Moses—Lessons in Wilderness Walking

 

In our last episode, Moses—The Final Showdown (from Exodus 13:17-15:27), we followed along with the Israelites after they were delivered from bondage in Egypt; watching as…

• • God led them first to the edge of the Wilderness and then on to the banks of the Red Sea, where they became entrapped by Pharaoh and his army;
  • God delivered them through the Sea, while destroying their enemies within the Sea;
  • Moses and Miriam led them in Songs of Praise to God;
  • They demonstrated their lack of faith and trust in God when tested at the Waters of Marah; and,
  • They were refreshed at Elim, an oasis in the desert.

In this episode (from Exodus 16-18), we will continue our travels through the Wilderness with the Israelites, journeying with them as they leave Elim and make their way into the Wilderness of Sin.  Once there, they will begin their Lessons in Wilderness Walking in earnest and learn what it really means for them to…

• • Trust God for their daily bread;
  • Trust God for their water of life;
  • Trust God for their victory over their enemies; and,
  • Trust God for the wisdom needed for service.

 

Episode #9 of Act 1, Scene 3 of God’s One Big Story
Cast:     Narrator     God      Moses/Aaron     People     Jethro

Setting the Stage: When this episode opens, about a month and a half has passed since the Israelites left Egypt. And now, their food supplies are starting to run low—a situation which gives rise to the first of the four challenges facing them and their leaders in this episode.

 Challenge #1—No Food

Narrator:  And they journeyed from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came to the Wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they departed from the land of Egypt. Then the whole congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness.  And the children of Israel said to them…

People:  Oh, that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and when we ate bread to the full! For you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.

God:  Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not.  And it shall be on the sixth day that they shall prepare what they bring in, and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.

Narrator:  Then Moses and Aaron said to all the children of Israel…

Moses/Aaron:  At evening you shall know that the LORD has brought you out of the land of Egypt.  And in the morning you shall see the glory of the LORD; for He hears your complaints against the LORD. But what are we, that you complain against us?  This shall be seen when the LORD gives you meat to eat in the evening, and in the morning bread to the full; for the LORD hears your complaints which you make against Him. And what are we? Your complaints are not against us but against the LORD.

Narrator:  Then Moses spoke to Aaron…

Moses:  Say to all the congregation of the children of Israel, ‘Come near before the LORD, for He has heard your complaints.’ 

Narrator:  Now it came to pass, as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud.  And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying…

God:  I have heard the complaints of the children of Israel. Speak to them, saying, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. And you shall know that I am the LORD your God.’ 

Narrator:  So it was that quails came up at evening and covered the camp, and in the morning the dew lay all around the camp.  And when the layer of dew lifted, there, on the surface of the wilderness, was a small round substance, as fine as frost on the ground.  So when the children of Israel saw it, they said to one another, ‘What is it?’ For they did not know what it was.  And Moses said to them…

Moses:  This is the bread which the LORD has given you to eat.  This is the thing which the LORD has commanded: ‘Let every man gather it according to each one’s need, one omer for each person, according to the number of persons; let every man take for those who are in his tent.’ 

Narrator:  Then the children of Israel did so and gathered, some more, some less.  So when they measured it by omers, he who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack. Every man had gathered according to each one’s need.  And Moses said…

Moses:  Let no one leave any of it till morning.

Narrator:  Notwithstanding they did not heed Moses. But some of them left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them.  So they gathered it every morning, every man according to his need. And when the sun became hot, it melted.  And so it was, on the sixth day, that they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for each one. And all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses.  Then he said to them…

Moses:  This is what the LORD has said: ‘Tomorrow is a Sabbath rest, a holy Sabbath to the LORD. Bake what you will bake today, and boil what you will boil; and lay up for yourselves all that remains, to be kept until morning.’ 

Narrator:  So they laid it up till morning, as Moses commanded; and it did not stink, nor were there any worms in it.  Then Moses said…

Moses:  Eat that today, for today is a Sabbath to the LORD; today you will not find it in the field.  Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will be none.

