In their journey with God, the children of Israel had the presence of God, signified by the cloud in the day and by the fire in the cloud at night (Exo. 33:14; 40:36-38; Num. 9:15-23). The cloud and the fire were both the expression of the Triune God. The presence of the cloud and the fire indicated that as the people were journeying in the wilderness, they were journeying with God. In this journey they were led by God Himself.
As the children of Israel were journeying with God, the Angel of Jehovah took the lead (Exo. 32:34). The title "the Angel of Jehovah" is a particular title of Christ in the Old Testament, as revealed in Exodus 3. The Angel of Jehovah took the lead, always walking in front of the army of Israel.
In their journey the children of Israel were moving, walking, and living with Jehovah, the Triune God. This is a type, a picture, of our living as Christians today. Day by day we are moving, walking, and living together with the processed and dispensing Triune God.
God's chosen and redeemed people passed through the great and terrible wilderness with all kinds of trials, sufferings, and divine care, supplies, and discipline (Deut. 1:19; 8:2-5). This also is a picture of our Christian life today. Some say that the Christian life is wonderful. However, according to typology, the Christian life is a life of passing through a great and terrible wilderness. In this wilderness we have all kinds of trials and sufferings, but we also have the divine care and supplies. Moreover, because we, like the children of Israel, are often "naughty children," in addition to God's care and supplies we also have His discipline.
On their journey through the wilderness, the children of Israel passed through forty-two stations to enter into rest in the good land promised by God (Num. 33:1-49; Josh. 1:2).