Passing Through The Wilderness (Part Two)

The wilderness is part of the process to reach your divine destiny. It is like a teaching institution where you will learn patience and humility through hardship.

Even though the process is difficult, you can learn how to endure by being sensitive to the provisions that God provides for you during this period.

One such provision is Rephidim a place of rest. Read also: Passing Through The Wilderness Part One

Due to the Israelites ungratefulness, Rephidim became a place of war instead of rest because they were attacked by the Amalekites.

Moses selected an army of soldiers with Joshua as their commander and they fought against the Amalekites.

When Moses held up his hands on top of the hill, the Israelites prevailed but when his hands became tired and fell, the Amalekites prevailed.

So Aaron and Hur supported the arms of Moses until the battle was won by God’s people. As a memorial to their victory, Moses built an altar and called the place  Jehovahnissi – the Lord is my banner.

A banner is similar to a flag which proclaims your allegiance to a nation or King. The Lord should be the center of your life and His glory should by be your flag/banner that identifies you.

Let the flag of God’s righteousness flow in your life so that unsaved will identify you as a child of God.

Lift the flag of God’s love high in your heart to bring unity and the bonds of friendship

In times of war, you can look to God’s flag of protection knowing that you are safe.

As you continue your journey you will face your first mountain. But never fear many blessings are on this mountain.

In the third month after the children of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on the same day, they came to the Wilderness of Sinai. For they had departed from Rephidim, had come to the Wilderness of Sinai, and camped in the wilderness. So Israel camped there before the mountain. (Exodus 19:1-2)

Mount Sinai signifies consecration and rededication of your life to God. The Lord will continue to bear you on eagles wings and bring you to Himself (Exodus 19:4).

The Lord will also reveal Himself to you in a personal way.

The state of your heart will determine how God shows Himself to you. Will you see Him as a thundering fire or a cloud? (Exodus 20)

And Moses said to the people, “Do not fear; for God has come to test you, and that His fear may be before you, so that you may not sin.” So the people stood afar off, but Moses drew near the thick darkness where God was. (Exodus 20:19-20)

The glory of the Lord rested on Mount Sinai to confirm His promises to you, and to build godly characteristics in you. If the vision tarry, do not get weary and fall into the sin of idolatry as the Israelites did and paid the price (Exodus 21-32).

If you falter, repent and return to the Lord and He will forgive you and restore His covenant with you (Exodus 33-34).

Whether it was two days, a month, or a year that the cloud remained above the tabernacle, the children of Israel would remain encamped and not journey; but when it was taken up, they would journey. At the command of the Lord they remained encamped, and at the command of the Lord they journeyed; they kept the charge of the Lord, at the command of the Lord by the hand of Moses. (Numbers 9:22-23)

At the Lord’s command, you will travel until He takes you to the wilderness of Paran, a place of order and standard because God is not the author of confusion (Numbers 10:11-34).

Now it came to pass on the twentieth day of the second month, in the second year, that the cloud was taken up from above the tabernacle of the Testimony. And the children of Israel set out from the Wilderness of Sinai on their journeys; then the cloud settled down in the Wilderness of Paran. So they started out for the first time according to the command of the Lord by the hand of Moses. (Numbers 10:11-13)

So it was, whenever the ark set out, that Moses said:

“Rise up, O Lord!
Let Your enemies be scattered,
And let those who hate You flee before You.”

And when it rested, he said:

“Return, O Lord,
To the many thousands of Israel.” (Numbers 10:35-36)

Your perseverance and commitment to God have paid off because after leaving the wilderness of Paran, your next stop should be your Promise Land.

However, this was not the case for the Israelites who continued to complain. The Lord was upset with them and led them into Taberah where the fire of the Lord burnt among them (Numbers 11:1-3).

The mixed multitude among the people of Israel craved for the leeks, onion, and garlic of Egypt and they despised the manna that God provided for them. They wept for the food of slavery and the Lord became angry with them. The Lord yielded to their request and sent them quails.

But while the meat was still between their teeth, before it was chewed, the wrath of the Lord was aroused against the people, and the Lord struck the people with a very great plague.  So he called the name of that place Kibroth Hattaavah, because there they buried the people who had yielded to craving.

From Kibroth Hattaavah the people moved to Hazeroth, and camped at Hazeroth. (Numbers 11:33-35)

Hazeroth became a place of conspiracy and dissension among Moses family members to overthrow leadership.

Consequently, Miriam was punished but was later restored and the camp returned to the wilderness of Paran to receive their final chance to enter the Promised Land.

Part Three of this post will continue to examine the children of Israel’s attitude that kept them from possessing their promise.

We can take the opportunity to learn from their mistakes so that we do not adopt their bad practices. We want to move quickly through the wilderness and get out victoriously.

Over To You!

Are you going through or have you passed through the wilderness period of your life?

Share your experience and how God helped you to overcome.

Additional!

The Book Harm Not The Oil And Wine provides further information on the provision that God has for you during the wilderness period of your life. You can order your copy right here.