Of all the celestial phenomena observed with the naked eye, perhaps the most spectacular and exciting are total eclipses of the sun. They have been observed from ancient times as omens of foreboding and of evil portent. People invented all kinds of explanations for the event such as they thought that the sun god was hiding his face in displeasure, and they would offer sacrifices to appease his anger. Nowadays however, we understand the phenomenon is strictly a physical one caused by the moon passing between us and the sun. But even so, as that shadow advances and the sun's disc becomes a crescent and finally disappears, it is an eerie experience; chickens roost, and other animals become bewildered in the apparent darkness of twilight. People travel from around the earth to witness it. Scientists are particularly interested in total eclipses, for it is the only time that the sun's corona becomes visible.
The children of Israel in their forty years of wandering in the wilderness found shade from the burning desert sun a welcome blessing. Thus this became a symbol of God's protection and care. Such expressions as: "Hide me under the shadow of thy wings" (Ps. 17:8), God will be "as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land" (Isa. 32:2), God's shade in the heat "is like the shadow of a cloud" (Isa. 25:4,5), and God's people can "live among the heathen under His shadow" (Lam. 4:20). As they travelled in the desert, they were constantly reminded of God's presence by a sheltering cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. This cloud was not an ordinary one; it moved as they moved and stopped when they stopped. It must have been huge to cover a camp of several million campers. It clearly was no ordinary rain cloud for we have no record that there was rain, thunder, or lightning. Also, this same cloud seemed to be the source of the pillar of fire, so it must have been capable of generating a tremendous amount of energy. We are told that, when the glory of the Lord transferred from Sinai to the Holy Place of the sanctuary, it was accompanied by "tens of thousands of chariots"(Ps. 18:17). What a parade that must have been! A huge VIP celestial chariot in dazzling splendor coursing across the sky surrounded by an honor guard of the angelic host. No wonder the Israelites were filled with fear and awe. Could it be that this same VIP chariot was the cloud that hovered over the camp and that the pillar of fire was some kind of energy beam from that ship?
The sanctuary itself was a spiritual shadow of "things to come" (Col. 2:17), and we today are living in the shadow of the judgment in the heavenly sanctuary. As we travel through the wilderness of this sinful world, we also can "live among the heathen under His shadow." What a comfort it is to know that in a time of trouble, perplexity, and persecution, God will shelter us as He did His people in the wilderness, under "the shadow of the Almighty."
