see againthe
Egyptians, whom they had seenthat day. ‫יאר‬ ‫ם‬ ‫ריא‬ does not mean ὅν τρόπον
ἑωράκατε (lxx), quemadmodum vidistis (Ros., Kn.); but the sentence is
inverted: "The Egyptians, whom ye have seento-day, ye will never see again."
STUDYLIGHTRESOURCES
Adam Clarke Commentary
The angelof God - It has been thought by some that the angel, i.e., messenger,
of the Lord, and the pillar of cloud, mean here the same thing. An angelmight
assume the appearance of a cloud; and even a material cloud thus particularly
appointed might be called an angelor messengerofthe Lord, for such is the
literal import of the word ‫ךילמ‬ malach, an angel. It is howevermost probable
that the Angel of the covenant, the Lord Jesus, appearedon this occasionin
behalf of the people; for as this deliverance was to be an illustrious type of the

deliverance of man from the powerand guilt of sin by his incarnation and
death, it might have been deemed necessary, in the judgment of Divine
wisdom, that he should appear chief agentin this most important and
momentous crisis. On the word angel, and Angel of the covenant, See Clarke's
note on Genesis 16:7;See Clarke's note on Genesis 18:13;and See Clarke's
note on Exodus 3:2.
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain.
Bibliography
Clarke, Adam. "Commentary on Exodus 14:19". "The Adam Clarke
Commentary". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/acc/exodus-
14.html. 1832.
Return to Jump List return to 'Jump List'
Albert Barnes'Notes onthe Whole Bible
The angelof God - Compare the margin reference, andsee Exodus 3:2.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Barnes, Albert. "Commentaryon Exodus 14:19". "Barnes'Notes onthe
Whole Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bnb/exodus-
14.html. 1870.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible
And the Angel of God which went before the camp of Israel,.... The Jews
sayF25 this was Michael, the great prince, who became a wall of fire between
13:21,
arrows and stones, and the cloud receivedthem;'and so Jarchi; whereby the
Copyright Statement
The New John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible Modernisedand adapted
for the computer by Larry Pierce of Online Bible. All Rightes Reserved,
Larry Pierce, Winterbourne, Ontario.

A printed copy of this work can be ordered from: The Baptist Standard
Bearer, 1 Iron Oaks Dr, Paris, AR, 72855
Bibliography
Gill, John. "Commentary on Exodus 14:19". "The New John Gill Exposition
of the Entire Bible".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/geb/exodus-14.html. 1999.
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
the angelof God — that is, the pillar of cloud [see on Exodus 13:21 ]. The slow
and silent movement of that majestic column through the air, and occupying a
position behind them must have excited the astonishment of the Israelites
(Isaiah 58:8). It was an effectualbarrier betweenthem and their pursuers, not
only protecting them, but concealing their movements. Thus, the same cloud
produced light (a symbol of favor) to the people of God, and darkness (a
symbol of wrath) to their enemies (compare 2 Corinthians 2:16).
Copyright Statement
These files are a derivative of an electronic edition prepared from text
scannedby Woodside Bible Fellowship.
This expanded edition of the Jameison-Faussett-BrownCommentary is in the
public domain and may be freely used and distributed.
Bibliography

Jamieson, Robert, D.D.;Fausset,A. R.; Brown, David. "Commentary on
Exodus 14:19". "CommentaryCritical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jfb/exodus-14.html. 1871-8.
Hawker's PoorMan's Commentary
Spiritually consideredthe same light which enlighteneth God's people,
darkens the ungodly. The same gospelis both a savourof life unto life, and of
death unto death. 2 Corinthians 2:15-16;Isaiah 45:7. Reader!was not this the
Lord Jesus Christ? See what is said Exodus 14:24. See also Acts 7:38.
Copyright Statement
Text Courtesyof BibleSupport.com. Used by Permission.
Bibliography
Hawker, Robert, D.D. "Commentary on Exodus 14:19". "Hawker'sPoor
Man's Commentary".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/pmc/exodus-14.html. 1828.
Wesley's ExplanatoryNotes
And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and
stoodbehind them:

The angelof God — Whose ministry was made use of in the pillar of cloud
and fire, went from before the camp of Israel, where they did not now need a
guide; there was no dangerof missing their waythrough the sea, and came
behind them, where now they neededa guard, the Egyptians being just ready
to seize the hindmost of them. There it was of use to the Israelites, not only to
protect them, but to light them through the sea;and at the same time it
confounded the Egyptians, so that they lost sight of their prey, just when they
were ready to lay hands on it. The word and providence of God have a black
and dark side towards sin and sinners, but a bright and pleasantside towards
those that are Israelites indeed.
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain and are a derivative of an electronic edition that
is available on the Christian ClassicsEtherealLibrary Website.
Bibliography
Wesley, John. "Commentary on Exodus 14:19". "JohnWesley's Explanatory
Notes on the Whole Bible".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/wen/exodus-14.html. 1765.
Calvin's Commentary on the Bible
19.And the angelof God. A sudden change which occurredto prevent a battle
is here described; for the angel:, who used to go before the Israelites to show
the way: turned to the other side, that he might be interposedbetweenthe two
camps; and this, in two respects, because the pillar of fire shone upon the
Israelites to dissipate the darkness of the night, whilst thick darkness held the
Egyptians as it were in captivity, so that they were unable to proceedfurther.
Thus did God both prevent them from advancing, and also held out a torch

for His people all night to light them on their way. He, who has been called
“Jehovah” hitherto, is now designatedby Moses“the Angel;” not only
because the angels who representGod often borrow His name, but because
this Leaderof the people was God’s only-begotten Son, who afterwards was
manifested in the flesh, as I have shownupon the authority of Paul. (1
Corinthians 10:4.) It may be remarked, also, that he is said to have moved
here and there, as He showedsome token of His power and assistance. Most
clearly, too, does it appear, that the glory of God, whilst it enlightens the
faithful, overshadows the unbelievers, on the other hand, with darkness. No
wonder, then, if now-a-days the brightness of the Gospelshould blind the
reprobate. But we should ask of God to make us able to behold His glory.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Calvin, John. "Commentary on Exodus 14:19". "Calvin's Commentary on the
Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/cal/exodus-14.html.
1840-57.
Scofield's ReferenceNotes
angel
(See Scofield"Hebrews 1:4").
Copyright Statement

