Wilderness In the Bible: To Do You Good in the End
“When the Lord your God enlarges your territory, as he has promised you, and you say, ‘I will eat meat,’ because you crave meat, you may eat meat whenever you desire” Deuteronomy 12: 20.
I love this verse because it stands in sharp contrast to what happened to the Israelites in the wilderness when they “craved meat”.
At that time, God was angry with them about it. And “while the meat was yet between their teeth, before it was consumed, the anger of the Lord was kindled against the people, and the Lord struck down the people with a very great plague” Numbers 11: 33.
To read Deuteronomy chapter 12 for context, click here.
God Has Nothing Against Meat
But, in this verse, it says when they “crave meat”, they may eat as much as they want.
It’s not that God didn’t want the Israelites to ever eat meat. Or enjoy good things. That’s actually exactly what He had in mind for them.
In fact, Deuteronomy 8: 16 says He “fed you in the wilderness with manna that your fathers did not know, that he might humble you and test you, to do you good in the end”
Did you catch that to do you good in the end part?
But, before they could enjoy these good things, they had to be prepared. . . and humbled. . . and tested.
No, it’s certainly not that God didn’t want them to eat meat and enjoy good things. It was that they had to mature and learn to consistently walk in love first.
Wilderness in the Bible: Preparation
God was not intending to withhold meat from them forever. But they had to be prepared to handle the blessing. They had to be humbled and matured before He could trust them with it.
“No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly” Psalm 84: 11.
Good things are sometimes withheld from a child because he doesn’t have the wisdom or maturity or self -control to handle it yet.
This isn’t to keep him from having any fun. Or because the parent doesn’t love him.
Rather, it’s to protect him. And promote his well-being.
A loving, wise parent doesn’t give his five-year-old the car keys. He doesn’t even give his 15-year-old the car keys without supervision.
But after the proper training and maturation has occurred. . .
In the same way, God was telling the Israelites in the wilderness He didn’t want them to have meat. . . yet.
God Wasn’t Holding Out on Adam and Eve
Similarly, I don’t believe God intended to withhold the tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil (wisdom) from Adam and Eve forever.
God wants us to be filled with His Spirit, which is the Spirit of Wisdom (Isaiah 11: 2).
But wisdom doesn’t come instantly. It comes gradually as we fear and obey God. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” Proverbs 9: 10.
They weren’t going to be allowed to eat the fruit of wisdom until they were wise. And they weren’t going to be wise without proving they feared and obeyed God over time.
This they did not do.
In fact, they showed they didn’t fear God when they ate the fruit He commanded them not to eat (Genesis 3: 6).
The Israelites wanted meat before they were ready. Adam and Eve wanted the fruit of wisdom before they were ready.
They lacked patience. Patience or steadfastness is what leads to maturity (James 1: 2-4). Maturity is what ushers in the blessing we’re so impatient to receive.
Be Patient in the Wilderness: The Bible Says in Due Season. . .
If the Israelites and Adam and Eve would’ve been patient and waited for God’s timing “in due season we will reap, if we do not give up” Galatians 6: 9.
Faith produces patience.
If the Israelites would’ve believed God was going to give them meat in due time, their “craving” would’ve been replaced with hope. And they would’ve been able to wait.
It’s unbelief that causes us to take matters into our own hands. And not wait for God.
This is what God had in mind when He insisted the Israelites and Adam and Eve wait:
“They who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength [patience, endurance];
they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint [be complete and mature]” Isaiah 40: 31.
To read another post similar Wilderness in the Bible: To Do You Good in the End, to see Suffer Well and Incur No Absolute Loss.
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