Narrator:  Now it happened that some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather, but they found none.  And the LORD said to Moses…

God:  How long do you refuse to keep My commandments and My laws?  See! For the LORD has given you the Sabbath; therefore He gives you on the sixth day bread for two days. Let every man remain in his place; let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.

Narrator:  So the people rested on the seventh day.  And the house of Israel called its name Manna.  And it was like white coriander seed, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey.  Then Moses said…

Moses:  This is the thing which the LORD has commanded: ‘Fill an omer with it, to be kept for your generations, that they may see the bread with which I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you out of the land of Egypt.’ 

Narrator:  And Moses said to Aaron…

Moses:  Take a pot and put an omer of manna in it, and lay it up before the LORD, to be kept for your generations.

Narrator:  As the LORD commanded Moses, so Aaron laid it up before the Testimony, to be kept.  And the children of Israel ate manna forty years, until they came to an inhabited land; they ate manna until they came to the border of the land of Canaan.  Now an omer is one-tenth of an ephah.*

* If there were about 2 million Israelites who needed to be fed every day, with 1 Omer per person—1 omer roughly equal to 6 pints—then 12 million pints/9 million pounds (45 million tons) would have to be gathered every day.  In practical terms, it would take 10 trains with 30 cars, each carrying 15 tons, to feed this many people on a daily basis—and this for 40 YEARS!

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Challenge #2—No Water

Narrator:  Then all the congregation of the children of Israel set out on their journey from the Wilderness of Sin, according to the commandment of the LORD, and camped in Rephidim;** but there was no water for the people to drink.  Therefore the people contended with Moses, and said…

People:  Give us water, that we may drink.

Moses:  Do you contend with me? Why do you tempt the LORD?

Narrator:  And the people thirsted there for water, and the people complained against Moses, and said…

People:  Why is it you have brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?

Narrator:  So Moses cried out to the LORD, saying…

Moses:  What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me!

God:  Go on before the people, and take with you some of the elders of Israel. Also take in your hand your rod with which you struck the river, and go.  Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink.

Narrator:  And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.  So he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the contention of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the LORD, saying, ‘Is the LORD among us or not?

**Rephidim means “rests or stays,” as in resting places.

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Challenge #3—Enemy Attack

Narrator:  Now Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim.  And Moses said to Joshua…

Moses:  Choose us some men and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand.

Narrator:  So Joshua did as Moses said to him, and fought with Amalek. And Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.  And so it was, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.  But Moses’ hands became heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.  So Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.  Then the LORD said to Moses…

God:  Write this for a memorial in the book and recount it in the hearing of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.  And Moses built an altar and called its name, The-LORD-Is-My-Banner; for he said, ‘Because the LORD has sworn: the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.’

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Challenge #4—Leadership Demands

Narrator:  And Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel His people—that the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt.  Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her back, with her two sons, of whom the name of one was Gershom (for he said, ‘I have been a stranger in a foreign land’) and the name of the other was Eliezer (for he said, ‘The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh’); and Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness, where he was encamped at the mountain of God. Now he had said to Moses…

Jethro:  I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons with her.

Narrator:  So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, bowed down, and kissed him. And they asked each other about their well-being, and they went into the tent.  And Moses told his father-in-law all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardship that had come upon them on the way, and how the LORD had delivered them.  Then Jethro rejoiced for all the good which the LORD had done for Israel, whom He had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians.  And Jethro said…

Jethro:  Blessed be the LORD, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh, and who has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.  Now I know that the LORD is greater than all the gods; for in the very thing in which they behaved proudly, He was above them.

Narrator:  Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took a burnt offering and other sacrifices to offer to God. And Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law before God.  And so it was, on the next day, that Moses sat to judge the people; and the people stood before Moses from morning until evening.  So when Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he did for the people, he said…

Jethro:  What is this thing that you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit, and all the people stand before you from morning until evening?