These files are consideredpublic domain and are a derivative of an electronic
edition that is available in the Online Bible Software Library.
Bibliography
Scofield, C. I. "ScofieldReferenceNoteson Exodus 14:19". "Scofield
Reference Notes(1917Edition)".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/srn/exodus-14.html. 1917.
John Trapp Complete Commentary
Exodus 14:19 And the angelof God, which went before the camp of Israel,
removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before
their face, and stood behind them:
Ver. 19. And the Angel of God.] Christ, the Angel of God’s presence. See
Exodus 13:21;Exodus 23:23.
Went behind them.] So "the glory of the Lord" was "their rearward." [Isaiah
58:8] He will be to his both van and rear. [Isaiah 52:12]
PRECEPTAUSTIN RESOURCES

BRUCE HURT MD
Exodus 14:19 The angelof God, who had been going before the camp of
Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from
before them and stood behind them.
angelof God - Ex 14:24 13:21 23:20,21 32:34 Nu 20:16 Isa 63:9
and the pillar - Ex 13:21,22
Exodus 14 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries
A THEOPHANY ASSOCIATED WITH
THE PILLAR FOR PROTECTION
The angelof God, Who had been going before the camp of Israel, moved and
went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood
behind them - To Whom does this refer? The text equates the pillar with the
angel, so God was clearlyintimately related to the pillar. I believe that this
was another manifestationof Angel of the LORD, a theophany, which I favor
as a theophany of Christ. And why did He move behind them? Clearlyto
create a division betweenthe Egyptians and the Israelites. Godmoves from
leading to protecting.
McGee agrees "Ibelieve the Angel of God was none other than the pre-
incarnate Christ. It was GodHimself who stoodbetweenthe Egyptians and
the Israelites."
Currid - This is the same figure who appearedin the burning bush in Exodus
3:2. There he spoke and actedas if he was God. (The suggestionhas already
been made that perhaps this personis a pre-incarnate appearance ofthe
Messiah.

I agree with Guzik - We often have little idea how much God does to protect
us from the attacks ofour unseenenemies. We sometimes feelthat we are
overwhelmed in a present spiritual struggle, but we may not know what it
would be like if the LORD pulled back His protection.
Jehovah's protecting presence providing for their rearguard reminds me of
the lastphrase in Isaiah 58:8 which says "The glory of the LORD will be your
rear guard." In Isaiah52:12 we read similar words that "you will not go out
in haste, Nor will you go as fugitives; For the LORD will go before you, And
the Godof Israelwill be your rear guard."
NET Note - Jacob(Exodus, 400–401)makes a goodcase that there may have
been only one pillar, one cloud; it would have been a dark cloud behind it, but
in front of it, shining the way, a pillar of fire. He compares the manifestation
on Sinai, when the mountain was on fire but veiled by a dark cloud (Deut
4:11; 5:22). See also Exod 13:21;Num 14:14; Deut 1:33; Neh 9:12, 19; Josh
24:7; Pss 78:14;105:39.
C H McIntosh - The pillar of the cloud. “It was a cloud and darkness” to the
Egyptians, but “it gave light by night” to Israel. How like the cross ofour
Lord Jesus Christ! Truly that cross has a double aspect, likewise. It forms the
foundation of the believer’s peace;and, at the same time, seals the
condemnation of the guilty world. The self-same bloodwhich purges the
believer’s conscienceand gives him perfectpeace, stains this earth and
consummates its guilt. The very mission of the Son of God which strips the
world of its cloak, and leaves it wholly without excuse, clothes the Church
with a fair mantle of righteousness, and fills her mouth with ceaselesspraise.
The very same Lamb who will terrify, by His unmitigated wrath, all tribes
and classes ofearth, will lead, by His gentle hand, His blood-bought flock,
through the greenpastures, and beside the still waters forever.

C. H. Mackintosh- “He has placed Himself betweenus and our sins; and it is
our happy privilege to find Him betweenus and every one and every thing
that could be againstus.”
Exodus 14:19-25 “Don’tWorry, Dad!”
The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. —Isaiah58:8
Last summer, my husband and I hosted a concertand fundraiser for
childhood cancerresearch. We planned to have the event in our backyard, but
weatherforecastswere dismal. A few hours before the event, we begancalling
our 100+ guests to inform them of a change in venue. As our friends and
family began feverishly toting food, decorations, and equipment from our
house to our church gym, our daughter Rosie took a moment to give her dad a
hug and remind him on behalf of the kids and grandkids that they were there
for him: “Don’tworry, Dad! We’ve gotyour back.”
Hearing that expressionis comforting because it reminds us that we’re not on
our own. Someone is saying, “I’m here. I’ll take care of whateveryou might
miss. I’ll be a secondsetof eyes and hands for you.”
As the Israelites were escaping a life of slavery, Pharaohsent his army of
chariots and horsemento give chase (Ex. 14:17). But “the Angel of God . . .
and the pillar of cloud went from before them and stoodbehind them” (v.19).
In this way, Godhid and protectedthem throughout the night. The next day,
He parted the RedSea so they could safelycross over.

