“Why is the Lord bringing us to this and only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?” And they said to each other, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.”” (Numbers 14:3-4 NIV)
The Israelites hit hardship and their first reaction was always ‘return to Egypt!’ – why?
Egypt was what they knew. As humans, we are far more accepting of hardship we are familiar with, the oppression we are accustomed to, then the foes we have yet to meet. As uncomfortable as Egypt had been, it was at least what they were used to. Though highly dysfunctional, it was the only home they had ever had.
Why was God so opposed to their return?
Egypt was a pagan country ruled by Pharaoh and his host of false gods. In returning, the Israelites would be declaring their utter dependance on deities that didn’t exist. This was especially insulting after God had rescued the Israelites dramatically and revealed Himself routinely. God was so adamant about the Israelites return that He made a law against it (Deuteronomy 17:16). Yet, we still see this temptation crop up again and again in the Israelite’s journey.
The Israelites failed to realize that they could not walk in reverse. The Egypt that they had left did not exist anymore. Pharaoh had been enraged and insulted. If they attempted a return, they’d be wiped off the face of the earth. There were no jobs or houses or pots of meat for them in Egypt; the country had been sacked by the wrath of God. It would take decades, maybe even centuries to reset to it’s former glory.
When we consider the Israelites and their misguided desire to return to Egypt, it is helpful to remember their exodus is a metaphor for our own escape from sin. When we face a new challenge along our journey, it is tempting to consider returning to our former way of life. Old habits and habitats – though destructive – still offer some measure of comfort. God reminds us to stay the course with Him. Intentional sin does not yield the same level of consequences as unintentional sin. When we have come to know God personally but willfully choose to walk away, we heap hardship up on ourselves. A return to our personal Egypt is going to hurt far more than we expect. Sin will always take us further than we wanted to go, keep us longer than we wanted to stay and cost far more than we ever thought possible.
Sin is it’s own punishment. It’s wages are death. When we willfully sin, we perpetuate death in our own story. Sin glimmers like Egypt from the wilderness: the far-off promise of something easier, but when we get close enough to lay hold, it’s something altogether different than we expected and it’s too late to turn around. Sin is a trap and we are the creature caught in it’s clutches. Egypt is not as it seemed.
For the Israelites – and maybe all of us – the only way forward is the one with God. And yes, it may be a little scary. There may be giants in the land and heavily fortified defenses. But we go with God. The Almighty is with us. He had provided for each and every step out of Egypt, why would He stop now? We must stay willing, stay brave, and step out in faith with our good and real God. We walk confident in His faithfulness and sure of His plan.
“Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes and said to the entire Israelite assembly, “The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. If the Lord is pleased with us, He will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will devour them. Their protection is gone but the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them.”” (Numbers 14:6-9 NIV)
Lord, please give us courage to keep moving forward with You. The comforts of sin are attractive from a distance; remind us of the price. Amnesty in Egypt is an apparition in the desert, not a reality to take hold of. Freedom is only found in right relationship with You. May we keep moving toward that. Amen.