by Rev. Donald Macfarlane
The cloudy pillar by which He led Israel was a visible representation of His presence. The Lord was in that cloud, and the people were guided by this visible sign. In all their movements, during their march as well as in their encampments, they were to be regulated by these means of guidance. Where, and how long, they were to rest was indicated by the resting of the cloud, and when they were to resume their march was made known by the moving of the cloud. They would require, therefore, to have their eye always on the cloud. There might have been other clouds, but this was the only sure means of guidance. But some might mistake a common cloud for the special cloud which was to guide the people. How could the one be distinguished from the other? The common cloud was driven by every wind that blew; the special was moved according to the will of the Lord. He was in that cloud, and directed its motions. The one was dependent on the wind, the other on the will of God. It would be dangerous, then, to mistake the one for the other. The church at present is surrounded by this danger. False teachers are compared to clouds, and there is great need of the warning, “Be not carried about with every wind of doctrine.” There are many false teachers occupying high positions in the visible church in this age, who have forsaken the good old way, and have strayed into bye-paths of their own making. Why have they forsaken the good old way? They thought that was too tedious; they tell us they want to make progress. They profess to be “men of progress”. It is quite possible that the cloud driven by the wind would make more progress in one day than the cloud in which the Lord’s presence was would make in a month. But what kind of progress would it be? That depended on what direction the wind blew. All the progress depends on that, and on that alone. We are sure that those who follow the tendency that is not according to God’s Word make progress backward and not forward. Such is the progress made by the men who profess to be men of progress in our day. It is said that it is because of the great learning of these men they have adopted their new theology. They may have a learning of a sort. But we read in Scripture of some who were “ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth”. But that the views which they promulgate are an evidence of their learning none can believe but those who are ignorant of the history of the Church. There are no errors introduced now but a schoolboy might know as well as they by reading Dr Owen and other great writers, who discussed and refuted them by the Word of God in their own day. The errors that have been buried in the grave by learned and godly men of the past are now revived in the dark night that has fallen on this generation. There was a time when medical doctors raised dead corpses out of the grave to dissect them so as to acquire skill in their profession, but because the law of the land was against such work they took good care not to do it in the day time — when the sun was up. They did their work in the dark. So it is now. When errors are revived it is a sign that it is night in the church. But there is this sad difference: while it was unlawful for these men to raise dead bodies, the Church has made a law to enable false teachers to revive and teach erroneous doctrines. That law protects them in doing the work of darkness, and they cannot be stopped until the Lord comes in power and causes that Church to bury her dead. Beware of false prophets. Keep close to the Word of God. It is the only rule of faith and practice. As the Lord was in the cloud, He is in His Word. The Word is the outward means of guidance now; and Christ promises His presence with the Church so long as she continues to “teach the people to observe all things whatsoever He has commanded.” But whenever she ceases to teach what He has commanded, and begins to teach the commandments of men, He withdraws His presence and leaves her to her own devices. The Word is the sure means of guidance, but the blind cannot see. We need, therefore the inward illumination of the Spirit, that the eyes of our understanding may be enlightened in a spiritual knowledge of the outward rule given, and that our hearts may be disposed to follow its guidance.