God tells us “Don’t worry” as well. “If God is for us, who can be againstus?”
(Rom. 8:31). By Cindy Hess Kasper(Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC
Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. — Reprinted by permission. All rights
reserved)
God’s hand that holds the ocean’s depths
Can hold my small affairs;
His hand that guides the universe
Can carry all my cares.
—Anon.
Our work is to castcare;God’s work is to take care!
ADAM CLARKE
Verse 19
The angelof God - It has been thought by some that the angel, i.e., messenger,
of the Lord, and the pillar of cloud, mean here the same thing. An angelmight
assume the appearance of a cloud; and even a material cloud thus particularly
appointed might be called an angelor messengerofthe Lord, for such is the
literal import of the word ‫ךילמ‬ malach, an angel. It is howevermost probable
that the Angel of the covenant, the Lord Jesus, appearedon this occasionin
behalf of the people; for as this deliverance was to be an illustrious type of the
deliverance of man from the powerand guilt of sin by his incarnation and
death, it might have been deemed necessary, in the judgment of Divine
wisdom, that he should appear chief agentin this most important and

momentous crisis. On the word angel, and Angel of the covenant, See Clarke's
note on Genesis 16:7;See Clarke's note on Genesis 18:13;and See Clarke's
note on Exodus 3:2.
CALVIN
19. And the angelof God. A sudden change which occurredto prevent a battle
is here described; for the angel, who used to go before the Israelites to show
the way, turned to the other side that he might be interposed betweenthe two
camps; and this, in two respects, because the pillar of fire shone upon the
Israelites to dissipate the darkness of the night, whilst thick darkness held the
Egyptians as it were in captivity, so that they were unable to proceedfurther.
Thus did God both prevent them from advancing, and also held out a torch
for His people all night to light them on their way. He, who has been called
“Jehovah” hitherto, is now designatedby Moses“the Angel;” not only
because the angels who representGod often borrow His name, but because
this Leaderof the people was God’s only-begotten Son, who afterwards was
manifested in the flesh, as I have shownupon the authority of Paul. (1
Corinthians 10:4.) It may be remarked, also, that he is said to have moved
here and there, as He showedsome token of His power and assistance. Most
clearly, too, does it appear, that the glory of God, whilst it enlightens the
faithful, overshadows the unbelievers, on the other hand, with darkness. No
wonder, then, if now-a-days the brightness of the Gospelshould blind the
reprobate. But we should ask of God to make us able to behold His glory.
JOHN GILL

Verse 19
And the Angel of God which went before the camp of Israel,.... The Jews
sayF25 this was Michael, the great prince, who became a wall of fire between
13:21,
arrows and stones, and the cloud receivedthem;'and so Jarchi; whereby the
MATTHEW HENRY
A guard set upon Israel's camp where it now lay most exposed, which was in
the rear, Exodus 14:19,20. The angelofGod, whose ministry was made use of
in the pillar of cloud and fire, went from before the camp of Israel, where they

did not now need a guide (there was no danger of missing their way through
the sea, norneeded they any other word of command than to go forward), and
it came behind them, where now they needed a guard (the Egyptians being
just ready to seize the hindmost of them), and so was a wall of partition
betweenthem. There it was of use to the Israelites, notonly to protect them,
but to light them through the sea, and, at the same time, it confounded the
Egyptians, so that they lost sight of their prey just when they were ready to
lay hands on it. The word and providence of God have a black and dark side
towards sin and sinners, but a bright and pleasantside towards those that are
Israelites indeed. That which is a savour of life unto life to some is a savourof
death unto death to others. This was not the first time that he who in the
beginning divided betweenlight and darkness (Genesis 1:4), and still forms
both (Isaiah 45:7), had, at the same time, allotted darkness to the Egyptians
and light to the Israelites, a specimenof the endless distinction which will be
made betweenthe inheritance of the saints in light and that utter darkness
which for ever will be the portion of hypocrites. God will separate betweenthe
precious and the vile.
C. H. MACKINTOSH
"And the angelof God which went before the camp of Israel, removed and
stoodbehind them. And it came betweenthe camp of the Egyptians and the
camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by
night to these; so that the one came not near the other all the night." (Ver. 19,
20) JehovahplacedHimself right betweenIsrael and the enemy — this was
protection indeed. Before everPharaohcould touch a hair of Israel's head, he
should make his way through the very pavilion of the Almighty — yea,
through the Almighty Himself. Thus it is that God ever places Himself

betweenHis people and every enemy, so that "no weaponformed against
them can prosper." He has placedHimself betweenus and our sins; and it is
our happy privilege to find Him betweenus and every one and every thing
that could be againstus. This is the true way in which to find both peace of
heart and peace ofconscience. The believer may institute a diligent and
anxious searchfor his sins, but he cannot find them. Why? BecauseGodis
betweenhim and them. He has castall our sins behind His back;while, at, the
same time, He sheds forth upon us the light of His reconciledcountenance.
In the same manner, the believer may look for his difficulties, and not find
them, because Godis betweenhim and them. If, therefore, the eye, insteadof
resting on our sins and sorrows, couldrest only upon Christ, it would sweeten
many a bitter cup, and enlighten many a gloomy hour. But one finds
constantly that nine-tenths of our trials and sorrows are made up of
anticipated or imaginary evils, which only exist in our own disordered,
because unbelieving, minds. May my reader know the solid peace both of
heart and consciencewhichresults from having Christ, in all His fullness,
betweenhim and all his sins, and all his sorrows.
It is, at once, most solemn and interesting to note the double aspectof the
"pillar," in this chapter. "It was a cloud and darkness" to the Egyptians, but
"it gave light by night" to Israel. How like the cross ofour Lord Jesus Christ!
Truly that cross has a double aspect, likewise. It forms the foundation of the
believer's peace;and, at the same time, seals the condemnation of a guilty
world. The self-same bloodwhich purges the believer's conscienceand gives
him perfectpeace, stains this earth and consummates its guilt. The very
mission of the Sonof God which strips the world of its cloak, andleaves it
wholly without excuse, clothes the Church with a fair mantle of righteousness,
and fills her month with ceaselesspraise. The very same Lamb who will
terrify, by His unmitigated wrath, all tribes and classesofearth, will lead, by
His gentle hand, His blood-bought flock, through the green pastures, and

