Exodus 13:21

Exo. 13:21. "And by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night." Here in the camp of Israel was something of a resemblance and image of what is said of new Jerusalem (Revelation 21:23). The glory of the Lord did lighten, for here the Shekinah, which was commonly called the "glory of the Lord," gave them light; and in verse 25 - "There shall be no night there," the like of which was said of Zion (Isaiah 60:20), and of the Church in her glorious state (Zechariah 14:6; Zechariah 14:7). Here is some resemblance, for the camp of Israel had always light, both day and night; nor was it a dim light that they had in the night, but a light sufficiently clear well to direct that vast multitude in traveling in the wilderness, so that night was, in a great degree, turned into day amongst them (see Numbers 9:21; Deuteronomy 1:33; Nehemiah 9:12; Nehemiah 9:19; Psalms 78:14; Psalms 105:39). The congregation of Israel, in all their travels, were in the form of an army. They went up by their armies (Exodus 12:51), and they went up harnessed (verse 18). They were in military order in their camp and in their marches, and the pillar of cloud and fire was their grand "ensign," lifted up in the view of the whole army as the ensign which they should follow and the standard by which they should abide; and as the pillar of cloud and fire was the symbol of the presence of Christ, so here was represented that which is spoken in Isaiah 11:10. As here this "ensign," the pillar of cloud and fire, was to lead the people to their rest, so verse 12 - "And He shall set up an ensign for the nations."…