Are You Starving In The Wilderness?

Genesis 15:13 (KJV) tells us that the Israelites had been in bondage in Egypt four hundred years. In Genesis 3:7-8 (KJV) the Lord is talking to Moses, and this passage of scripture says, "And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians; and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites." When Moses went into Egypt he advised the Israelites that God had sent him, and of God's plans for them.

Exodus 16:1-3 (KJV) Says, "And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt. And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. 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."

When God sent Moses into Egypt to lead the Israelites out of bondage by His mighty hand they didn't make their exit right away. God hardened Pharaoh's heart, and it was only after he sent many great plagues upon the land that Pharaoh agreed to let them go. The Israelites along with the Egyptians witnessed these plagues, and the magnitude of these plagues left no doubt they were from God. The Egyptians followed after the Israelites when Pharaoh finally let them go, and so God parted the Red Sea, allowed the Israelites to cross over safely, and brought the waters together again covering the  Egyptians who pursued them. The Israelites, of course, witnessed this mighty act of God as well.

In the above scripture from Genesis, we learn that the Israelites had been in bondage four hundred years in Egypt. We are told that God saw their affliction, and He heard their cry. The Lord tells us that they cried out because of their taskmasters. The description we are given in the Bible of the life the Israelites were living as slaves in Egypt, was one of hard labor and strict rule. The Israelites were told by Moses that God was going to lead them out of  bondage in Egypt, and into a large land flowing with milk and honey. They witnessed mighty works from God in Egypt, and at the Red Sea. In the scripture taken from Exodus, it is clear that the mighty works of God which they witnessed first hand were not enough to prevent them from murmuring, complaining, and doubting God. After only a few days in the wilderness, they forgot about being so afflicted by their taskmasters that they had cried out to God. They forgot about the hard labor they experienced in Egypt. They apparently had a huge memory lapse regarding the mighty works of God they had witnessed as well because they complained to Moses that they should have stayed in Egypt where at least they had all the bread they wanted, instead of following him into the wilderness to starve to death. It is hard to believe that they truly felt that way, after all God had done for them, and showed them firsthand. They failed to keep their trust in Him, and to be grateful for all He had done and was doing for them. They failed to look back on all of the amazing feats He had accomplished as He brought them out of Egypt, knowing that if He did all that for them that He would with a certainty fulfill his promise to them regarding the land of milk and  honey.

We can learn a great deal from the useless whining, complaining, murmuring, doubting, ungratefulness,  and lack of faith and trust the Israelites displayed in the wilderness. We are shown many examples in God's Word of promises He made and fulfilled. We know that with God all things are possible, and that nothing is to difficult for Him. We know that we are His children, and that He loves us tremendously. In fact, we know that He loves us so much He sent his only Son to die for us on the cross and that if we accept His precious gift of salvation we will have eternal life. We know that He is trustworthy, merciful, kind, loving, understanding, and so much more. He promises us in scripture that He will meet our needs. What more could He possibly do to encourage us to have unwavering faith in Him? What more can He do to prove we can trust Him, and that He will never leave us or forsake us?

Do you have unwavering faith in God? Do you put your complete trust in Him, when it comes to meeting your needs? or Do you lack faith, and doubt Him as you whine, murmur, and complain?  Are you standing firmly on the promises of God? Do you give Him praise, and gratitude for all he's done for you? or Are you starving in the wilderness?

If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.