beside the still waters for ever. (Compare Revelation6:15-17, with Revelation
7:13-17)
THE GLORY IN THE REAR
NO. 1793
A SERMON
DELIVERED ON LORD’S-DAY MORNING, AUGUST 3, 1884,
BY C. H. SPURGEON,
AT THE METROPOLITAN TABERNACLE,NEWINGTON.
“And the angelof God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and
went
behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face,
and stoodbehind them: and it came betweenthe camp of the
Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and
darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these:
so that the one came not near the other all the night.”
Exodus 14:19-20.
“The glory of the LORD shall be thy rearward.”
Isaiah58:8.
“Forthe LORD will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your
rearward.”
Isaiah52:12.

WHEN the Israelites left the place of their bondage and came to the edge of
the wilderness, a visible
tokenof the Lord’s presence and leadershipwas granted to them. They saw
high in the air a pillar,
which by day might be compared to rising smoke, but at night became a flame
of fire. Such displays on
a small scale were usual in the march of armies, but this was of supernatural
origin. Where it moved, the
people were to follow, it was to be their companion, that they might not be
alone, their conductor, that
they might not go astray.
We have become familiar, by accounts of our own soldiers in Egypt, with the
extreme danger of the
oriental sun when men are marching over the fiery sand, this cloud would act
as a vast umbrella tent,
covering the whole of the greatcongregation, so that they could march
without being faint with the heat.
By night their canvas city was lighted up by this grand illumination. They
could march as well by night
as by day, for we are told at the close ofthe previous chapter that by night the
Lord went before them
“in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night.” Might they not
have said, “The LORD
God is a sun and shield”? Did they not realize the fulfillment of the promise
not yet spokenin words,
“The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night”? This sacred
symbol of the divine presence

must have been a very greatsolace to them in those early days, when their
pilgrim life was novel to
them, and their newly-found liberty was darkened by a terrible fear of
recapture.
The particular sign which the Lord promised them was very practical, it was
not only glorious, but
useful, it served them both for shade and light, and was both their guide and
guard. It was exceedingly
conspicuous, so that they could all see it. Any man of the millions who came
out of Egypt could stand at
his tent door and see this flaming signal high in heaven, floating over all as the
banner and oriflamme of
the GreatKing. It appears to have been continual, an abiding token, and not
an intermittent brightness.
Even thus has Moses written—“He took notawaythe pillar of the cloud by
day, nor the pillar of fire by
night, from before the people.”
Belovedfriends, God is always with those who are with Him. If we trust Him,
He has said, “I will
never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” There is a specialand familiar presence of
God with those who walk
uprightly, both in the night of their sorrow, and in the day of their joy. Yet we
do not always in the same
way perceive that presence so as to enjoy it. God never leaves us, but we
sometimes think He has done
2 The Glory in the RearSermon #1793
2 Volume 30

so. The sun shines on, but we do not always bask in his beams, we sometimes
mourn an absent God—it
is the bitterest of all our mourning. As He is the sum total of our joy, so, His
departure is the essenceof
our misery. If God does not smile upon us, who cancheer us? If He be not
with us, then the strong
helpers fail, and the mighty men are put to rout. It is concerning the presence
of God that I am going to
speak this morning. You and I know how joyous it is. May we never be made
to know its infinite value
experientially by the loss of it. If we see no cloud or flame, yet may we know
that God is with us, and
His poweris around us. In that sense we will pray,
“Coverus with Thy cloudy shrine,
And in Thy fiery column shine.”
Or in more familiar words we will sing,
“Let the fiery cloudy pillar
Lead me all my journey through.”
I. In considering the subject of the Lord’s abiding with His people, I shall
first call attention to THE
DIVINE PRESENCE MYSTERIOUSLYREMOVED.
According to our text, “The angelof God, which went before the camp of
Israel, removed.” The
chosenof the Lord may lose the manifested presence ofGod, and indeed, often
they may miss it in the
particular form in which they have been accustomedto enjoy it.

The symbol of God’s presence removedfrom where it had usually been.
From the day when they
entered upon the desert, they had seenthe fiery, cloudy pillar well to the front,
but now suddenly it
wheeledabout, and left the van comparativelydim, because the glory had
departed. Those who looked
forward saw it no more.
So has it been with us at times, we have walkedday after day in the light of
God’s countenance, we
have enjoyed sweetfellowshipwith Jesus Christour Lord, and on a sudden
we have missed His glorious
manifestation. Like the spouse, we cried, “I soughthim, but I found him not.”
Aforetime everything had
seemedbright, and we expectedto go from strength to strength, from victory
to victory, till we came
unto the mount of God, to dwell forever in His rest, but now before us on a
sudden things look dark, we
do not feel so sure of heaven as we were, nor so certain of perpetual growth
and progress. The prospect
is darkened, the clouds return after the rain, and our soul out of the darkness
cries, “Oh that I knew
where I might find him!”
Moreover, they missedthe light from where they hoped it would always be.
They had been given to
understand, I do not doubt, that the Lord would always be with them, and yet
now, as they looked

