And they said to each other, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.” Numbers 14:4 NIV
What was life like for the people when they were living in Egypt?
- They had slave masters over them who oppressed them with forced labor. Ex. 1:11
- The Egyptians worked them ruthlessly. Ex. 1:13
- Pharaoh made it impossible for the people to meet their quota of bricks by removing the supplies they needed, then beat them for falling short. Ex. 5:6-14
- The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, “When you are helping the Hebrew women during childbirth on the delivery stool, if you see that the baby is a boy, kill him.” Ex. 1:15-16
- Their lives were bitter. Ex. 1:13
- The people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Ex. 2:23
God’s people endured both physical and emotional abuse at the hands of the Egyptians. They cried out to God and He heard their cry and miraculously rescued them. Yet, as they sat on the edge of the promised land, with the opportunity to finally have the life they’d always wanted, fear took over and they thought it would be better to go back to Egypt! How can that be? How could they so quickly forget the pain they endured while living in slavery?
It’s easy to shake our heads in disbelief at the Hebrews, but doesn’t that happen to us too? Our story goes something like this: We are living in slavery to sin, the pain too much to bear, so we cry out to God and He hears our cry and miraculously rescues us. He gives us the opportunity to enjoy a life free from sin, but when the pressures of life set in, fear takes over and we run right back to the same sin God rescued us out of! It can become a vicious cycle that leaves us, and those we love, broken and full of pain. So how do we break free?
We need to trust God to take us into the promised land. If your sin is of an addictive nature, get a solid treatment plan in place. If your current plan isn’t working, aggressively seek additional help, but don’t turn back! Trust God to guide you through the desert, and keep walking in the right direction, one step at a time.
Moses had sent spies to check out the land and report back to the community. Many of the spies returned with bad news: “The land is full of giants, there’s no way we can take it, we’ll die trying.” Freedom was right in front of them, but they were afraid to battle an enemy that big. They focused on the obstacles that stood in their way, rather than the God who rescued them from Egypt. If sin is pulling you back into slavery, don’t turn back; plan an aggressive attack, engage in the battle and trust God to give you success.
Keep your sinful past in proper perspective. Don’t romanticize it. You were living in slavery! It was painful! Don’t lose sight of that! We all have two choices: We can trust God’s plans for us are good and fight for all that He has for us or we can turn back to our own harm. If the enemy is pulling you back and you feel like you’re losing the battle, cry out to your Father. He loves you and will help you stand firm. Ask Him to provide the right people to help you break free, then follow their advice. If the people of Israel had followed the advice of Caleb and Joshua, they would have made it to the promised land.
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1 NIV
For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” Romans 8:15 NASB
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
Yes, child of God, that verse applies to you!