The Trying Of Our Faith?

Exodus 13:17, “And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt:”

God led the children of Israel out of Egypt by way of the wilderness of the Red Sea. He didn’t take them through the land of the Philistines, even though that would have been the shorter route to the land of Canaan. The Bible says that God was afraid they would give up and return to Egypt if they had to fight a war with the Philistines.

Forty years later, they would have to fight the inhabitants of Canaan to possess the land that God promised. But God knew they were not ready for that, just leaving Egypt. It took 40 years of conditioning to prepare them for their inheritance. They had to learn to follow the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night and totally trust God for their provision.

Their faith would come as they experienced God’s intervention. Their mindset had to change from a dependence upon their captors to a dependence upon God. They had to move from receiving at the hand of man to receiving at the hand of God.

The 40 years of trials and testing tempered them. Sure, they had their failures and setbacks, but each time those very experiences revealed to them more of the character of God. If they would listen and follow God’s counsel, they would always have God’s provision. Those who did obey and follow God’s leading crossed over Jordan with Joshua into the Promised Land of Canaan.

Centuries later, are we so different? I propose to you that we are no different and God is still the same. His promises are just as real today as they were to all who followed Him before us. Will we experience failures and setbacks? Sure, we will! But if we listen and follow His counsel, we will see God for who He is. The “I Am” of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that He promised to be to Moses and the children of Israel.

The trials and testing are tempering us, preparing us for what is ahead. God knows what we are facing and what it will take to be victorious over it. And just as the children of Israel crossed over Jordan into their Promised Land, we will finish the mission Christ has given us and be caught away by Jesus Himself forever to be in the presence of the Lord.

1 Peter 1:7, “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:”