forward, the bright light was gone from its place of leadership. They looked
for it as their guide, and
behold, that guidance was gone!The pillar might be behind them, but it was
not before them, they could
see nothing ahead to lead them into the land flowing with milk and honey,
which the Lord had promised
them. Sometimes you also may imagine that God’s promise is failing you, even
the word of God which
you had laid hold upon may appear to you to be contradictedby your
circumstances. Thenyour heart
sinks to the depths, for “if the foundations be destroyed, what can the
righteous do?” If everthe word of
God becomes a subject of doubt, where can any certainty remain? Where any
hope for the future? We
have said, “This God is our Godforever and ever: He will be our guide even
unto death,” but what if He
refuse to guide us? Then are we in an evil case. Canit be so? “Is his mercy
cleangone forever? Doth his
promise fail forevermore?”
The pillar of fire also removed from where it seemedmore than ever to be
needed. Now they were in
a cleft stick, how could they possibly escape?Pharaohwas behind them, with
all the horsemenof Egypt.
They could hear the noise of the chariots, and the neighing of the horses, and
the shouts of the armies,
eagerfor the prey. Before them the Red Sea rolled in its might. How could
there be a way through the

mighty waters? Now, if ever in their lives, they must have lookedanxiously for
the symbol of the Divine
Sermon #1793 The Gloryin the Rear3
Volume 30 3
presence. Whatcould they do if JEHOVAH did not lead their van? Yet the
tokenof His presence was
not there. Even thus is it with you, dear friend, who once walkedin the light of
God’s countenance, you
perhaps have fallen into temporal trouble, and at the same moment the
heavenly light has departed from
your soul.
Now, it is bad to be in the dark on the king’s highway, but it is worse to be in
the dark when you are
out on the open common, and do not know your road. It is well to have a guide
when the road is easy,
but you must have one when you are coming upon precipitous and dangerous
places. Is it so with any
child of God here, that he sees no light to shine before him, no star to guide
him on his road? On the
contrary, does his future become more and more clouded? Is the track quite
gone? Does the sea seem
shut in with an ironbound coastwithout a harbor? Does he
“See everyday new straits attend,
And wonder where the scene will end”?
Then let him trust, but he will need all the faith of which he can be master.
Oh, my Lord, if ever You

do leave me, forsake me not in the day of trouble. Yet what have I said? It is a
day of trouble when You
are gone, whatevermy condition may be. Yet, brethren, our Lord said, “Pray
ye that your flight be not in
the winter.” Pray that if you must for a while bewailthe Lord’s absence from
you, it may not be in a
time of dire and dark necessity.
Thus it did seema mysterious thing that the CovenantAngel should no
longerdirect the marches of
the hostof God, and I dare say that some of them beganto accountfor it by a
reasonwhich their fears
would suggest. Naturally, there was only one wayof accounting for this
removal of the guide, and that
way was a wrong one, but one to which the Lord’s people often refer their
trials. I should not wonder
that, if they had been askedwhy the blazing pillar was no longer in the van,
they would have replied,
“Because ofour murmurings againstthe Lord and His servant Moses. God
will not go before us because
of our sins.”
Now, it is true, and does happen, that the Lord often hides His face behind
the clouds of dust that His
own children make by their sins, but this is not always the case. Whenthe
consolations ofGodare small
with you, you may generallyconclude that there is some secretsin with you,
and then it is your duty to

cry, “Show me wherefore you contend with me.” But in this case Godwas not
punishing them for their
sins, as He did on later occasions.
He seems to have been very patient with their early murmurings, because
they were such feeble folk,
so unused to pilgrimage, and so unfit for anything heroic. Every trial was
severe to the raw,
undisciplined spirits of the tribes, and therefore the Lord winkedat their
follies. There was not a touch of
the rod about this withdrawing of His presence from the van, not even a trace
of anger, it was all done in
loving-kindness and tender mercy, and no sort of chastisementwas intended
by it. So, dear child of God,
you must not always conclude that trouble is sent because ofwrath, and that
the loss of consciousjoy is
necessarilya punishment for sin. Such thoughts will be a case ofknives
cutting your heart in pieces. Do
not make for yourself a needless pain. All trouble is not chastisement, it may
be a way of love for your
enriching and ennobling.
Upon the black horse of trouble the Lord sends His messengers oflove. It is a
goodthing for us to be
afflicted, for thus we learn patience, and attain to assurance.Shallthe
champion who is bidden to go to
the front of the battle think that he is being punished? No, verily, my
brethren, whom the Lord loves He

sets in the heatof the conflict, that they may earn the raresthonors. Great
suffering and heavy labor are
often rewards of faithfulness. Know you not how the poet puts it—
“If I find Him, if I follow,
What His guerdon here?
‘Many a labor, many a sorrow,
Many a tear’”?
4 Volume 30
Darknessofsoul is not always the fruit of divine anger, though it is often so.
Sometimes there is no
trace of wrath in it, it is sent for a test of faith, for the excitement of desire,
and for the increase ofour
sympathy with others who walk in darkness. Whenthe cloud of the divine
glory is no longerseenin
front it has gone behind, because it is more wanted there, and it is no loss after
all, as we shall have to
show. When the Lord hides His face for a moment, it is to make us value His
face the more, to quicken
our diligence in following after Him, to try our faith, and to test our graces.
There are a thousand
precious uses in this adversity. Yet it is a mysterious thing when the light of
the future fades, and we
seemto be without a guide.
II. Now, secondly, all this while THE DIVINE PRESENCE WAS
GRACIOUSLY NEAR.

