Life in the wilderness

The original Korean text: https://blog.naver.com/stevision/50025356915

 

Before they entered the land of Canaan, Israel came out of Egypt and lived in the wilderness for 40 years. Israel ate manna from heaven during their wilderness life, and were protected by God's pillar of cloud by day and by God's pillar of fire by night from the threats of the nature. In these 40 years in the wilderness, almost all of the Israelites who complained to God died, and a new generation entered the new land, conquered it, and established a nation. Thus, God's promise to Abraham has now been fulfilled over hundreds of years.

 

Let's consider matters as they are. Israelites were jobless for 40 years for they never farmed in the wilderness. Of course they raised livestock. But they had to rely only on God for the staple food. Let's think of manna. We eat Saewookkang (shrimp chips) as a snack. Who would eat the Saewookkang as a meal? But Israelites ate manna, which is but a snack, as a staple food for 40 years! Eating manna snacks all the day, Israelites got so distressed, and they immediately complained a few days later. "Please give us meat, Please, please give us vegetables!" Moreover manna came down on the ground. They had to eat manna three times a day, shaking off the dust of the dry wilderness from manna.

 

Later, Moses said that God fed the people of Israel with manna so that they might become more humble and learn to live according to the word of God rather than by the food of the flesh.

 

For a man to be born is like for Israel to come out of Egypt. A life of wilderness for a man is a period when he is jobless and grows up to a mature human being, depending on others for food, sometimes getting a blow on the butt. During this period, you must learn humility and get rid of your temperament of prodigality, adultery and violence, to have a good personality. Then you can be a good adult, start your family, and serve the society. This is the period of the settlement in Canaan.

 

I wonder if you live as a guest eater at someone else's house who feels sorry for eating free food. You're feeding on manna now, so don't be too sad but grateful to him who gives you food somewhat reluctantly. And instead of lamenting about your present situation, you should look at God who wants to make you a wonderful person by giving you such a hard time, a training time. You must thank God for keeping you like the apple of his eye always.