Exodus 14:20b Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long. (What an encouragement the people must have felt to be able to see the manifest presence of God and to know that He was with them and protecting them. Not only does the pillar of cloud serve as a protective barrier against the onslaught of the enemy army of Egyptians, but it also darkens the night so that the enemy can't see where their target is located. The darkness blinds the enemy and protects God's people. For Israel, however, the pillar of cloud provides light in the dark of this night that the Lord has chosen to deliver His people through the sea and finally out of Egypt's region and jurisdiction. Not only does the Lord still provide His Presence to us today, but He also provides us a pillar of cloud to protect us from the enemy and to light our way in the darkness. He has given us His powerful Word Who is Jesus Christ, as well as the written Word of God to encourage us, to protect us, to light our way, and to instill in us His great truths.)