The angel of the Lord had removed, but it is added, He “removedand went
behind them,” and He
was just as close to them when He was in the rear, as when He led the van. He
might not seemto be
their guide, but He had all the more evidently become their guard. He might
not for the moment be their
Sun in before, but then He had become their Shield behind. “The glory of the
Lord was their rearward.”
The Lord may be very close to you, dear child, when you cannot see Him,
perhaps closerthan He ever
was when you could see Him.
The presence of God is not to be measured by your realization of it. When
you cannottell that He is
with you at all, and you are singing and crying after Him, those very sighs and
cries after Him are the
holy fruit of His secretpresence.It may be, the day shall come when you shall
think that He was more
near you when yours eyes were filled with weeping after Him, than when you
took yours ease, and
spoke confidently. Much of the creature, much of human excitement will mix
with our most spiritual
joy, our groanings and our sorrows, whenwe are pining after the Lord, are
often more purely spiritual
than our own delights, and therefore they are all the surer proofs of the work
of the Lord in our souls.
Oh, soul, the Lord may be very near you, and yet He may be behind you, so
that your outlook for the

future may not be filled with the vision of His glory.
Note in the text that it is said the pillar went, and “stoodbehind them.” I like
that, for it is a settled,
permanent matter. The Lord had removed, but He was not removing still. He
would stay as long as was
needful where He then was. Thatglorious angel, shrouded in the clouds, stood
with His drawn sword in
the rearof Israel, saying to Pharaoh, “You dare not come further, you can not
break in upon My
chosen.” He lifted up His vast shield of darkness, and held it up before the
tyrant king, so that he could
not strike, nay, could not see. All that night his horses champed their bits, but
could not pursue the flying
host. “Theywere as still as a stone till thy people passedover, O LORD, till
thy people passedover
whom thou hadst purchased.”
It is glorious to think that the Lord stoodthere, and the furious enemy was
compelled to halt. Even
thus the Lord remains with the dear child of God. You cannot see anything
before you to make you glad,
but the living Godstands behind you to ward off the adversary. He cannot
forsake you. He says to you
out of the pillar of cloud, “Cana woman forgether sucking child, that she
should not have compassion
on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.” He
stands fastas your rock,

steadfastas your safeguard, sleeplessas your watcher, valiant as your
champion—
“Godis near thee, therefore cheerthee,
Sad mind!
He’ll defend thee, all around thee,
And behind.”
What is more, these people had God so near that they could see Him if they
did but look back.
EarnestlyI desire you to think of this. If you cannot see the Lord bright
before you, and you are very
dull and heavy, then, I pray you, look back and see how the Lord has helped
you hitherto. Sit not down
with your eyes shut, but look back!Steadily observe the past! What do you see
there? Loving-kindness
and tender mercy, and nothing else.
Volume 30 5
As I look back upon my own past life—and I think I am not one by myself—I
cannot discover, even
with the quick eye of selfishness,anything of which I cancomplain of my God.
“Truly God is goodto
Israel.” “His mercy endures forever.” Notone goodthing has failed, He has
never left me, nor forsaken
me. I have receivedblessings through my joys, and even greaterblessings
through my sorrows. The

Lord’s wayhas been all goodness, undiluted goodness,allthe while. I look
back, and see the light of His
presence shining like the sun at noon, it is as a morning without clouds, I am
overwhelmed with the
boundless bounty of my God. I am unable to conceive ofanything more kind
than the heart of God
towards His unworthy child.
Well, then, God is not far away, if we look backwardHe is there. He has been
mindful of us, He will
bless us. He gave us mercies yesterday, and He is the same today and forever.
The blessings oflast night
we have not forgotten, the blessings ofthis morning, are they not still with us?
The fountain will not fail,
it has flowedtoo long for us to raise the question. If there be no light breaking
in the east, behold, it is
lighting up the westernsky. The Lord is evidently still behind us, and it is
enough, for we can sing, “The
LORD liveth; and blessedbe my rock;and let the God of my salvationbe
exalted.” “He is my rock, and
there is no unrighteousness in Him.”
A thoughtful personwould conclude the Lord to be all the more evidently
near because ofthe
change of His position. When a symbol of mercy comes to be usual and fixed,
we may be tempted to
think that it remains as a matter of routine. If the rainbow were always visible
it might not be so assuring

a tokenof the covenant. Hence the Lord often changes His hand, and blesses
His people in another way,
to let them see that He is thinking of them. If He always did the same by us,
every day and every night,
we should get to attribute His dealings to some fixed law operating apart from
God, just as our modern
philosophers dethrone the Lord to setup the calves of nature.
But now, when our God is sometimes before us, and sometimes behind us,
and makes those apparent
changes becauseofdeep and urgent reasons, we are compelled to feelthat we
are the objects of His
constantsolicitude. “I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh of me.” He
deals with us in all wisdom
and prudence. His modes change, but the changes are all from the same
motive, and with the same
reason, all to make us sick of self and fond of Him. Blessedbe His name, the
change of His operations
makes us feelthe unchangeablenessofHis design, and the different ways in
which He visits us only
makes us value eachvisit the more.
III. Thirdly, let us see THE DIVINE PRESENCE WISELYREVEALED.
That the symbol of God’s presence shouldbe withdrawn from the front and
become visible behind
was a wise thing.
Observe, there was no fiery pillar of cloud before them, and that was wise, for
the going down into

the RedSea was intended to be an act of lofty faith. The more of the visible
the less is faith visible. The
more you have of conscious enjoymentthe less room there is for simple trust.
Faith performs her
greatestfeats in the darkestplaces. TheseIsraelites were to do what after all
was a grandly glorious
thing for them to do—to march right down into the heart of the sea. What
people everdid this before?
Modern haters of miracles may say that they passedoverthe sands at an
unusual tide and that an
extraordinarily strong wind drove back the waterand left a passage,but that
is not the notion of the Holy
Spirit. He says by His servant Moses, “The floods stoodupright as an heap,
and the depths were
congealedin the heart of the sea.” It is also written, “But the children of Israel
walkedupon dry land in
the midst of the sea;and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand,
and on their left.” The
tribes went down into the dread valley which remained when the waters dried
up, and they crossedover
betweentwo frowning walls of water. You and I would have needed great
faith to have gone down into
such an abyss as that, but they descended without fear.
Moseslifted up his rod and the waters rolling apart to make them a
passageway, with no fiery cloudy
pillar in front of them, they calmly marched into the heart of the sea. That
was a grand act of faith. This

