Imagine traveling through a vast desert without a compass, and with no, or very rare, landmarks as reference points, and with almost a million people depending on you. That could be nerve-wrecking. Moses depended on God to guide practically every move he made and direction he took. A mysterious cloud guided him during the day, and a fiery column by night, while, at times the cloud went to the rear to make the Israelites invisible to any enemies following them.
Whatever food they may have brought with them did not last long, and then the panic over what they would eat and what they would drink. Where does a general obtain food and water for a million people? That was one of the first crises for Moses, with that vast horde complaining of starvation, and dying of thirst in a hot, dry desert.
We already saw that God had solved their first big problem by leading them to safety across the Red Sea, and in a place where a crossing seem unthinkable and impossible. But, once that problem was miraculously overcome, they had good reason to trust Moses’ God. But, their desperation bred discontent and grumbling which could unsettle the strongest and most assured of leaders. And Moses was no exception. Each time the people became upset, Moses had to plead with God, “What do I do now? Where will I find food and water to feed this vast horde of complainers?” And God always came through, and told Moses that in the morning they will find a bread-like food growing from the dew across the desert floor, and in the late afternoon they will find the air filled with flocks of quail, and if you strike the rock I will show you, you will have plenty of water to drink. And that went on for years. And so they wandered through the open desert and stayed near the foothills of nearby mountains, and were guided and cared for by the benevolence of God.
But, why should it have taken them forty years to reach the promised land, when, even if they made a few detours and got lost occasionally, it should not have taken more than a few months? But, forty years? Why forty years?
And then, just think. God, again had huge problems to solve. Most of these people had long ago lost identity with the God of their ancestors, and while in Egypt, fell prey to the gods of the Egyptians. They were the only gods they knew, sun gods, fertility gods, gods for all their needs. This God whom Moses worshipped was unknown to them. They may have had some vague memories of their long dead ancestors’ stories about the God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, but there was nothing to keep that God alive for them. So, Moses’ most difficult task was to wash their memories of all the Egyptian gods and teach them that there was only one real God, the God who freed them from their slavery, and who was now leading them to a promised land flowing with milk and honey and all good things, a land that would be all theirs. Most of the old generation would resist such a radical change, just like people today are still resisting the changes brought about by the Second Vatican Council. So, God knew that he would have to give Moses time for the old generation to die off and, to raise a whole new generation who would know only about the one God who created all things, the sun, the moon, the earth, the sea, the sky, all the plants and animals and all the people of the earth. That whole painstaking process would take at least a generation. So, God painstakingly guided that vast horde in a most circuitous route back and forth between the Sinai, and Moab (present day Saudi Arabia), until he felt they were ready to be settled in their new land, where he could organize and send to them prophets and priests to teach and prepare them for their ultimate mission.
Again, we see a God with an unimaginable patience, until time and circumstances were ready for each of his successive moves forward with this difficult and defiant people. And how many times we see Moses himself complaining to God that the people were so obnoxious that he could not take them anymore? But, somehow God talked him out of it. One day, however, when the people were complaining because they had no water, God told Moses to strike a particular rock. Beside himself with the people’s constant complaining, he impatiently struck the rock twice, and the water came gushing out all over the desert floor. God then called Moses aside and told him that, because he showed his impatience with God before the people, God was punishing him. His punishment, “When you lead the people to the Promised Land, you will not enter with them.” What a punishment! Can you picture Moses’ reaction? That had to be the happiest day of his life, and a stunning example of God’s sense of humor.
