Numbers 7:89Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

It can be understood that once the sacrifice was offered for everyone, the Divine revelations in the sacred tabernacle to the consecrated Moses commenced. The book of Numbers states: ‘These are the offerings at the consecration of the altar after the anointing thereof. When Moses entered the tabernacle of meeting to speak to the Lord, he heard a voice from the mercy-seat above the ark of the testimony between the two cherubim’ (Num. 7:88-89). It was only after the holy tabernacle was established, emblematic of the true sanctuary, namely the Church, that the voice of God the Father was made known to us. He ‘spake unto us in the Son’ (Heb. 1:2), whom we refer to as ‘the cleanser’ for our sins, as indicated in Scripture (Rom. 3:24; cf. 1 John 2:2).

St. Paul's heartfelt petition to God is captured in his inquiry: ‘Lord, what will you command me to do?’ (Acts 9:6). In emulation of St. Paul, we often find ourselves in need of echoing this supplication: ‘Lord, what wilt Thou command me to do?’ This practice became a tradition among God's devoted servants. In times of uncertainty and crisis, they consistently sought divine guidance, requesting that God unveil His holy will: ‘Lord, what will You command me to do?’ Such was the approach of Moses and Aaron as they approached the Ark of the Covenant with earnest prayers to God. Likewise, our forebears have done and continue to do so, especially when dark storm clouds loom overhead, and thunder roars like cannon fire amid the relentless flashes of lightning.