Part 1: The Name “The Pillar Projct”

The Pillar of Cloud and Fire

The first “Pillar” was that which lead the people of Israel out of captivity of Egypt in Exodus 13. What is significant about this story is that it represent God’s heart for HIS people and HIS desire to see freedom. Exodus 13:21-22 explains,

“And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way,

and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light,

that they might travel by day and by night.

The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night

did not depart from before the people.”

YHWH, in His grace and mercy, shares His desire to lead his people to freedom. Apart from God’s plan, all there was for Israel was captivity and death, but there was hope found in the LORD and his leading. This hope is not only to lead them, but to also sustain them wherever they would go. Generations later, Nehemiah says,

“because of your great compassion you did not abandon them in the wilderness.

By day the pillar of cloud did not fail to guide them on their path,

nor the pillar of fire by night to shine on the way

they were to take.” (Nehemiah 9:19)

This pillar that lead them, stayed with them until God fulfilled HIS promise. In our own life, whether you can tell a story of what God brought you out of, or maybe you still feel captive in Egypt, God’s desire is to Lead you, to Guide you, and to set you free.

God uses this incredible time in history, to foreshadow the divine plan of Jesus leading all of humanity into freedom. Jesus, in his great compassion, took our sin, which also leads to captivity and death, and bore it on himself.

1st Peter 2:24-25 explains,

“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree,

that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.

By his wounds you have been healed.

For you were straying like sheep,

but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.”

Our purpose in this life is not just that we would “do” great things, but that we would return the Shepard, to our Father. Everything that we could “do”, is the fruit and overflow of experiencing the promise of everlasting life. The same God that lead Israel to their promise, leads us to our promise in Christ Jesus. The same Spirit of the Lord that lead Israel by the pillar of cloud and fire, now lives inside of us and guides us.