In the Wilderness

For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people that were men of war, which came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they obeyed not the voice of the Lord . . . (Joshua 3:6a).

Bible experts say it should have taken the Israelites from 11 to 40 days to go from Egypt to the Promised Land. So, what happened? Why the 40 years? Disobedience happened. The Israelites were always complaining, wanting things their way, and even made a calf idol of gold to worship. Despite the miracles they had seen God do for them, most of them weren't committed to Him and didn't have a strong faith. They had been influenced too much by Egyptian culture instead of clinging to God. 

Surely there shall not one of these men of this evil generation see that good land, which I sware to give unto your fathers (Deuteronomy 1:35).

Therefore, God declared that none of that hard-hearted generation would step foot into the Promised land. Only Joshua and Caleb had remained faithful, and only they and the younger generation would cross the Jordan River into the Promised Land. The group ended up wandering for 40 years until all the older generation had passed away before God led them to take their promised inheritance.

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way. . . (Isaiah 53:6a).

We can look at these Israelites and shake our heads, but are we really much different? No matter how good God is to us, don't we want our own way? Too often, we pursue things we think will make us happy instead of pursuing the true source of joy. Let's learn our lessons from the wilderness and live in faith and trust like Joshua and Caleb instead of being fickled like the bulk of the Israelites.

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