Taking God for Granted

Even on foot, it doesn’t take 40 years to go from Egypt to Israel. So why did the children of Israel wander in the wilderness for four decades?

It took that long because they weren’t learning the lessons that God wanted them to learn. So they effectively went around and around in circles. Even so, they had it made in the shade. The Lord provided them with food every day, which was called manna. The Bible describes it as “angels’ food” (Psalm 78:25).

But it wasn’t very long until they started complaining. They said, “We remember the fish we used to eat for free in Egypt. And we had all the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic we wanted. But now our appetites are gone. All we ever see is this manna!” (Numbers 11:5–6 NLT).

They started crying out to Moses that they wanted meat, so God gave them what they asked for. It literally rained quail, and the people caught as many as they wanted.

The problem with the Israelites was they had forgotten how miserable they were back in Egypt. They had forgotten the sting of the Egyptian whip and that they cried out to God for someone to deliver them.

Then the Bible tells us, “While the meat was still between their teeth, before it was chewed, the wrath of the Lord was aroused against the people, and the Lord struck the people with a very great plague” (verse 33 NKJV).

Offering commentary on this event, Psalm 106:15 says, “And He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul” (NKJV).

Let’s not take what God has done for us for granted. Let’s not look over our shoulders wanting to go back to the old life again, because the first step to going back is looking back.