SS Thoughts #16: A L-o-o-o-n-g Road Trip

The story of the Israelites journey from Egypt to Canaan is amazing. It was only about 250 miles—and should have taken only a few months. Although it entailed faith, it was not meant to be a ‘blind’ journey. There were several different routes, including a splendid highway up the coast of the Mediterranean Sea through the land of the Philistines. Instead the Israelites traveled the longest route; wandering up and down through the wilderness. The account of their arrival in, and exit from Egypt, takes up seven books of the Bible!

But the journey was never intended to take 40 years. The Promised Land was to be theirs by faith—not fight. God Himself would drive out its inhabitants with hornets, hailstones and plagues.

So by faith, the people followed Moses out of Egypt. And the Lord provided everything they needed – His own presence in a cloud during the day and in a pillar of fire at night; a dry path through the Red Sea; daily manna (with a double portion on Friday); water from a rock; etc.

Yet their faith became weak. They became bitter, frightened and rebellious; and the Lord refused to give them the Promised Land. None of the adults who left Egypt were allowed to enter, except for Joshua and Caleb, and Moses himself was only permitted to see it from afar.

Are we any better? Are we holding on to our faith, and fixated on the sure promise of Christ’s soon return? Or are we grumblers and complainers, and as shortsighted as the faithless Israelites? Perhaps we too might not see the Promised Land.......