Trials and tribulations for a new nation
Greetings, friend!
Pharaoh is dead now, but the Israelites haven't arrived at Mount Sinai, the mountain of God yet. They are wandering in the desert with Moses like sheep with their shepherd. They need to learn a lot of new things and learning takes time, especially if you have to teach someone the correct way after a lifetime of following the wrong way.
Their first test came three days later at an oasis called Mara. Mara means bitter in Hebrew. The water was bitter and unpalatable. They murmured instead of praying. In the end Moses have to call onto the Creator on their behalf. He was told to throw a specific piece of wood into the water and it turned sweet and palatable. God took His first covenant with the people: if they abstain from the ways of the Egyptians then none of the plagues would come over them."For I am the LORD who heals you."
They left Mara and arrived at a massive oasis called Elim with twelve springs and seventy palm trees in order for each family group to have its own spring.
They second test came after another long wandering (nearly two and a half months). They got tired of battling to find food for the whole community and started longing to return to Egypt and the luxury (and sins!) there. The Creator sent them heavenly bread called manna and quails that was too tired to fly away, but it came with two instructions: for five days they can collect only for that day and anything left over would be spoiled. But on a Friday they must collect food for TWO days so they don't have to go out on the Sabbath and it came with a promise that the extra food would not spoil. Here they also saw the glory of the Creator for the second time (the first time was at the Sea of Reeds or Red Sea when they were crossing over and the glory of the Creator formed the rear guard protecting them against the Egyptians). The test lied in the fact of amount to gather: anything left over and not consumed was full of maggots and rotten. Also, some people went out on the Sabbath against the Creator's orders.
The Creator appeared again to them and asked, "How long will you refuse to keep my commands and my instructions?" and those who did not repented was punished at the Hand of the Creator. In remembrance the Creator told them to collect a jarful of manna and it was kept as a remembrance of the Creator's provisions. (They ate every day manna and quails from the Hand of the Creator until they entered the promised land.)
Their third test happened at Rephidim where there was no water. The Israelites became rebellious again. Moses was instructed to strike the rock and the place name was changed to Massa ("quarrel") and Meribah ("trying"), because they quarreled and argued with the Creator.
Their fourth test came again at Rephidim when they got into a skirmish with the Amalekites, one of the heathen nations from the area. The Creator's angel army fight with the Israelites and they defeated the Amalekites. And for the first time they brought a freewill offering to the Creator.
Moses' father-in-law the prophet from Midian came and visit Moses and brought Moses' family to join him. When he saw how Moses were tiring himself doing judgment among the Israelites, he told Moses to appoint judges to do all the minor and intermediate cases. Any case that were problematic could be referred to Moses if any of the judges could not solve it. (Today this is how the judgment system work all over the world.)
Not once during their time in the desert so far did the Israelites expressed their thankfulness towards the Creator!
Shortly after these tests, exactly three months after leaving Egypt, the Israelites arrived at the desert of Sinai and a short distance before Mount Sinai, the mountain of God. What happens here, we will discuss next time!
TODAY'S QUESTIONS:
Are you unthankful for what you receive out of the Hand of the Creator? Are you quarrelsome and trying? Every breath you take is a gift from the Creator! He WILL provide for you and heal you, but you need to change your ways and show your thankfulness.
Forgiveness and a new life is waiting for you!
You would know what to do... GO AND DO IT NOW!
Metusalah and Elias
Messengers of the Creator
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