Lessons From The Wilderness
Imagine Moses, 120 years old, standing before the children of Israel on the edge of the Promised Land. Forty long years in the wilderness are behind them, years of struggle, growth, and divine provision, yet they haven’t inherited the promise just yet.
Moses looks back, recounts history, reiterates the importance of God’s laws, and shares one final, vital message.
Let’s step back before we review Moses' final message from the book of Deuteronomy. Deuteronomy isn’t just ancient history; it’s a guidebook filled with wisdom that speaks to us now. We, too, are on a journey. We’ve been brought out of bondage—out from the sway of the “Pharaoh” of this world and like the Israelites, we are sojourners in a spiritual wilderness, waiting the promise of the Kingdom of God.
But in this wilderness, God is teaching us. And He’s asking: What is in your heart?
Let’s look at Deuteronomy 8. Here, Moses reminds Israel what God learned during their wilderness journey:
“you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.” (Deut. 8:2 NKJV)
God humbled them. He fed them with manna, bread from heaven, to teach them something profound: “Man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” (Deut. 8:3)
Think about this, God didn’t lead Israel on the easiest path to the Promised Land. He led them through the wilderness, through vast and dreadful lands, with venomous snakes, scorpions, hunger, and thirst. Why? To prepare their hearts.
Isn’t that our story, too? The Church of God is like the “Church in the Wilderness” (Acts 7:38). We sometimes feel we are walking through a vast and dreadful wilderness, facing trials, uncertainties, and yes, even “venomous snakes and scorpions” in our lives.
But here’s the incredible truth. God never stopped feeding Israel. They always had manna. God never left them. He was always with them. And God is doing the same for us today. Sometimes, God allows us to face trials to see what’s in our hearts. Are we faithful? Do we trust Him?
Yet, even in our hardest moments, He provides. He feeds us spiritual manna. He sustains us with His Word. And He reminds us of this promise “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5, quoting Deut. 31:6) Let’s look at the whole verse from Deuteronomy.
“Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.” (Deut. 31:6 NKKJ)
So, what does this mean for us today? Like the Israelites, we are heirs to a promise but are not yet inheritors. The Kingdom of God lies before us, but we are still in the wilderness. And this wilderness journey isn’t always easy. It can feel vast. It can feel dreadful. But God is with us. He is leading us. He is testing us. And through it all, He is preparing us.
As we move forward, let us take this lesson from Deuteronomy to heart. Be strong. Be of good courage.
Trust God’s leadership in our lives, even when the path seems hard. Dig deep into the lessons of Deuteronomy. Let God’s Word be your manna. And know that, just as He did with Israel, God is guiding us step by step toward His Kingdom. Let ‘s finish with Moses’ final charge to Joshua as he prepared to lead Israel into the Promised Land:
“Be strong and of good courage, for you must go with this people to the land which the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall cause them to inherit it.” (Deut. 31:7 NKJV)
We are on the brink of something greater than entering the Promised Land. Let’s walk forward together, strong, courageous, and faithful, as God leads us to the Kingdom He has promised.
May you have a restful Sabbath from your daily work and responsibility.
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