Lord’s Day, Vol. 7 No. 8

Not the Nearer Route

Exodus 13:17-18 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: 18 But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt.

 It is interesting to observe how the LORD led Israel through the wilderness of the Red Sea and not through the way of the land of the Philistines. Although the latter route was a shorter route, there was imminent danger. The LORD knew how much His people could endure.

1 Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

The Apostle Paul gave an important truth concerning how God deals with His people – He will not suffer them to be tempted above that they are able.

(1) A Bearable Route

The Israelites were newly liberated slaves, not fighting men. They were unarmed, weak in faith. We saw in hindsight how they were a bunch of great murmurers. Hardly able to bear hardship least of all the tumult of war.  They even longed for the leeks and cucumbers in Egypt – bondage food!

On the other hand, the Philistines were an organised army. The giants of Gath were formidable foes. Israel will defeat the Philistines, in the fullness of time, when they have occupied the Promised Land. God will raise young David to defeat Goliath when the two armies were set in array. The time is not ripe for the battle with the Philistines. Israel needed time. God shielded them from the battle by leading them via an impossible route through the Red Sea.

It brings us great comfort to know that our God knows our frame, our spiritual and physical make-up. He leads us sovereignly by His directive will to the way of blessing. He is our faithful God. He leads us through a bearable route.

(2) A Longer Route

The way of the wilderness was a longer route. It was the route through vast barren areas. It was there in the wilderness that God demonstrated His power to provide for His people’s needs. Manna was rained from heaven and quails were sent to provide meat. Water gushed out of the rock to quench their thirst. In that journey, God will bring them to Mount Sinai and there He will give them His laws, the constitution of the new nation. He will make a covenant with them to prepare them as a nation to inherit the Promised Land.

They needed time to be built up in the faith and to be established as a nation. For them to fight formidable foes would be more than they could bear – for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt:

Returning to Egypt is likened to forsaking their faith in the living and true God of Israel and embracing the false gods of Egypt. It was in the wilderness that God gave them the blueprint for the building of the Tabernacle. It was the precursor to the building of the Temple in Jerusalem. There in the wilderness, for the first time, worship will be established. God will dwell in the midst of Israel. And Israel will be taught the way to approach Him through the way of the altar of burnt offering. The people of Israel were commanded to bring sacrificial animals for the atonement of their sins. It was a pre-figuring of the sacrifice of Christ, the Lamb of God who will take away the sins of the world.

Israel was given a feeble, yet a visual picture of how to approach the God of heaven. The longer route meant no disturbance from external foes allowing them the time to focus, understand, know and experience God. And yet, we saw how they built the golden calf in rebellion when Moses was missing from their midst in communion with God on the Mount. But the rebellion was quickly quelled and the idolaters were stopped from further eroding the faith of the already weak Israelites. The spoils that they took from Egypt were not looted as a result of a war with the Philistines had they taken the way of the land of the Philistines. But the spoils were protected and willingly contributed to the building of the Tabernacle, garments for the high priest and the priests ministering in the Tabernacle.

God leads His people by His infinite wisdom and He cares for them by His unfailing love. God was making for Himself a witness. Israel could rest in His instructive, directive, intervening care in our lives. Israel was directed to keep up with their worship and communion with God in prayer. Through the mystery of worship and dependence upon God, we find ourselves guided to fulfil God’s will for our lives.

Let us direct our prayers to God, seeking His guidance and wisdom as the psalmist said to himself in self-encouragement – Psalm 62:5-6 My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved.

Let us be willing to follow the LORD who knows us best, albeit taking a longer route to grow toward spiritual maturity. Amen.

Yours lovingly,

Pastor Lek Aik Wee