would not have been so clearly of faith had the waybeen made easierby
miracle and token. I know
some of you who are Christian people want to be always coddled and cuddled,
like weak babies. You
6 Volume 30
pine for love-visits and delights, and promises sealedhome to your heart. You
would live on sweetmeats
and be wheeledin a spiritual perambulator all the way to heaven, but your
heavenly Father is not going
to do anything of the sort. He will be with you, but He will try your manhood,
and so develop it. I have
seenchildren cossetedinto the grave by their fond mother, and I suppose that
a greatmany more will
follow in the same way, but Godnever spoils His children. He educates them
for nobler ends. He takes
visible guides awayfrom them that they may exercise faith in Him.
Why, Job would have been nobody if He had not lost everything. Who would
have heard of the
patriarch of Uz? What glory would he have brought to God with his camels
and his oxen and his
children? These were all takenaway, and then Job became famous. See how
he sits on the dunghill and
is much more noteworthy there than Solomonin all his glory. Where the word
of King Solomon was
there was power, but nothing to equal the powerof Job’s words when he
blessedthe God who takes

away. Solomonspoke many proverbs, and wrote many songs, but none of
them attained unto the glory
of that saying—“Thoughhe slay me, yet will I trust in him.” Here was a
triumph of faith! Beloved, you
and I lose the enjoyments of religion and the comforts of hope in order that we
may walk by faith and
not by sight, and may the more greatly glorify God.
Moreover, letus mark that the cloudy pillar was takenawayfrom the front
because the Lord meant
them simply to acceptHis word as their bestguidance. The Lord said to
Moses,“Speakunto the
children of Israel, that they go forward.” That word was sufficient guide.
Suppose they had said, “Lord,
we will go forward if the fiery pillar leads us forward, but not else.” What
then? Why, they would have
been rebels. We are to obey God’s Word as God’s Word.
I heard a brother saysome time ago that he would be baptized when it was
laid home to him. I
thought of what a father would say to his boy if he said, “Father, I will obey
you if it is laid home to
me.” In all probability the child would have it laid home to him more feelingly
than he desired. There
are some disobedient children in the Lord’s family who, if they do not mind,
will have scriptures laid
home to them in a way they do not quite reckonupon.
What have you and I to guide us but the word of the Lord? “Well,” says one,
“I guide myself by

outward providences.” Do you? You will get into a terrible maze one of these
days. Jonahwanted to flee
from the presence ofthe Lord, and therefore he went down to the seaside, and
lo, he found a ship going
to Tarshish. Might he not have said, “I must be in the right way of duty in
going to Tarshish, for no
soonerdid I go down to the wharf than I found a ship starting immediately,
and a cabin vacant for a
passenger. Ipaid my fare, and walkedon board at once. I had not to go off to
the shipping agent’s, and
wait for the next liner, but all was prepared for me.
Was not that a providence!” Yes, but if you get following providence, and
turning aside from the
Word, you may soonfind yourselfin the sea, and no whale prepared for you.
Our way is clearlyset
before us in the Word of God, and that most sure word of testimony should be
followed. I have knowna
brother wanting to go abroad to preach the Gospelto the heathen, but a great
many difficulties have
been thrown in his way, and therefore he has said, “I can see that I am not
calledto go.” Why not? Is no
man calledunless his way is easy? I should think myself all the more calledto
a service if I found
obstacles inmy way. The course of true service never did run smooth. I should
say, “The devil is trying
to hinder me, but I will do it in spite of all the devils in hell.”

Will you always be wanting to have your bread buttered for you on both
sides? Must your road be
graveled, and smoothedwith a garden roller? Are you a carpetknight, for
whom there is to be no
fighting? You are not worthy to be a soldierof Jesus Christ at all if you look
for ease.Go home! I dare
say, after all, it is the best thing you can do. True believers expectdifficulties.
It is ours to do what we
are bidden to do, not to act according to fanciedindications of providence.
When the Lord said,
“Forward!” forward Israelmust go, without a fiery cloudy pillar to cheerthe
way. Has not the Lord
spoken? Who shall ask for plainer guidance?
Moreover, Godwas teaching them another lesson, namely, that He may be
near His people when He
does not give them the usual tokens of His presence. Who shall saythat God
was not in the van of Israel
Volume 30 7
when they went down into the sea? Theycould not see the ensignof His
presence, but He could see their
obedience to His bidding. How else did the sea in fright draw back? Was it not
because the Lord
rebuked the sea? The strong eastwind did not of itself divide the sea, for a
wind naturally strong enough
for that would have blown all the people into the air. The wind was used of
God to move the waters, but

its chief objective was to dry up the dampness from the floor of the sea, and to
make marching the easier
for the vast host of Israel. Truly the Lord was there, triumphing gloriously.
No cloudy pillar was seenacrossthe waters as Israellookedforwardto the
shore, but yet the Lord
was there majestically, and you may have but little comfort of the Lord’s
presence atthis time, and yet
God may be with you wondrously. Do not so much set your heart upon
comfort, but rejoice in the fact
which gladdened Hagar in the wilderness, “ThouGod, seestme.” It does not
matter to the fire whether
the logs are castupon it from the front, or the oil poured upon it secretlyfrom
behind the wall, so long as
it finds its fuel. To you the daily supply of grace is more important than the
supply of comfort, and this
shall never fail you so long as you live.
Let me whisper to you one more word. After all, the host of Israel did not
require any guide in front
when they came to the sea. “How is that?” say you. Why, beloved, there were
no two ways to choose
from, they could not miss the way, for they must needs march through the sea.
No room for wandering
remained, their road was walledup, and they could not miss it. So when men
come into deep trouble,
and cannotget out of it, they scarcelyneeda guide, for their own plain path is
submission and patience.

