The children of Israel were liberated after more than 400 years of slavery to Egypt. They were miraculously freed and brought through the Red Sea. No nation had ever seen such wonders done on their behalf, and yet their hearts were hard, and they were ungrateful and unbelieving. And because they were ungrateful, they complained against the very God who was working on their behalf. As a result of their continual complaining and their refusal to trust God, most of them died in the wilderness and never received the promise.

“How long must I put up with this wicked community and its complaints about me? Yes, I have heard the complaints the Israelites are making against me. Now tell them this: ‘As surely as I live, declares the Lord, I will do to you the very things I heard you say. You will all drop dead in this wilderness! Because you complained against me, every one of you who is twenty years old or older and was included in the registration will die. You will not enter and occupy the land I swore to give you. The only exceptions will be Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun. “‘You said your children would be carried off as plunder. Well, I will bring them safely into the land, and they will enjoy what you have despised. But as for you, you will drop dead in this wilderness. And your children will be like shepherds, wandering in the wilderness for forty years. In this way, they will pay for your faithlessness, until the last of you lies dead in the wilderness. Numbers 14:27-33 (New Living Translation, NLT)

and they began to speak against God and Moses. “Why have you brought us out of Egypt to die here in the wilderness?” they complained. “There is nothing to eat here and nothing to drink. And we hate this horrible manna!” Numbers 21:5 (New Living Translation, NLT)

Think of this: the wilderness journey from Egypt to Canaan is estimated by Bible scholars to be an eleven day trip. The complaining and unbelief of the people extended it to 40 long years. The manna they were given as food was intended to be a temporary thing. God did not intend for them to have to eat it for decades. They simply refused to see that their problems in the desert were self-inflicted.

They were given food from heaven to eat for the few days they were to be in the desert, but because they complained about everything they could complain about, they were forced to eat it much longer. And because the time was lengthened that they had to eat manna, they complained about that too. They were a thankless and rebellious people. And their complaints were rooted in unbelief. Time after time they accused God and Moses of taking them into the wilderness to kill them. After every supernatural thing they saw and experienced, they refused to believe that God’s plan was for their benefit- and so they hardened their hearts towards the Lord and His leader, Moses.

Had the people simply chosen to believe God, keep their mouths shut, and obey God’s leader, they would have been in and out of the wilderness in no time. And they would have only had to eat manna for a couple weeks. Their refusal to do this, not only prolonged the trip, but caused most of them to die before reaching the promised land.

Have you been in the desert a prolonged time? Have you been frustrated about your situation? Have you been complaining and murmuring about the spot you find yourself in? Like they despised the manna, sometimes we despise the very thing God is using to help us! Maybe, just maybe, you’ve prolonged your journey through the wilderness through a bad attitude and a thankless heart. If so, I encourage you to view your circumstances differently. Has God provided for you so far? Has He stayed with you through every situation? Each day take some time to thank the Lord for the blessings He has given you. Build your faith by getting in His Word. As you do these things, you will not be unbelieving and hard-hearted like the children of Israel… and you will pass quickly through the wilderness.

Remember what it says: “Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled.” Hebrews 3:15 (New Living Translation, NLT)