These Israelites were stubborn, rebellious and stupid. I don't think I would have questioned someone who had just moved a couple of million folks from the bonds of slavery, found them ample water [Exodus 15:25], and was now providing them nourishment on a daily basis with no physical effort on their part......outside of just picking it up from the ground! But they did question....and they grumbled.
It took 40 years to travel 240 miles.....six miles a year! My grass grows almost that fast! When they reached Sinai in the third month The Lord promised that they would be a Kingdom of Priests and a Holy Nation......if they would only obey Him and keep His covenants. Up to this point He had saved them from Pharaoh [Exodus 14:26-28], He had provided them water in a trackless waste [Exodus 17:5-7] [Numbers 20:1-13] and He fed them....all they could eat and still they complained and grumbled.
Now I don't know much about you.....but if I had witnessed these miracles, and The Lord had told me that He was going to make me something special.....I'd say...."Let's do it!" These folks and their ancestors must have been taking "dummy drops" while they were laying on the banks of the Nile.....or something.
THEY REFUSED TO ENTER THE PROMISED LAND! This was the land promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They arrived in Paran three days after a short march from Sinai [Numbers 10:11-13]....a little over two years from their exodus from Egypt. Twelve scouts were sent out to observe "The Promised Land" [Numbers 13:1-15]....but only Joshua and Caleb had the courage to report the truth [13:30][14:6-9]. But the rest were cowards, did not believe The Lord would protect them (DUH) and lied [13:31-33].
Forty years for every day their scouting party was gone [Numbers 14:33-35]. Wander and eat manna!
The Desert of Paran.....where Hagar and Ishmael went after leaving Sarah and Abraham [Genesis 21:17-21]. This is also where King David sought refuge after Samuel had died. He was hiding here from Saul [1 Samuel 25:1-4]. These stupid Israelites wandered around in here for another 38 years because they would not trust The Lord. Do you think He would let them have steaks and burgers after treating Him this way? They were about three days march from where Jerusalem would be!
Thank you again and if I may ask....How do you know so much??? Have you studied since you were a child or are you just exceptionally smart?
Thank you for your kind words. It is all written down....I just read it! Those smarter than me have figured out the crucial points already.
I keep pinging Doug in the hopes he will answer your earlier question about the "Shadows" [Colossians 2:17]. I'm sure he was Tabernacling with his family when you originally sent him that post.....9/27 [Preaching a pre-tribulation rapture]
This is going back to the "tribes" issue. Two interesting questions have been brought up.
11 Chronicles 34:6 And so did he in the cities of Manasseh, and Ephraim, and Simeon, even unto Naphtali, with their mattocks round about.
The question is if the northern tribes are scattered what was that scripture in reference to. The questioner believes it shows that the tribes had melded. My answer was 11 Kings 17:24....other men were placed in those cities.
If you have another answer please let me know.
Also, she brought up the prophetess Anna - Luke 2:36, being of the tribe of Asher and living in Jerusalem.
Any help with these two questions would be greatly appreciated.
......Ping-Pong