God’s Guidance Told Again

Richard Thetford

In the book of Deuteronomy we find the Israelites camped just east of the Jordan River, getting ready to cross over into the land of Canaan, a land promised to them by God. Most of the people getting ready to cross over were not alive during the time of the Exodus from Egypt and the encampment at Mount Sinai where Moses received the law. This was a new generation of Israelites and Moses takes the time to give them a comprehensive review of everything that happened during the forty years that some of them and their fathers spent in the wilderness. In his speeches, Moses stresses two things: Israel’s unfaithfulness and God’s faithfulness.

Israel’s Unfaithfulness

Hindsight is always 20/20. If the children of Israel were alive today and had the books of Moses to read and reflect on they would no doubt be shaking their heads in shame! Time and time again God proved to them that He was guiding them and protecting them as He used Moses and Aaron to lead His children out of Egyptian bondage, crossing the Red Sea, into the wilderness toward Mt Sinai. Along the way the children of God complained and murmured, even after seeing the great and glorious miracle that God provided in the crossing of the Red Sea. This had to be an awesome sight as the thousands upon thousands of Israelites crossed safely through the Sea to the other side and once safe, looked back to see the Egyptians in hot pursuit suddenly gasping for air as the water which was parted came together and swallowed them up! Even they were smart enough to know that this was something that just doesn’t happen everyday. But this was just one miracle that God provided for these Israelites as they journeyed toward the land of Canaan. Soon after this miracle they came to Marah where they were very thirsty and tired. There was water there but it was bitter and not fit to drink. They murmured and complained, yet God still provided for them. Later at Rephidim they again were thirsty and God, using Moses, brought forth water from a rock. Over and over again Israel proved to be unfaithful in that every time something did not go just right, they would murmur and complain. Moses, in the book of Deuteronomy tries to get the Israelites to see that in times past the Israelites were unfaithful to God and tells them what the consequences were because of that unfaithfulness. When they were unfaithful, God became angry and the people were punished because they did not do God’s will!

God’s Faithfulness

God has always proved to be faithful, delivering on every promise that He has ever made. Again, hindsight is always 20/20. The children of Israel looking at the books of Moses would be able to see that God always provided for them and they made it hard on themselves by not having their faith firmly rooted in God. Every prophecy that has ever been prophesied has come to pass, with one more yet to be fulfilled and that is the second coming of Christ. Not once did God ever let the children of Israel down. God could always be depended upon in every situation. Moses tells the congregation of God’s people in Deuteronomy about all the blessings that will be bestowed upon them if they will keep God’s commandments because He has proven to be faithful!

Making Application to Our Life

Haven’t we been guilty of murmuring and complaining when things do not go as we think they should in our life. In Romans 15:4 Paul said: “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” We need to turn our hindsight into foresight and look at what happened to the children of Israel. God has not changed. When we live faithful in our life toward Him, He will provide us will all spiritual blessings (Eph 1:3). Yet if we are disobedient, then we will be punished. Let us learn from Moses.