Deut. 1:19-28-“So we departed from Horeb, and went through all that great and terrible wilderness which you saw on the way to the mountains of the Amorites, as the Lord our God had commanded us. Then we came to Kadesh Barnea.
And I said to you, ‘You have come to the mountains of the Amorites, which the Lord our God is giving us.
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.’
“And every one of you came near to me and said, ‘Let us send men before us, and let them search out the land for us, and bring back word to us of the way by which we should go up, and of the cities into which we shall come.’
“The plan pleased me well; so I took twelve of your men, one man from each tribe.
And they departed and went up into the mountains, and came to the Valley of Eshcol, and spied it out.
They also took some of the fruit of the land in their hands and brought it down to us; and they brought back word to us, saying, ‘It is a good land which the Lord our God is giving us.’
“Nevertheless you would not go up, but rebelled against the command of the Lord your God;
and you complained in your tents, and said, ‘Because the Lord hates us, He has brought us out of the land of Egypt to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us.
Where can we go up? Our brethren have discouraged our hearts, saying, “The people are greater and taller than we; the cities are great and fortified up to heaven; moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakim there.”’
If I understand right they spent a year at Mt. Sinai and then it was only a 11 days trip to Kadesh-Barnea which was at the borders of Canaan.
Now this 11 day journey would be a rough journey, there were rock’s and hills, pits, barren land and it was dry, (It was referred to, no man’s land for reason!)
But that 11 day journey would reveal the true hearts and character of Israel!
Have you every thought, that might be why some of the path that you have been on, has been rough and hard!
To reveal your character, your heart, your real desires, your real thoughts!
This journey was not for the benefit of God, (He already knew their hearts, character, motives).
It was for the benefit of each and every person, to reveal to them, what kind of person they were!
Have you ever went thru something and at the end of it, you thought to yourself, “I didn’t know I was so strong!” or “I didn’t know I could handle that!” or “I didn’t know I could do that!”
They didn’t even go 3 days into the journey and they started complaining!
These problems, this rough journey was also to reveal what kind of people they were hanging around with!
It reveal those who had a strong character and those who had a weak character!
Those who were leaders and those who were followers!
Have you ever been around someone and you liked them, you thought a lot of them, and then, they hit a rough spot in their life, or someone else hit’s a rough spot in their life, and they say something that takes you totally by surprise.
Because the words that are spoken are negative, condemning, judgment, harsh, unmerciful!
And it reveals to you their character, their heart, their innermost thoughts, and you begin to look at them in different light, because their true character has been revealed!
On this journey they complained about water, food, leadership,.
So basically they complained about what people complain about to today:
1-Getting their needs met!
2-Who’s in charge!
Whether it’s at work, at church, or at home!
These are the two most things people complain about!
People complain about their needs not getting meet in a relationship, or the salary they make because of the job they have, or it’s the government’ fault, or lack of opportunities, or the failure of the educational system and about comfort, either it’s to hot or it’s to cold, or to wet or to dry, or they have to work weekends, or go to work on Monday, the list goes on!
Then people complain about, who’s in charge…The boss, the teacher, the preacher, the president, the spouse and the list goes on!
Whenever you are tempted to tell your troubles to other people, remember that half your listeners aren’t interested, and the rest are glad you’re finally getting what’s coming to you.
These journey would not only reveal what people complain about, or what their character is, it would also reveal…Who God Is!!
In Deut 6:10-11-to give you large and beautiful cities which you did not build, houses full of all good things, which you did not fill, hewn-out wells which you did not dig, vineyards and olive trees which you did not plant.
Deut 8:14-18-your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; who led you through that great and terrible wilderness, in which were fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty land where there was no water; who brought water for you out of the flinty rock;
who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do you good in the end—
then you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’ “And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.
A beggar standing on a street corner commented to his friends, “If only I had a hundred dollars, I would never complain again.” A businessman walking by overheard his statement and interrupted the conversation.
“Excuse me,” the man said. “Did you say if you had a hundred dollars, you would never complain again?”
The beggar replied, “You heard right, mister.”
The man pulled out his wallet, handed him a hundred dollars, and said, “I’m glad I can have a small part in bringing happiness to the world.”
After the man walked away, the beggar turned to his friends and remarked, “I wish I had asked for two hundred dollars!”
I am afraid we are never satisfied with what God has given us, has blessed us with!
‘Some persons grumble because God placed thorns among roses. Why not thank God because He placed roses among thorns?’
We sometimes times complain so much and belly ache so much, we forget…Who’s helped us in the past!
Who’s meet our needs in the past!
Who’s been there in the past!
Who’s listened to us in the past!
Who hasn’t punished us, for our rebellion, our un belief, our complaining, our disrespect!
We forget about all that!
We forget about all that He’s done for us!
We get so wrapped in being in the wilderness, we forget who is there with us!!
