1 Corinthians 10:1-5, The Wilderness of Life

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1 Corinthians 10:1-5 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; And did all eat the same spiritual meat; And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

God was not pleased with the Israelites who murmured against Him despite the good care that they received from  Him. There is that tendency to take granted the goodness of God in our lives. Why did God allow Israel to go through the wilderness experience? What was the lesson?

Deuteronomy 8:2-6 And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no. And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live. Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years. Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the LORD thy God chasteneth thee. Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him.

Although Israel was in the “valley”, they were not alone but Christ was there with them to supply and care for them so that they may all the more love and fear Him. God allows His people to go through “wilderness” experiences that they may be strengthened to walk with Him in the good times when God leads them to inherit the Promised Land. We may not understand why we are going through some trials in our lives but we know that  He is leading us to our heavenly home after He has purified us! Amen.