God desires Total Obedience of His Children

It was God's plan to teach the Israelites to have total obedience to Him, even thought they might not understand what He was doing.

Numbers 9: 15-23

And on the day that the tabernacle was reared up the cloud covered the tabernacle, namely, the tent of the testimony: and at even there was upon the tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire, until the morning.

So it was alway: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night.

And when the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle, then after that the children of Israel journeyed: and in the place where the cloud abode, there the children of Israel pitched their tents.

At the commandment of the Lord the children of Israel journeyed, and at the commandment of the Lord they pitched: as long as the cloud abode upon the tabernacle they rested in their tents.

And when the cloud tarried long upon the tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel kept the charge of the Lord, and journeyed not.

And so it was, when the cloud was a few days upon the tabernacle; according to the commandment of the Lord they abode in their tents, and according to the commandment of the Lord they journeyed.

And so it was, when the cloud abode from even unto the morning, and that the cloud was taken up in the morning, then they journeyed: whether it was by day or by night that the cloud was taken up, they journeyed.

Or whether it were two days, or a month, or a year, that the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle, remaining thereon, the children of Israel abode in their tents, and journeyed not: but when it was taken up, they journeyed.

At the commandment of the Lord they rested in the tents, and at the commandment of the Lord they journeyed: they kept the charge of the Lord, at the commandment of the Lord by the hand of Moses.



The dictionary definition of obedience: 1. complying with or conforming to a command; being dutiful 2. Deferring habitually to laws or superiors; being submissive


The above verses show that God expected the Israelites to be ready to move as soon as the cloud moved, whether it was morning, noon, or night.

It is easy for most people to get into a rut of doing the same things each day without much variation. In fact, we don't like a lot of change because it upsets our whole routine and makes us feel uncomfortable.

God wanted the Israelites to put aside their own agendas and let Him be their guide. He had something waiting for them that was far greater than they had ever known. He just wanted them to learn obedience for every single thing in their life, and in return He would provide handsomely for them.

The people were used to a certain lifestyle while they had been in Egypt. They had been made slaves and it was a terrible existence, but it was all they knew and they had grown accustomed to it. As terrible as it was, they came to a point that they preferred "terrible" over the places God took them because it was such a different environment.

They could not see where they were going; they could only see where they were in the present.

It was very hard for them to place their future in God's hands and trust Him to give them the very best.

Many Christians today prefer a dismal existence and terrible circumstances over making a radical change of total obedience; the only reason is that they have just become accustomed to everything the way it is.

Don't let yourself stay in a miserable place just because you are afraid to step out of the boat and trust God to miraculously take you where He wants you to be. It will be the ride of your life!

Camping around the Tabernacle - Part 2

Marching Order of the Israelites - Part 3



From Total Obedience back to Blueprint for Victorious Christian Living