The Wilderness

This week has been about the wilderness.

The first place in the Bible I think “Wilderness” is in the Old Testament of the Children of Israel. The wilderness is where God will take you to show you that you can fully depend on Him. He will show you to trust in Him no matter how alone and uncertain things may seem. Even though we, as humans, may complain in the wilderness; this is actually the place where God becomes our Provider, Protector and Refuge.

3. and the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.

4. Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no.

Exodus 16: 3-4

How often do we ask God for freedom from things that control our lives? Then when He frees us and sends us into the wilderness, we begin to regret leaving the very thing He freed us from? That’s what happened with the Children of Israel. The wilderness scared them because they were alone. They were used to the Egyptians providing for them. They didn’t know how to depend on God to be their Provider. They wish they had died at the hands of the Egyptians in slavery than moving forward into the unknown wilderness of freedom with God.

God Provides

11. And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

12. I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel: speak unto them, saying, At even ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning yes shall be filled with bread; and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God.

Exodus 16:1-12

For every complaint the Children of Israel had, God provided their needs. From water to protection, God provided for them. They only needed faith.

11 Days to 40 years

2. (There are eleven days’ journey from Horeb by the way of mount Seir unto Kadesh-barnea.)

3. And it came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month, that Moses spake unto the children of Israel, according unto all that the LORD had given him in commandment unto them;

Deuteronomy 1:2-3

Moses is recalling how long the journey really should have taken, 11 days which turned into 40 years. This makes you think, how many times have we stalled God into giving us what He has promised for us? How many times have we delayed God in our lives because of our doubt, fear and unbelief? How many times have we turned an 11 day journey into 40 years? All we need is faith and keep moving forward into God’s Promised Land for our lives knowing He will provide everything we will ever need and more.

When I think of the wilderness in the New Testament, I think about the temptation of Jesus. Now Jesus was in the wilderness for 40 days where he fasted. When Jesus was at his weakest at the end of the 40 days, that is when the devil decided to strike. The devil tempted him with food, with power over all the kingdoms of the world, and then finally tried to trick him into jumping off the temple by using what was written in the Bible against him. With every temptation, Jesus used the words written in the Bible to defeat the devil. You can find this story in Luke 4.

How wonderful is our Father that He sent Jesus to us so we don’t have to go through the wilderness alone? With God nothing is impossible. When we follow Jesus we will never be lost in the wilderness.

Jesus Cleared The Path To The Promised Land

God provided everything we needed when He sent Jesus to die on the cross for us. When you seek God and Jesus first then everything else you will ever need or want will be provided for you.

33. Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Matthew 6:33

Why not accept Jesus as your Savior?

After All, we serve the God who is the Provider for ALL.