Ⅰ
God's guidance to His people in a general way was by the cloud and the two silver trumpets (Num. 9:15—10:10), whereas His leading of His people in a particular way was through the Ark (vv. 33-36), a type of the crucified and resurrected Christ in His ascension:
Ａ
Hence, the unique Leader of God's people is not any man (cf. vv. 29-32) but is the crucified and resurrected Christ (Matt. 23:10).
Ｂ
He is the Leader, and He leads us to the proper place of rest on the long and rugged journey of the Christian life (Heb. 4:8-9 and footnotes).
Ｃ
The leading of the Ark of the Covenant indicates that the leading of Christ is faithful, according to a covenant:
１
God made a covenant with Abraham and his descendants to bring them into the good land (Gen. 17:1-8; cf. Exo. 23:20).
２
Eventually, God's covenant was placed in the Ark; thus, the Ark was called the Ark of the Covenant.
３
Hence, the Christ who leads us into a resting place is the Christ of the covenant, the Christ of God's faithfulness (cf. 2 Cor. 1:19-20).
Ⅱ
Numbers 10:35 and 36 say, "When the Ark set out, Moses said, Rise up, O Jehovah, and let Your enemies be scattered; / And let those who hate You flee before You. And when it came to rest, he said, Return, O Jehovah, to the ten thousand thousands of Israel":
Ａ
Numbers 10:35 is quoted in Psalm 68:1; in Ephesians 4:8-10 Paul applied the word in Psalm 68 to the ascension of Christ; hence, the rising up in this verse refers to Christ's rising up to the heavens in His ascension.
Ｂ
Since the rising up in Numbers 10:35 refers to Christ's rising up to the heavens in His ascension, the word return spoken by Moses in verse 36 must refer to the second coming of Christ.
Ｃ
Moses' word in verses 35 and 36 portrays a full view of God's economy from Christ's incarnation to be the Ark, the embodiment of the Triune God, through His ascension to His second coming.
Morning Nourishment
Num. 10:33-34 So they set out from the mountain of Jehovah three days' journey, with the Ark of the Covenant of Jehovah setting out before them three days' journey, to seek out a resting place for them. And the cloud of Jehovah was over them by day when they set out from the camp.God's guidance to His people in a general way was by the cloud and the trumpets (Num. 9:15—10:10), whereas His leading of His people in a particular way was through the Ark (10:33-36), a type of the crucified and resurrected Christ in His resurrection. Hence, the unique Leader of God's people is not any man (cf. vv. 29-32) but is the crucified and resurrected Christ (Matt. 23:10). He is the Leader, and He leads us to the proper place of rest on the long and rugged journey of the Christian life (Heb. 4:8-9 and footnotes). (Num. 10:33, footnote 1)
There is a difference between guidance and leading. The term guidance is used with respect to the cloud and the blowing of the trumpets, but concerning the Ark we have used the term leading. Guidance is general; leading is particular. The cloud and the trumpet guided the children of Israel in a general way. However, the Ark did not render a general guidance but a particular leading to the people. Thus, the Ark became the leader, taking the lead to find a resting place. (Life-study of Numbers, p. 125)
Today's Reading
The Ark led the children of Israel in a particular way, much like a small boat leads a large ship through a narrow strait and a swift current into the harbor.Not only was the Ark a living ark, but the rock that followed the Israelites was also living (Exo. 17:6; 1 Cor. 10:4). In the wilderness Christ followed the children of Israel as a rock to supply them with living water. As the Ark, He was their Leader, taking the lead to find a resting place for them and to lead them through the hard part of their journey.
The children of Israel were led not by man (Moses' father-in-law) but by the Ark (Christ) of God's covenant. This indicates that the leadership of Christ is faithful. This leadership is not according to emotion or affection but according to a covenant. God made a covenant with Abraham and his descendants to bring them into the good land (Gen. 12). Eventually, God's covenant was placed in the Ark, and thus the Ark was called the Ark of the Covenant (Num. 10:33). Hence, Christ is the Christ of the covenant, the Christ of God's faithfulness. Christ must lead us into a resting place because He is the Christ of God's covenant.
Numbers 10:35 is quoted in Psalm 68:1. Then in Ephesians 4:8-10 Paul applied this word to the ascension of Christ. Ephesians 4:8 uses the word height. In the quotation of Psalm 68:18, height refers to Mount Zion (Psa. 68:15-16), symbolizing the third heaven, where God dwells (1 Kings 8:30). Psalm 68:1 implies that it was in the Ark that God ascended to Mount Zion after the Ark had won the victory. A quotation from Numbers 10:35, verse 1 of Psalm 68 indicates that the background of this psalm is God's move in the tabernacle with the Ark as its center. Wherever the Ark, a type of Christ, went, the victory was won. Eventually this Ark ascended triumphantly to the top of Mount Zion. This portrays how Christ won the victory and ascended triumphantly to the heavens. Hence, the rising up in Numbers 10:35 refers to the rising up to the heavens in Christ's ascension.
This being the case, the word return spoken by Moses in verse 36 must refer to the second coming of Christ. If the arising in verse 35 refers to Christ's ascension, then the return in verse 36 must refer to His second coming. Christ left us by His ascension, and He will return to us by His second coming. (Life-study of Numbers, pp. 125-127)
Further Reading: CWWL, 1960, vol. 1, "Synopsis of Numbers," ch. 16; Life-study of Numbers, msgs. 16-17