So all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night. And all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, "If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness! Why has the LORD brought us to this land to fall by the sword, that our wives and children should become victims? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?" So they said to one another, "Let us select a leader and return to Egypt." (Numbers 14:1-4)
Life gets hard on us. There are times that we face
difficulties and what do we do. Do we trudge through the tough times? Or do we
look back and think that things are not bad where we were and want to go back. This
is the battle we face, and we are not alone in facing this thought.
This is exactly what Israel faced in Numbers
14:1-4. They had been in the wilderness for a long time and faced hardships. They
dealt with low water supply, short food supply, and even other countries coming
at them. What happened to them during these various times of struggle?
God watched over them (Matthew 6:25-33)
Yet, in all this,
what did Israel still do? They whined, murmured, complained, tested, and
disobeyed God! They even decided that it was better to go back to Egypt! They
would be able to have food, water, and not wandering in the wilderness left to “die.”
This was their
struggle (Hebrews 3:7-11): Therefore, as the Holy Spirit
says: "TODAY, IF YOU WILL HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS
AS IN THE REBELLION, IN THE DAY OF TRIAL IN THE WILDERNESS, WHERE YOUR FATHERS TESTED ME, TRIED ME, AND SAW MY WORKS
FORTY YEARS. THEREFORE I WAS ANGRY WITH THAT GENERATION, AND SAID, 'THEY
ALWAYS GO ASTRAY IN THEIR HEART, AND THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN MY WAYS.' SO I
SWORE IN MY WRATH, 'THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST.' "
What was actually in Egypt for Israel? They were
in bondage (slavery), they worked them hard day and night, built the Egyptians supply
cities, they were to lose all the male children (Exodus 1:11-16). Does
this sound better? Does this actually sound like a place one would want to
return to?
It is easy to become short term minded on matters.
We have become a what have you done for me TODAY world! Things may be tough for
us at times. But the grass may not be better back where we were. What we are
dealing with now may be hard but not as bad where we came from. Even Israel was
suffering from short term memory! God provided for them with all the necessities
for the body to survive and even helped them be victorious against other
nations. Yet at that moment they forgot and wanted to go back to Egypt.
Luke 9:62
But Jesus said to him, "No
one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom
of God."
Hebrews 10:38-39
NOW THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY
FAITH; BUT IF ANYONE DRAWS BACK, MY SOUL HAS NO PLEASURE IN HIM." But
we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the
saving of the soul.
In our lives today
we face the reality of sin (Romans 3:23). We all have committed sin and
separate ourselves from God. If we continue in sin, we will remain separated from
God eternally (Romans 6:23).
The good news in all
this is first that God wants me to be saved (II Peter 3:9). God wants me
to change from sins and turn to Him. He has supplied what we need to survive
and sustain our spiritual bodies as also! God has supplied us the Word (Romans
1:16-17). It is through the word and the power of God that one can have the
hope of life. God has also supplied His Son and our Savior Jesus Christ (Hebrews
9:23-28).
There is danger and
a warning to consider! If I forget about what God has done for me through Jesus
and the Word, I too can be just like Israel wanting to go back to Egypt! Going
back to sin is not better (I Corinthians 6:9-10). These are not God (I
John 2:15-17), in stead these are things of the world, and the world will
and is passing away and with the lust and desire of it!
It can be easy to
suffer from short term memory. Our culture and world have a mentality of what
have you done for me TODAY! We were and are so blessed yesterday and
forgot about all that today! Egypt is not better! It is not better to go back. This
is not the way god wants or expects from us! We want to be a disciple of His do
not focus on looking back! Look ahead (Hebrews 12:2)! Keep your eye on
the prize (Philippians 3:12-16)! Keep your eyes focused on God! Do not
look back to sin! It is not pleasant! It is not as fun as it seems! It is not
going to reward you. Appreciate what God has done and seek the reward by
obeying God! Listen to His Word! Obey His commands and reap the rewards!
Daniel Sanders
