Exodus 16:2-3, "And the whole congregation of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, and said to them, Would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate bread to the full; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger."
Wilderness mentalities... Have you ever heard of them? The Israelites had just been delivered out of the hand of Pharaoh. They no longer were slaves in Egypt. God had taken them from a place of bondage and had set them on a road to the Promise Land. They had witnessed the hand of God over and over again. Their most recent encounter with the Lord's power was when He parted the Red Sea for them and then had that sea fall back over the Egyptians.
At the end of Chapter 14 in verse 31 we read this: "And Israel saw that great work which the Lord did against the Egyptians, and the people [reverently] feared the Lord and trusted in (relied on, remained steadfast to) the Lord and to His servant Moses." In Chapter 15, they sang a song praising the Lord for His deliverance, but before chapter 15 even ended, the Israelites were beginning to lose hope...
What on earth was going on?
How could the Israelites go from praising God for His deliverance to wishing that they had been back in Egypt?
If you are familiar with the story of God's chosen people, you'll also be familiar with the pattern they had of going from trusting God one day to complaining about their circumstances the next. In one breath, the Israelites were so happy about God's amazing hand in their life, while in the next breath, they were wishing that they could return to their old life of slavery in Egypt. Why would they want to go back to that?
Here's the answer: they remembered Egypt as they wished it had been. They didn't remember how it really was. They remembered sitting by the fleshpots and eating bread to the full. What they failed to keep fresh in their memory was the intensive labor they faced and the lack of love they received from the Egyptians.
As I look at the Israelites' behavior, I notice the same pattern in my own life at times.
There were situations that arose in my life where I was adamant about those situations needing to change. I knew that God had something better for me, so I left my land of slavery in order to get to my promised land. But when I left, I forgot that before I reached the promise land, I'd have to go through the wilderness.
So I started off with full assurance that leaving my Egypt was the right decision. I felt strong and sure and committed to the decision I made, but then a few days went by. I was beginning to get hungry, and I didn't see a source of food to quench my hunger pains. Then, I began forgetting the slavery and bondage I faced in Egypt, and all I could remember was the food that I would have been eating if I was still there.
This is where the Israelites found themselves often. Some days they did better than others, but there were moments when, instead of trusting that God's promise land was far better than their prior Egypt, the Israelites would dream of the days of old.
We must learn from the Israelites and not make the same mistakes that they did. God was leading them day and night in the direction that He knew was best for them in the long run. At times they were uncomfortable. There had to have been moments where their promised land felt so far off that they feared they'd never reach it. But One thing remained constant through all the years of their wandering. This Constant was God. The journey may not have been easy, but He was there all along. He led them. He provided for their every need. He was their source of hope when all hope seemed lost, and He never failed or abandoned them. Never!
Has God taken you out of an Egypt in order to get you to your promise land? DON'T go back to Egypt. Continue on this journey through the wilderness with God, and know that He will give you what you need one day at a time. Learn how to trust and follow Him daily without complaining, so maybe, just maybe, you won't have to keep circling the same mountains over and over again. Remember the reality of your prior Egypt and praise God that He has something better in store for you!
Dear Heavenly Father,
Every time I read about the Israelites, You show me something new. I love that! Thank You for giving me examples to learn from so I don't have to make the same mistakes myself. Help me to let go of Egypt and never look back on it with an, "Oh! If only I was there..." mentality. Help me to praise You in the wilderness that You loved me too much to leave me where You found me. In Jesus' Name.
Amen.
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