Tried child of God, you have to bear your trouble, and when that is quite
clear, your way is no longer
doubtful. Castall your care on Him who cares for you, and in patience possess
your soul. “Oh, but I
thought I was going to find a way of escape made for me.” Listen! “Godis
faithful, who will not suffer
you to be tempted above that ye are able, but will with the temptation also
make a way to escape, thatye
may be able to bear it.” You have to bearit, you see. Your greatwant for the
present is faith in God,
who has said—“Iwill bring againfrom Bashan, I will bring my people again
from the depths of the
sea.” Thus, you see, the light for guidance was not needed just then.
What they did want was the pillar of cloud behind them, and that is where
they had it. What was the
cloud behind them for? Well, it was there for severalreasons, the first was to
shut out the sight of their
enemies from them. We read that Israel lifted up their eyes and saw the
Egyptians, and then they began
to tremble, and cry out, and so God drew the blinds down that His poor
children could not see their
frightful taskmasters.
It is a greatmercy when God does not let us see everything. What the eye
does not see, perhaps the
heart will not rue. May I ask you just to try and use your eyes a little now?
There are your sins, will you

look back on them for a minute? Look steadily. They are quite as dreadful as
the Egyptian horsemenand
chariots. I have lookedintently, and I cannot see a sin remaining. “What, have
you lived such a life that
you have never sinned?” Ah, no, beloved, I have to mourn over many offenses,
but I cannotsee one of
them now, for my sin is covered. I believe this text, “The blood of Jesus Christ
his Soncleansethus
from all sin.” If I am cleansed, whyshould I see spots, orspeak as if I did?
The Lord stands betweenHis people and their sins. Jesus, who veiled His
glory in the cloud of our
humanity, interposes betweenus and our transgressions.Is it not written,
“The iniquity of Israel shall be
sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not
be found; for I will pardon
them whom I reserve”? If God declares that our sins cannot be found, then I
am sure we need not look
for them, and if He says that Christ has made an end of sin, then there is an
end of it. The Egyptians
shall not come near us all the night of this life, and when the morning breaks
we shall see them dead
upon the shore. Then shall we sing unto the Lord, for He has triumphed
gloriously, and our
transgressions and iniquities has He castinto the depths of the sea.
“Ah,” says one, “I know that my sins are forgiven, but I am troubled about
my circumstances.” Will

you now look back with all your eyes? How about the circumstances you have
passedthrough? Do you
see anything wrong about them now? Oh, no, say you, they were all right. As
you look back you can
only see the glory of God, the Lord has led you by a right way. Very well,
learn to look at your
8 Volume 30
circumstances through the light God has setbetweenIsrael and the Egyptians.
Who is he that can harm
us? What is there to distress us? See your circumstances throughthe medium
of the love of Jesus, and
you perceive all things working for your good. Hitherto the Lord has been our
shield and our
exceedinglygreatreward. We see now no visible evil, He has turned for us the
curse into a blessing. The
Lord has causedus to be far from fear, and has put terror far away.
The cloudy pillar went behind for anotherreason, namely, that the Egyptians
might not see them.
Their enemies were made to stumble, and were compelled to come to a dead
stop. “The enemy said I
will pursue, I will overtake, Iwill divide the spoil, my lust shall be satisfied
upon them.” Why does he
halt? Why does the lion pause when about to spring? He is blindfolded. He
shivers in the dense
blackness,thinking of that former day when all the land of Mizraim quailed
beneath a darkness that

might be felt. Be calm, O child of God, for the Covenant Angel is dealing with
your adversaries, andhis
time is generallythe night. You will hear by and by of what He has done.
Meanwhile, remember what He did to Pharaohand Sennacherib. The Lord
may not be before you,
shedding delight upon your face, but He is behind you, holding back the foe.
He looks forth from the
cloud and discomforts your foes. “No weaponthat is formed againstthee shall
prosper; and every
tongue that shall rise againstyou in judgment thou shall condemn.”
Wherefore, stand still, and see the
salvationof God!
IV. Now, beloved, I must draw towards a conclusionby observing that THE
DIVINE PRESENCE
WILL ONE DAY BE MORE GLORIOUSLY REVEALED.
I have been speaking aboutthe Lord being the rearwardof His people, and so
explaining my second
text, but I must now refer you to my lasttext, in the fifty-second of Isaiah—
“The Lord will go before
you; and the God of Israel will be your rearward.” This is the condition into
which the Lord brings His
people when they depart from Babylon, and are no more conformed to this
present evil world. I trust He
has brought many of us into this all-surrounding light at this goodhour.
The Lord is behind us, we know, our sins and iniquities are covered, our past
mistakes are all erased,

we are acceptedin the Beloved. But we have not to look forward and say,
“The angelof Godhas
removed.” Oh, no, we can see the bright light before us still. Our ways are
ordered of the Lord, and none
of our steps shall slide. We glory in tribulations also, believing that we shall
glorify Godin them. We
look forward to the time of old age, believing that to hoar hairs He is the
same, and that in our days of
decline He will carry us. We look forward to the advent of our Lord with
delight, or, if that may not be
in our day, we look to falling asleepupon the bosomof our Savior.
Before us we see the resurrection morning and its entire splendor, we
anticipate the risen body, that
glorified fabric in which our pure and perfectspirit shall dwell forever, we
hear the voice of harpers
harping with their harps, saluting the reign of Christ and the glorificationof
His people with Him. Below
there is nothing before us now but that which is inexpressibly delightful, the
day has long dawned with
us, whose morning clouds have passedaway, a day which grows warmerand
brighter, and is nearing to
the perfectday. A few more months, a few more years, and we shall be in the
land of the unclouded sky.
What will it be to be there! What will it be to be there forever!
“Farfrom a world of grief and sin,
With God eternally shut in.”

Jesus was the angel of god

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