Every thing was now in its right place, and every one knew for certain what he had to do, both when the cloud moved and when it rested. The tabernacle set up, the priests consecrated, the people numbered, they were now to leave Horeb. “The Lord God spake unto us in Horeb, saying, ‘Ye have dwelt long enough in this mount.’” “And it came to pass on the twentieth day of the second month, in the second year, that the cloud was taken up from off the tabernacle of the testimony. And the children of Israel took their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud rested in the wilderness of Paran.” (Deut. i. 6; Numb. x. 11, 12.) The pillar of cloud by day, and the pillar of fire by night, guided all the movements of the camp. (Numb. ix. 17-23.) The moment the cloud ascended from off the tabernacle, the silver trumpets sounded the alarm, and the whole camp was instantly in motion. Then Moses uttered the prayer. “Rise up, Lord, and let Thine enemies be scattered, and let them that hate Thee flee before Thee.” When the cloud rested, the whole camp rested, and every man knew his place and his work. And then Moses prayed, “Return, O Lord, unto the many thousands of Israel.” (Numb. x. 35, 36.) How imposing to the outward eye the sight of this great camp must have been in the midst of the desert! Well might Balaam say, “How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel!” But its true loveliness is only seen by the eye of faith. It was the brightest spot in the world, though on the sand of the desert, and the richest in blessing. Far, far above all its other attractions is the knowledge that God Himself is there, thinking of every one and providing for their every need. Day by day, He spread a table for them in the wilderness, and gave them water from the flinty rock. The foot of the traveler was never swollen, and his raiment waxed not old these forty years. (Deut. viii. 4.) There were upwards of six hundred thousand men above the age of twenty, besides the Levites and women and children, probably more than two millions altogether. But Jehovah gathered them all around Himself, as a father would gather his children, and covered them with the skirts of His cloud, both by night and by day.—“He spread a cloud for a covering; and fire to give light in the night.” (Ps. cv. 39.) Thus was the Lord’s family in the place of rest, peace, and blessing. The blood of the everlasting covenant had been sprinkled on the mercy-seat within the vail, and judgment had been executed on the sin-offering outside the camp. God was now a wall of fire around His people, and the glory in the midst of them. Oh that Israel had known—oh that Israel had understood the loving-kindness of the Lord, and so put all their trust in Him! (See Deut. xxxii, xxxiii.)