OCTOBER 09 Sat

Why Did God Make the Israelites Travel in the Wilderness for 40 Years?

Numbers 14:1~10│ And all the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The whole congregation said to them, “Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness!” (2)

Hymn #270 Let Us Sing of His Love (Unified Hymn 214)

[Message Video]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDXlmNlIBiw&list=PLOCBKggOTU7yqOj4BUIgI_1Yx-MldYCO-&index=19

When faced with an issue or crisis, it’s easy to think, “Why am I facing this problem? Why am I the only one facing hardships?” You might feel as if everyone else is doing well, nothing is taking place for you, and you’re the only one suffering. The Israelites in today’s Bible verse were just like that. Why did God make them go through the wilderness for 40 years?

1. God’s Innermost Heart to Give Answers
As promised, God saved the Israelites who placed the blood of the lamb on their doorposts and completely abolished their status as slaves. God doesn’t just love you to the point of death. He doesn’t just save you, and He won’t say, “Now, I’ve done this much for you, so from today, go into this perilous world with your own strength, be patient, and endure.” No matter what the circumstances may be, God wants you to remember the mystery of salvation and enjoy it in your life. He wants you to confirm that the power of darkness can no longer destroy you, that the background of Heaven and the power of the Holy Spirit are your status, and that problems and suffering will no longer deeply affect you.

2. Your Attitude toward the Wilderness
The wilderness journey includes the Red Sea, and that journey will end only after crossing it. Right now, when it seems like nothing is taking place and circumstances aren’t improving, God will make sure that you’ll cross it. The purpose of these evidences and experiences is to set up a monument for the people of the world to see and for the posterity to know. You are a person of God who will testify to all nations that He is truly alive.

Those who focus on the Triune God don’t become discouraged or impatient under any environment or circumstance; instead, they believe in God’s Word and power, wait, and take on the challenge. This is the attitude that you need to live in the wilderness.

Dear God, let all the circumstances and issues that I encounter right now become the best conditions to focus on You. Please show me answers and the future that are to come. I pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

* Why Aren’t There Any Vain Attempts?

Whether you’ve gone to a concert and returned home because you inadvertently got the day and time wrong or went to purchase an item that you really wanted only to discover that it was already sold out, you’ve probably experienced moments when you made vain attempts. Because your efforts were fruitless, you attempt to put your mind at ease by simply trying to rationalize and secure “mental victory.” Instead of doing that, discover the reason why you went there. To word it a little differently, whether intentionally, voluntarily, or by mistake, there’s a clear reason why God placed you there on that day.
“Why isn’t anything taking place for me?”
Rather than asking that question, change it to “What does God want me to see?”
In doing so, you'll quickly or perhaps later realize that your efforts weren't in vain after all.