26/01/2023 - UNIVERSITY IN THE WILDERNESS

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And I have led you forty years in the wilderness. Your clothes have not worn out on you, and your sandals have not worn out on your feet. Deuteronomy 29.5

It has never been heard of a people who lived in the desert for so long without being Bedouins. The Hebrews were a group of people of more than three million individuals. They should have learned from the obedience that God required of them, but they chose to send 12 men, representing each tribe, and therefore remain in that barren place for 40 years. They did not glorify the Lord for the land granted to them, but they defamed it (Deuteronomy 1.20-28).

Why did they act this way? After all, they had seen the Most High doing wonders in Egypt, weakening Pharaoh’s army and allowing them to leave. The Lord’s faithful will learn from His actions and praise Him with joy. However, when they decided to elect spies, the Hebrews failed to follow God’s orders and went to the school in the wilderness.

This occurred shortly after they left Egypt. The Hebrews let fear rule their hearts and invented the story of checking if the land was as the Lord had told them. Here is the divine command:  Look, the Lord your God has set the land before you; go up and possess it, as the Lord God of your fathers has spoken to you; do not fear or be discouraged.’ (Deuteronomy 1.21). Whoever let’s fear enter does not obey the Lord!

After the return of the spies, the Israelites chose to return to slavery in Egypt (Numbers 13.25-14.4). This decision made the Most High angry enough to want to destroy them, but Moses knew how to intercede on their behalf. Thus, they began to walk the allotted time: for every day that the spies stayed observing the land (which was 40 days), they would have to walk a year – in total: 40 years. This was not easy, but they would be prepared never to withdraw.

There, the Hebrews saw God’s glory day and night. The shoes they wore when they left Egypt were the same throughout the 40 years of their pilgrimage, for they did not wear out, nor did their clothes grow old. They didn’t have to plant or harvest anything, just collect the manna that fell daily. Those who played the “wise guy” and, one day, collected twice as much manna so as not to work the next day, found that the manna smelled bad and contained worms (Exodus 16.20).

They did not drink water, for they were not thirsty: And they did not thirst when He led them through the deserts (Isaiah 48.21). The Lord multiplied the water before they left for the journey of their life, but, when they sinned, thirst returned, and God brought water out of the rock. Then, they went on their way again without needing the precious liquid: He caused the waters to flow from the rock for them; He also split the rock, and the waters gushed out (Isaiah 48.21). Believe and live!

What can be said about you? The next time the Father tells you something, take it on without grumbling. Whoever surrenders to the Lord and does not regret trusting Him will experience His great operations. So, live in the presence of the Most High and you will see how glorious His Name is. Enroll in the University of the Holy Spirit!

In Christ, with love,

R. R. Soares