Why Did The Hebrews Roam The Desert 40 Years ?
A: MURMURING / COMPLAINING / UNBELIEF / LACK OF FAITH
When you read the story of what happened in the Exodus, you need to see all the foreshadowing for Jesus’ first coming and also foreshadowing for us believers today as well. The Hebrew slaves were rescued from their slavery of over 400 years. 400 YEARS ! The question often asked is why did the Hebrews roam the desert for 40 years before entering the promised land?
And this was done with such enormous miracles. Think about all the plagues, locusts, frogs, turning water to blood. All first born with the blood on the doors (which was on mantle and both sides..a foreshadowing of the Jesus on the cross). And then we see just as Pharaoh’s army was upon them.. with no where to go, trapped by the red sea. A pillar of fire came and stopped them at night and a pillar of dust by the day. Ya know what a desert is like? BURNING hot in the day and FREEZING COLD at night! So by the day, the pillar of dust.. blocked the HOT SUN from scorching the Hebrews and by night the pillar of fire kept them warm! This is the per-incarnate Jesus doing this! He even told us it was HIM..
“For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me; for he wrote of me.” (John 5:46 KJV)
And then we have, not to forget, one of the most enormous miracles God did with Moses, the Red Sea parted and so much so that the land under the sea where it parted.. was completely DRY. No mud! DRY LAND! And yet, we do see that after that the Hebrews did lots of murmuring and complaining, doubting and having a lack of faith. And God made the entire generation wander in the desert life for 40 years instead of a straight path to the land He had prepared for them; the promised land.
WE BELIEVERS NEED TO LEARN FROM THAT!
We too, should not be doing that as saved people. Complaining, whining, worrying. Jesus paid it all and gave us ALL THINGS. As Paul wrote,
“And we know that ALL THINGS work together FRO GOOD to them that love God, to them who are the called according to HIS PURPOSE.” (Romans 8:28 KJV)
How many times do we see Jesus telling us to not worry, fear not?
“Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” (Matthew 6: 31-34 KJV)
“Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10:31 KJV)
“But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.” (Luke 8:50 KJV)
What we need as believers is to live IN FAITH and TRUST that GOD KNOW EVERYTHING HAPPENING TO US.. even before it does!
“And he said unto her, Daughter, THY FAITH hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.” (Mark 5:34 KJV)
We need to use faith as this woman did! Why is it that we cannot believe that Jesus lives WITHIN US? He is intimately involved in everything we face in our lives as believers.
Why Did The Hebrews Roam The Desert 40 Years ? What Should We Learn From The Answer To This Question?
We believers in Christ have been given so much! What do we have to complain about really?
We have been given a brand new born again Spirit of God, which is right now fully redeemed, fully forgiven all our sins in our life (past/present/future) (1 John 2:2) and are now without sin in our new Spirit (1 John 3) and God does not even remember our sins anymore(Hebrews 8:12). We have become the righteousness of God, in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17-21), we are one with the Holy Spirit who is one with Christ and Christ is one with the Father and we are one with them all (John 17), ! We are complete in Christ and already risen with Christ in the Spirit (Colossians 2) having gained eternal life (John 3).
As believers in Christ we look forward to the promise of the New Jerusalem, that heavenly city, the believers future eternal home. See how the Exodus is relating to US?? In the Exodus, God was leading the to the ‘promised land’. We believers today are headed for the ‘New Jerusalem, that Heavenly city’ ! The Hebrews passed through the Red sea waters, a picture of being saved by the Holy Spirit. Now saved….. how should we live?! In faith or fear?
“ In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to PREPARE A PLACE for you.” ( John 14:2 KJV )
You want something to fear? The only time the word fear is used as something a believer should do is to fear this ONE THING:
“Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into HIS REST, any of you should seem to come short of it.” (Hebrews 4:1 KJV)
How great is our God! Jesus tells us He did it all and to have FAITH in life. Do not worry about anything. He has a PLAN! Yes, you will have tribulations and troubles. Yes, you will be persecuted for your belief in Christ and sharing the Gospel. But look what God has don or us. He made us His children! And gave us the most amazing inheritance imagined. NOTHING IN THIS LIFE can even compare!
Jesus said,
“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might HAVE PEACE. In the world YE SHALL HAVE TRIBULATION: but be of GOOD CHEER; I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD.” (John 16:33 KJV)
And the only time mentioned to us in Scripture, under the New Covenant we live within, the only thing to fear is not entering HIS REST!
I know I struggle with worry, anxiety at times, wondering ‘Why God? Why is this happening?’ I lack that kind of faith that I wish I had. But, it is growing and so is your faith. I hope this helps you see the truth. That is always the first step to living a life full of peace and faith and to hopefully one day be able to say as Apostle Paul in prison, facing physical death,
“Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” ( Philippians 4:11-13 KJV)
