In Exodus 13:19-22 we are given how God guided the Israelite’s:
1.) Vs. 19 “He guided them by faith”:
They took with them the bones of Joseph. Joseph was a man of faith who made them promise over two hundred years prior to take his bones with them when they left. In Gen. 50:24-26, he made his brothers promise that when God took them out of the land to the land of promise, that he wanted to be buried in the land that God had promised. So, for 200 years, Joseph’s bones lay in a coffin above ground. And those bones were speaking to the nation the way of faith! Today those same bones tell us that God will guide us by faith, not by sight! We may want to go some other way yet God is saying that we are to follow Him by faith, not by sight.
2.) Vs. 20 “He guided them one step at a time”:
God’s guidance is one step at a time. We want to know how all of it is going to turn out, and God says no: “I’m only going to show you this much today!” Did you ever notice that we are always camped at the edge of the wilderness? It seems to me that we are always in that place of uncertainty, not knowing what life has for us the next day. Say what you will about the Christian life, but one thing is for certain: it is not boring.
3.) Vs. 21 “He Guided them by His visible presence”:
First, His presence was there 24 hours a day, and it was in a way that demonstrated His assurance of safety. It is interesting that in Exodus 14:20 we are told that this same pillar that was light to Israel was darkness to Egypt. Now that speaks to me of the Word of God, which is light to us, but the non-believer cannot comprehend it. Today, we are given His word to guide us. You know what the acronym for the word Bible is? Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth!
So this is still the way God guides us today — by faith, one step at a time, through His word. One last little thing to notice in verse 22: He did not stop guiding them through the presence of His word until they came to their home. And you know what? He won’t stop guiding you either until you come home, so why not trust His word?