Moses:  Because the people come to me to inquire of God.  When they have a difficulty, they come to me, and I judge between one and another; and I make known the statutes of God and His laws.

Jethro:  The thing that you do is not good.  Both you and these people who are with you will surely wear yourselves out. For this thing is too much for you; you are not able to perform it by yourself.  Listen now to my voice; I will give you counsel, and God will be with you: Stand before God for the people, so that you may bring the difficulties to God.  And you shall teach them the statutes and the laws, and show them the way in which they must walk and the work they must do.  Moreover you shall select from all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.  And let them judge the people at all times. Then it will be that every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they themselves shall judge. So it will be easier for you, for they will bear the burden with you.  If you do this thing, and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all this people will also go to their place in peace.

Narrator:  So Moses heeded the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said.  And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people: rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.  So they judged the people at all times; the hard cases they brought to Moses, but they judged every small case themselves.  Then Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went his way to his own land.

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Our Review

Since this episode is all about the four challenges facing the Israelites as they begin their journey through the wilderness, let’s break down each challenge to see what we can learn from their experiences.

Challenge #1—No Food

The Situation—When their food supplies start to run out, rather than going to God, the people complain to Moses and Aaron.

The People’s Response—They begin to wax lyrical about how good they had it back in Egypt when, in fact, they didn’t have it good at all. It’s just that while they were slaves, they didn’t have to provide their own food.

God’s Response—God promises to provide them with miracle bread from heaven in the mornings and meat in the evenings. However, He will do this in a way that will test the people to see “…whether they will walk in my Law or not.”

Interestingly, God references His Law even though the “Law” hasn’t been given to them yet. Obviously this testing is intended to prepare them for the Laws He is about to reveal to them. The concept of the sabbath as a day of rest is also introduced here, no doubt as a means of preparing them for the law concerning it that they will be given when they get to Mt. Sinai.

Moses’ and Aaron’s Role—In many ways, the people appear to be looking to Moses and Aaron as overlords, in much the same way that they had looked to their masters back in Egypt. They still seem to be thinking as slaves rather than as a redeemed and free people who belong to God.

The People’s Reaction—In spite of being given very specific instructions concerning the food, some people failed to heed them, insisting on doing things their own way. Given the miracles they have already witnessed, you would think that by now they would be walking in faith and trusting in God to provide for them—but such is not the case.

The Miraculous in this Situation—When we consider the manna…

It appeared only in the morning and was only available for a limited time each morning. It had to be collected before it got hot and it had to be prepared and used that same day.

It appeared everywhere they went for forty years, regardless of the season or local terrain—and it only stopped when the wilderness experience ended.

Would spoil if kept for more than one day, except on the Sabbath. And yet, some could be put aside as a memorial for future generations.

It appeared to be delicate but it could be crushed, boiled, and baked. When the people ate their allotted portion, it was just enough, satisfied their hunger, and was never too much.

And as for the quail…

Quail migrated in spring every year, traveling from Africa to easter Europe and western Asia through the Nile Valley, Sinai Peninsula or northwest Arabia. Although this might seem to provide a natural explanation for the appearance of so many quail at this time, it certainly wouldn’t explain how so many quail appeared in the Israelite camp every evening for the next forty years.

Challenge #2—No Water

The Situation—Although the Israelites had been tested concerning water at Marah, they had failed that test and here they are going to be tested again. At Marah, there was water but it was too bitter to drink but here at Rephidim, there is no water at all.

The People’s Reaction—They “contend” or argue with Moses; they complain against him, blame him for their current difficulties, and accuse him of trying to kill them—and even come close to stoning him.

Moses’ Response—With his leadership in jeopardy, Moses cries out to God—which is what the people should have done in the beginning.

God’s Response—God directs Moses to gather the people and to take the elders with him to a rock in Horeb. God wants him to do everything in front of the people in order to vindicate Moses’ leadership, not only to the people but also to Moses himself. Once there, he is to strike the rock with his rod and when he does, it produces water for the people.

