When the Israelites were camped, the cloud of the presence of the Lord rested upon the Tent of the Covenant: “It was always so: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night” (Numbers 9:16). Their journey would be governed by this cloud: “Whenever the cloud lifted from over the tent, then the Israelites would set out; and in the place where the cloud settled down, there the Israelites would camp” (9:17).

No one knew in advance when or where they were going. All they could do was get up in the morning and look at the cloud. “Whether it was two days, or a month, or a longer time, that the cloud continued over the tabernacle, resting upon it, the Israelites would remain in camp and would not set out; but when it lifted they would set out” (9:22).

The text enables us to see that they were dependent on God’s leading in order to find out what they were supposed to do. Their movement would not be governed by adhering to some written itinerary they had all agreed to in advance. Instead, they would find out whether they were to stay or march first thing every morning; and if they marched, they’d find out where to stop when they saw where God stopped. “At the command of the Lord they would camp, and at the command of the Lord they would set out. They kept the charge of the Lord, at the command of the Lord by Moses” (9:23).

This discipline of “keeping the charge of the Lord” while not knowing what the schedule was going to be until they got up in the morning: I think that would have been hard for them. It would have been hard for me. I would want to know the plan. Even when I’ve accepted that I don’t need to be in charge of the project, I still want to know the plan. Are we staying here for the next few days? Or are we going to be marching for the rest of this week? I just want to know. But the Israelites didn’t get to know. They would not find out beforehand what tomorrow’s plan was; they had to wait until they got up the next morning, and saw whether they were staying put or marching on.

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Teach us, O Lord, to depend on you: to stay when you indicate we should stay, to march when you indicate that we should march. Give us hearts that are glad simply to do your will – to keep the charge of the Lord – because we are confident that you will establish us where we need to be.