Facing a Crisis of Life
(Exodus 13:20-22)

When the Israelites came out of Egypt and were heading to the land of Canaan, they had to cross the vast wilderness and when they could not find their way and began to feel resentful, God sent a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night and led the Israelites.

1. God who led them with a pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire
A) He showed them the way to the land of Canaan and led them (Exodus 13:21)
B) God was with them to fight their enemies and protect them (Exodus 14:19-20)
C) Pillar of Cloud, Pillar of Fire
　　He controlled the temperature, and thwarted the sudden attack of the enemies (Exodus 14:24-25)

2. A pillar of cloud and of fire in the OT as a symbol of the NT
A) The Spirit of God comes down, makes the believer His temple, and leads him (1 John 4:13)
① He leads through the Word (Psalm 119:105)
② He gives us dreams through our desires (Philippians 2:13)
③ He gives us revelations (John 16:13)
④ He leads us through our conscience (Hebrews 9:14)
B) The Holy Spirit makes us realize the grace of Jesus’ atonement (Luke 4:18-19)

3. The Israelite who went against the pillar of cloud and of fire
A) The people wandered in the wilderness (Numbers 14:32-34)
B) The people who obeyed entered into the land flowing with milk and honey (Numbers 14:30)
C) The people who deny the Holy Spirit cannot know the Lord ? they wander in a mundane world (Matthew 12:32)
D) The Spirit of the Lord makes people able to enjoy the salvation, grace, and blessings of our Lord (1 Corinthians 12:3)

4. Faith that works with the Holy Spirit
A) We must live with the same thoughts as the Holy Spirit has and with a dream (Romans 8:27)
B) We must live with faith and speak creative words (Numbers 14:28)

Although our life journey is tough, God is with us. We must always look up to our pillar of cloud and pillar of fire and follow it.