The People’s Response—In spite of the obvious miracle, there is no indication that the people are impressed or awed by it. Instead of being moved to greater faith by the incredible miracles that they have seen so far, they seem to be acting more like spoiled brats rather than the grateful children of a faithful God.

Challenge #3—Enemy Attack

The Situation—While at Rephidim, the Israelites come under attack by a group of nomadic people who live in the Negev, the desert area south of Canaan.

Who is Amalek?—Genesis 36:12 tells us that Amalek is a grandson of Esau, Jacob’s brother, which would make him an Edomite, someone with an ingrained hatred for the descendants of Israel.

At what point does he make his appearance in our story?—Amalek appears just as the Israelites are just about to go on to Mt. Sinai where, according to the story line of God’s One Big Story, they will become the “wife” of God.

Moses’ and Aaron’s Response—In response to the attack, Moses instructs his assistant, Joshua, to organize a makeshift army and go out and fight Amalek. While they are engaged in battle, Moses, Aaron, and a man named Hur stand at the top of a hill to intercede for their troops. Given that the Israelites are completely unprepared for and untrained in warfare, there is no way that they could be victorious in this situation apart from divine intervention.

God’s Reaction—He declares that Amalek will be His enemy throughout all generations.

What did Amalek do to get put on God’s Hit List?—That is explained to us in Deuteronomy 25:17-19, when Israel is told to…

Remember what Amalek did to you on the way as you were coming out of Egypt, how he met you on the way and attacked your rear ranks, all the stragglers at your rear, when you were tired and weary; and he did not fear God. Therefore it shall be, when the LORD your God has given you rest from your enemies all around, in the land which the LORD your God is giving you to possess as an inheritance, that you will blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. You shall not forget.

On a spiritual level, who does Amalek represent in this story?—He represents Satan who ever since the Garden of Eden, has sought out every opportunity to destroy the people of God—especially those through whom the Savior of the World will come.

Challenge #4—Leadership Demands

The Situation—While still at Rephidim, Moses is visited by his father-in-law, Jethro. We really don’t know why he shows up at this point in the story. The reason given is that he is bringing Moses’ wife and sons back to him. However, that raises the question of when, why, and how did they end up back in Midian? And after their arrival, his wife and sons are not mentioned again.

Given the recent problems surrounding Moses’ leadership, perhaps the Lord sent Jethro at this time to provide some much-needed and wise counsel to his son-in-law. (For some reason, Jethro is referred to as “the father-in-law of Moses” thirteen times—for reasons that are never explained—while Zipporah and her sons are only mentioned three times.)

It is interesting to note that even though it has only been about a month and a half since God delivered the Israelites from Pharoah’s bondage, word of what He did has made its way all the way to Midian.

Jethro’s Advice—When Jethro sees Moses’ laboring to meet the judicial needs of the people, he proposes a plan in which Moses would delegate some of those responsibilities to trustworthy leaders in each tribe.

Moses’ Reaction–—Although Jethro is referred to in scripture as “the priest of Midian”—that is, he is priest to a pagan group of people—Moses is in no way offended by his father-in-law’s intervention in the affairs of the God’s people. Instead, he is humble enough to see the wisdom in Jethro’s advice and bold enough to begin to implement it right away.

In Summary

While there are many life lessons that we can learn from the Israelites’ experiences in the wilderness, at this point, I think it would be a good idea for us to try and put their experiences from the past few episodes into the “big picture” context of God’s One Big Story. Something that will help us do that is this little video produced by The Bible Project.  I hope you enjoy it and I look forward to seeing you back here soon for our next episode!

 

 

 

“The Exodus Way” video courtesy of https://bibleproject.com/.
Original images from the James Tissot Collection at The Jewish Museum, New York, courtesy of https://freebibleimages.org/.