The Two Witnesses.

The two men stood at the crest of a hilltop and looked out over the horizon. Although they were advanced in years now, yet they still retained much of the strength of their youthfulness. Only now, they had experience on their side. They both had seen all of their friends and relatives pass from this life into eternity. And they were the only two left who took part in that great migration from Egypt over forty years ago. And now they stood and looked out at Canaan - The Promised Land.

These days are what the previous forty years of trials, journeyings and sacrifice had all been about. And the day had now come.

Caleb looked at Joshua. Joshua looked back at Caleb and nodded his agreement. And Caleb understood. He turned and faced the multitudes in the valley below, lifted the ram’s horn that had been fashioned into a musical instrument and blew it three times. Then the people below in the small vale started to move.

First, at the head of the procession, were the Sons of Levi – the Gershonites, the Kohathites, and the Merariites. They were all descended from their forefather Levi, who himself was one of the sons of Jacob, and himself had also come from this Promised Land into Egypt nearly five  hundred years before.

And now, “The Great Return” had begun – The Second Exodus. This was the land that had been promised to great Jacob’s grandfather, Abraham. And the people were being part of that promise that the Great YahWeh had promised to the Patriarch all those generations before.

In the valley below the sons and descendants of Levi lifted their great Shofar horns and began to blow. Behind them the Tabernacle Priests lifted all of the boxes and containers for the Tabernacle onto their shoulders.

And so, the four priestly divisions assembled. The Aaronites who performed all the priestly rituals, the Kohathites whose role it was to look after and care for the Tabernacle furniture and vessels. The Gershonites whose duty it was to take care of the curtains, hangings, and ropes of the sanctuary. And the Merarites whose job it was to care of the framework, posts, crossbars, courtyard and the tent pegs of the Tabernacle.

Thus, they all fell into their place in the great Levitical procession that transported the Ark of The Covenant, the Tabernacle furnishings, the Tabernacle coverings and the Tabernacle structure into the Promised Land. Also, the Tabernacle musicians surrounded them all as they congregated and led them all along their journey.

Joshua and Caleb stood on the hillside and watched the great procession below make its way into this new land – and into a new future. He thought of Moses and of how he would have loved to see this procession. But it was not to be.

Joshua recalled that day a few months earlier when Moses said to him, “Come with me. We have been summoned by The Most High.”.

Joshua followed Moses, and as he did so he became increasingly more nervous. For Moses was walking directly toward the Tent of Meeting – The Dwelling Place of Great YahWeh. Joshua started to fall back behind but Moses turned and beckoned him on. “He have been summoned by The Most High. Follow me”.

As Moses drew back the curtain of the Tent of Meeting he took off his shoes, bowed low and entered in. He held the curtain open for Joshua to follow him too. Joshua hesitantly took of his shoes, bowed low and entered into the tent. Then he became aware of the amber coloured glow that appeared from above. The Glory of The Lord.

Moses raised the hood of his cloak and covered his face. He prompted Joshua to do the same thing. But Joshua was already staring at the ground for he had become quite afraid. Moses bowed down on one knee but Joshua fell to the ground as his knees gave way from under him, such was his fear and dread at the holiness that was in this place.

And today Joshua stood on the grassy slopes and watched the procession start to move, being led by this same amber glow – The Pillar Of Fire – The Shekinah Glory of The Lord. And he looked at it with a rim of tears on his eyelid. And in his ancient language he thought to himself, “whithersoever thou leadest Lord, I will follow”.

Do any of us think like this today? Do any of us see or hear something of the teachings of Jesus and think to ourselves “whithersoever thou leadest Lord, I will follow?” Our lives are set out before us and, just like the Children of Israel moving into Canaan, we do not know what lies ahead. But equally, just like the Children of Israel, we should commit to follow the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ, no matter where they will lead us.

Proverbs 3v5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

Isaiah 40v31 “But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will mount up on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

Amen.