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Spiritual Gifts, Volume 4a
glory. The high priest always entered it with trembling, while the
people waited his return with solemn silence. Their earnest desires
were to God for his blessing. Before the mercy-seat God conversed
with the high priest. If he remained an unusual time in the most holy,
the people were often terrified, fearing that because of their sins, or
some sin of the priest, the glory of the Lord had slain him. But when
the sound of the tinkling of the bells upon his garments was heard,
they were greatly relieved. He then came forth and blessed the people.
After the work of the tabernacle was finished, “a cloud covered the
tent of the congregation, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.
And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation,
because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the Lord filled the
tabernacle. And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle,
the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys. But if the
cloud was not taken up, then they journeyed not till the day that it
was taken up. For the cloud of the Lord was upon the tabernacle by
day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel,
throughout all their journeys.” The tabernacle was constructed so as to
be taken to pieces, and borne with them in all their journeyings.
The Lord directed the Israelites in all their travels through the
wilderness. When it was for the good of the people, and the glory of
God, that they should pitch their tents in a certain place, and there
abide, God signified his will to them by the pillar of cloud resting
low directly over the tabernacle. And there it remained until God
would have them journey again. Then the cloud of glory was lifted
up high above the tabernacle, and then they journeyed again. In all
their journeyings they observed perfect order. Every tribe bore a
standard, with the sign of their father’s house upon it, and every tribe
[11]
was commanded to pitch by their own standard. And when they
traveled, the different tribes marched in order, every tribe under their
own standard. When they rested from their journeyings, the tabernacle
was erected, and then the different tribes pitched their tents in order,
in just such a position as God commanded, around the tabernacle, at a
distance from it.
When the people journeyed, the ark of the covenant was borne
before them. “And the cloud of the Lord was upon them by day, when
they went out of the camp. And it came to pass, when the ark set
forward, that Moses said, Rise up, Lord, and let thine enemies be