Isaiah 58:8
When Israel encamped in the wilderness, they were to position their tents facing the tabernacle. Four straight lines pointed out from each direction on the compass from the tabernacle, with 3 tribes lined up single file on each side, all twelve in total. Considering the largeness of the tribe of Judah, one side of the tabernacle tended to run longer than the other three sides, giving the encampment of Israel the appearance of a massive cross sprawled across the valley.
Each tent flap opened facing the back of the tent in front of it with all of them pointing toward the centerpiece which was the Tabernacle of Moses. Ascending from the back of the tabernacle would be a cloud by day and a fire by night, marking the position of the Ark of the Covenant in the Most Holy Place at the rear of the tabernacle. The cloud and the fire were types and shadows of God the Father and God the Son, providing shelter and direction for the Children of Israel.
The tabernacle itself was also an Old Testament type of our Lord Jesus Christ. His outer appearance was nothing special, just as the skins of badgers and goats held no appeal. But on the inside was shining gold and the light of heaven. The blood on the altar typified Christ’s death at the cross, while the showbread was His body; the candlestick is His light and the incense is Christ as a sweet smelling savor before the Lord. All things speak of Jesus, thus all eyes were to face Jesus. As Israel looked to the center, they were “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2).
Strangely enough, there was never a record of Israel being attacked by an enemy while they were encamped around the Tabernacle. It would have made perfect military sense to combat them while they were encamped, for their backs were facing their enemies and they never put sentries or guards to warn them of coming danger. Only a foolish army would camp facing away from their enemy and have no way of knowing when or if that enemy was marching against them. Rest assured Israel was no foolish army!
As Israel faced inward towards the Tabernacle, God worked a mighty miracle behind them. Isaiah 52:12 promised that the Lord would both go before Israel and be their “rereward”. That old English word is better translated “rear-guard”, and it shows us how God provided for Israel’s safety from every direction. As the Lord is out in front of us, drawing our eyes towards His beauty and loveliness, He is acting as our rear-guard, ensuring us safety from the attacks that we do not even see coming.
A wonderful promise of the New Covenant, following the death of Christ on Calvary is that our “health shall spring forth speedily” and that our “righteousness” will go out before us (Isaiah 58:8). As the New Covenant believer sees the beauty of Jesus, His health and righteousness spring out of us and go before us. We begin to be defined by the very righteousness that Jesus carried while on this earth due to the fact that at the cross He traded that righteousness to us for all of our sins.
See your Savior in this manner and you are promised that “the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward” (Isaiah 58:8). The more that you see Jesus as your provision, the more that the Lord protects you from the attack that you didn’t even know was there. Thank Him today for all of the things that He has held back; things that you never even saw coming.
When Israel encamped in the wilderness, they were to position their tents facing the tabernacle. Four straight lines pointed out from each direction on the compass from the tabernacle, with 3 tribes lined up single file on each side, all twelve in total. Considering the largeness of the tribe of Judah, one side of the tabernacle tended to run longer than the other three sides, giving the encampment of Israel the appearance of a massive cross sprawled across the valley.
Each tent flap opened facing the back of the tent in front of it with all of them pointing toward the centerpiece which was the Tabernacle of Moses. Ascending from the back of the tabernacle would be a cloud by day and a fire by night, marking the position of the Ark of the Covenant in the Most Holy Place at the rear of the tabernacle. The cloud and the fire were types and shadows of God the Father and God the Son, providing shelter and direction for the Children of Israel.
The tabernacle itself was also an Old Testament type of our Lord Jesus Christ. His outer appearance was nothing special, just as the skins of badgers and goats held no appeal. But on the inside was shining gold and the light of heaven. The blood on the altar typified Christ’s death at the cross, while the showbread was His body; the candlestick is His light and the incense is Christ as a sweet smelling savor before the Lord. All things speak of Jesus, thus all eyes were to face Jesus. As Israel looked to the center, they were “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2).
Strangely enough, there was never a record of Israel being attacked by an enemy while they were encamped around the Tabernacle. It would have made perfect military sense to combat them while they were encamped, for their backs were facing their enemies and they never put sentries or guards to warn them of coming danger. Only a foolish army would camp facing away from their enemy and have no way of knowing when or if that enemy was marching against them. Rest assured Israel was no foolish army!
As Israel faced inward towards the Tabernacle, God worked a mighty miracle behind them. Isaiah 52:12 promised that the Lord would both go before Israel and be their “rereward”. That old English word is better translated “rear-guard”, and it shows us how God provided for Israel’s safety from every direction. As the Lord is out in front of us, drawing our eyes towards His beauty and loveliness, He is acting as our rear-guard, ensuring us safety from the attacks that we do not even see coming.
A wonderful promise of the New Covenant, following the death of Christ on Calvary is that our “health shall spring forth speedily” and that our “righteousness” will go out before us (Isaiah 58:8). As the New Covenant believer sees the beauty of Jesus, His health and righteousness spring out of us and go before us. We begin to be defined by the very righteousness that Jesus carried while on this earth due to the fact that at the cross He traded that righteousness to us for all of our sins.
See your Savior in this manner and you are promised that “the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward” (Isaiah 58:8). The more that you see Jesus as your provision, the more that the Lord protects you from the attack that you didn’t even know was there. Thank Him today for all of the things that He has held back; things that you never even saw coming.
