Is our dependence on God for Provision and Protection the most fundamental expression of our dependence in this life?
For me, one of the most interesting pieces of our study of Dependence was the Lesson of the Manna. Obviously, it was focused on God’s Provision. The manna itself was an expression of His daily provision, but God was also in the process of providing them much more.
Ultimately, the manna would be replaced by the abundance of a Land flowing with milk and honey. In this Land, they would become a nation unique among all the nations of history. Through them would come the King Who will establish the perfect Kingdom and bring blessing in place of the curse. But the Land where they would experience all of this was not random. There was a specific Land God was giving them, and to get there, they would need His Guidance.
In fact, as we watch the Story unfold, we realize that His Provision and Protection was dependent on His Guidance. In the 40 years of their wilderness wanderings, this Guidance came through the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night.
Consider what it would have been like to experience God’s guidance in this way –
Now on the day that the tabernacle was erected the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the testimony, and in the evening it was like the appearance of fire over the tabernacle, until morning. So it was continuously; the cloud would cover it by day, and the appearance of fire by night. Whenever the cloud was lifted from over the tent, afterward the sons of Israel would then set out; and in the place where the cloud settled down, there the sons of Israel would camp. At the command of the LORD the sons of Israel would set out, and at the command of the LORD they would camp; as long as the cloud settled over the tabernacle, they remained camped. Even when the cloud lingered over the tabernacle for many days, the sons of Israel would keep the LORD’S charge and not set out. If sometimes the cloud remained a few days over the tabernacle, according to the command of the LORD they remained camped. Then according to the command of the LORD they set out. If sometimes the cloud remained from evening until morning, when the cloud was lifted in the morning, they would move out; or if it remained in the daytime and at night, whenever the cloud was lifted, they would set out. Whether it was two days or a month or a year that the cloud lingered over the tabernacle, staying above it, the sons of Israel remained camped and did not set out; but when it was lifted, they did set out. At the command of the LORD they camped, and at the command of the LORD they set out; they kept the LORD’S charge, according to the command of the LORD through Moses. – Num. 9:15-23
When did Israel learn that they would be moving? How did they know how long they were going to remain in any one location? What kind of plans could they make? Not make?
How would you describe the dependence they experienced for these 40 years?
If we are equally dependent on God for Provision and Protection, and these are at least partially dependent on His Guidance, how do we experience His Guidance today? What assumptions have you operated on in this area?
What passages inform this issue? What assurances do we have in this area? What dangers? Any limitations?
To fully understand our Dependence, we will need to explore God’s Guidance as we experience it.