Four Reasons Why Israel Suffered in the Wilderness

“What are we doing here? Are we lost? I thought we were going to the promised land.” That’s probably how the people of Israel felt as they wandered in the wilderness for forty years.

Deuteronomy 8

In Deuteronomy 8:2-3, Moses makes several important points about these difficult decades. He says,

And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. (ESV)

What can we learn from this explanation?

First, Israel was not lost; Israel was being led. Note how Moses begins: “The Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness.” God didn’t leave his people to find their own way, instead he went before them with the cloud by day and pillar of fire by night. God himself led Israel through the wilderness on purpose. Thus, the wilderness journey was not a mistake.

Second, God wanted to humble Israel. Moses identifies the purpose of these seemingly wasted years with a simple phrase, “that he might humble you.” God orchestrated the circumstances to keep Israel close to the ground and he kept Israel in that situation for four decades. Humility is that important to God. When we are in the wilderness it may seem like God doesn’t love us, but the exact opposite is the case. Verse 5 says, “Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you.” A father disciplines his child because he loves the child.

Third, God wanted Israel to learn obedience. The outward expression of humility is obedience. Moses continues, “testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not.” God wanted to see if Israel would obey even when the circumstances were miserable. The wilderness was the classroom and the lesson was obedience.

Fourth, God was teaching Israel to rely on him. Why did Israel have to eat strange food called manna during these years? Moses says, “that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” Instead of going out and gathering whatever they wanted, Israel had to gather and eat what God had provided. Survival meant waiting for God and accepting his daily provisions.

The Big Picture

A scan through Scripture reveals that Israel’s journey in the wilderness was not unique. While the wilderness setting varied, the Bible is filled with stories of people who went through a “wilderness” period. Here’s a partial list:

• Abraham and Sarah waiting for their promised son for twenty-five years.
• Joseph sold into slavery by his brothers then falsely accused and imprisoned.
• Moses serving as a shepherd in the wilderness for forty years then leading thousands of complaining people.
• Job losing his children, wealth, and health.
• Ruth and Naomi losing their husbands and becoming destitute.
• David running for his life and seeking refuge in deserts, caves, and forests.
• Elijah fleeing into the wilderness to hide from Jezebel then praying for God to take his life.
• Jeremiah thrown into a muddy cistern.
• Daniel sent into exile in Babylon and later placed in a lion’s den.
• Jesus tempted by Satan in the wilderness for forty days. Later, while being crucified, Jesus cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
• Peter arrested, beaten and imprisoned.
• Paul arrested, flogged, imprisoned, shipwrecked, and stoned.

Looking at the big picture leads to this conclusion: the wilderness is not permanent, but it is God’s plan for our lives. That may not sound encouraging, but remember God is leading and teaching vital lessons—humility, obedience, and dependence—in the wilderness.

Les Bridgeman

After graduating from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, I served as a high school Bible teacher in Asia. I enjoy traveling, writing, and playing the drums. For a deep dive into church history and the character of God, see my book Surprised by Hell.