The Wilderness Experience

The Wilderness Experience

Exodus 13:17-18,21 Then it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, “Lest perhaps the people change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt.” So God led the people around by way of the wilderness of the Red Sea. And the children of Israel went up in orderly ranks out of the land of Egypt. 21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night. He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night from before the people.

Numbers 14: 26-30,35 And the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, “How long shall I bear with this evil congregation who complain against Me? I have heard the complaints which the children of Israel make against Me. Say to them, ‘As I live,’ says the LORD, ‘just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will do to you: The carcasses of you who have complained against Me shall fall in this wilderness, all of you who were numbered, according to your entire number, from twenty years old and above. Except for Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun, you shall by no means enter the land which I swore I would make you dwell in. 35 I the LORD have spoken this. I will surely do so to all this evil congregation who are gathered together against Me. In this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.’

We see that because of the children of Israel’s disobedience and complaining that God commanded that they roam the wilderness forty years (a year for every day the land was spied out by Joshua and Caleb.

They murmured and complained constantly even though God was with them and even went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way and a pillar of fire by night to give them light (Exodus 13: 17-22)

God even delivered them by parting the red sea waters so they could pass through as on dry ground, even drowning Pharaoh and the Egyptians behind them as He closed the sea in on them. (Exodus 14: 1-31)

Then when there was only bitter water for drinking, they complained yet again. So God commanded Moses to cast a tree into the waters and the waters became sweet (Exodus 15: 22-26). The Bible says in verse 25 that God tested them.

It goes on to say that they complained about having no food. They even accused
Moses of bringing them into the wilderness to die of hunger. Again God said He was testing them, and rained down Bread from heaven to see if they would walk in His laws and trust in Him (Exodus 16: 1-4)

And lastly again there was no water, so the children of Israel again complained to Moses saying that he had brought them and their livestock into the wilderness to die of thirst. So God again testing them, commanded Moses to strike a rock with his staff and water came forth. (Exodus 17: 1-7)

So why did the children of Israel die in the wilderness? The answer is because of their unbelief, complaining and disobedience! In other words .. They failed the test!

Romans 1:21 “Although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were they thankful, but became futile in their thoughts and their foolish hearts were darkened”

Instead of being thankful in the provision that God had made available to them, they complained and had an attitude of discontentment instead of an attitude of gratitude and thankfulness, you see God had them in the wilderness so that they would learn to trust Him and Him alone, they were never meant to roam and remain in the wilderness, they were only to pass through, a means to an end if you will, provision on the way to the promised land.

God also deals with us much in the same way, we will encounter and go through times and seasons of testing and hardships, but within those times He has prepared for us all that we need to not only survive but succeed! It all comes down to our attitude, we must have a thankful heart!

Much like the wilderness experience of the children of Israel, God also has a wilderness experience for us. The question is will we pass the test?

The Bible says in Psalms 11:5 - The Lord tests the righteous, but the wicked and the ones who loves violence His soul hates.

As Children of God we will be tested. God Uses the Wilderness experience to test our obedience and faithfulness and to bring us out learning to trust him in everything.

1 Thess 2:4 - But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the Gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men but God who Tests our Hearts

The testing is not necessarily for God to see how we will act and respond, in as much as it is for us to realize our need for Him and the great depths of His grace, provision and love for us.

1 Peter : 1:7 - that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it be tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Job 23 :10 - But He knows the way that I take, when He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.

Like Gold is tested and refined in the fire, so also shall we go through the refiners fire, to purify us, to burn away the impurities within us and to bring us out of the fires and into His glory for His glory!

Psalm 17:3 - You have tested my heart, you have visited me in the night, you have tried me and found nothing, I have purposed that my mouth shall not transgress

God is after what is inside of us, He sees past the facade and the outward appearance and He knows our hearts and innermost thoughts, that is what He wants to change, that is what He is after, to change us from the inside out.

Psalm 66:10-12 - For you o’ God have tested us, you have refined us as silver is refined, you brought us into the net. (prison, NIV) , you laid affliction on our backs, you have caused men to ride over our heads, we went through fire and water, but you brought us out into rich fulfillment. (abundance NIV).

Isaiah 48:10 - Behold I have refined you, but not as silver, I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.

2 Timothy 2:15 - Be diligent to present yourself approved by God (Tested by trial AMP) A worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing (rightly handling and skillfully teaching AMP) the word of truth.

We see from the above Scriptures that the purpose of God testing us also is to refine us and bring us forth as tested vessels for His Glory.

Zechariah 13:7-9 says 7 “ Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, Against the Man who is My Companion,” Says the LORD of hosts. “ Strike the Shepherd, And the sheep will be scattered; Then I will turn My hand against the little ones. 8 And it shall come to pass in all the land,” Says the LORD, “ That two-thirds in it shall be cut off and die, But one-third shall be left in it: 9 I will bring the one-third through the fire, Will refine them as silver is refined, And test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, And I will answer them. I will say, ‘This is My people’; And each one will say, ‘The LORD is my God.’”

God desires for all of us to look to Him in all things, Its in the wilderness experience that we are able to see our complete need for Him. When there is nothing but desert and barren ground around us, we are forced to trust Him! Its after the wilderness that God expects us to Trust in Him simply because He is our God and our provider!


Matt. 4:1-11 - shows us that even Jesus had a wilderness experience. During His wilderness experience the Bible says that Jesus was tempted. In all 3 of the times Jesus was tempted He used The Word to overcome it. It is written … It is written .. It is written.

That’s how we are to overcome the temptations that will come during our wilderness experience.
1) Know the word of God,
2) Speak the word of God,
3) Believe the word of God

Remember this also … 2 Corinthians 10:13 says that No temptation has overtaken you except that which is common to man, But God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make a way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

Hebrews 2:18 says For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.

So Jesus being tempted in all things can give us the strength to overcome in all temptations just as He overcame.

We must learn not to be like the Children of Israel in the wilderness filled with complaining, doubt and unbelief. But rather be like Jesus and submit completely to the will of God and surrender to His plan for our Life.

Remember this … It took God one day to get the children of Israel out of Egypt, but it took Him forty years to get Egypt out of the children of Israel.

In other words their deliverance from their bondage happened immediately, but their freedom from their bondage took much longer because of their unwillingness to submit to God and trust Him in the times of testing and the ungratefulness of their hearts concerning their wilderness experience.