When Moses led the people of Israel out of Egypt, God often referred to them as a stiff-necked people. In other words, they were very stubborn and set in their beliefs. They expected God to lead them to a land of milk and honey with no problems. After all, He was God, He could do that, right?
When the people saw that the Pharaoh and his soldiers were following them, they got scared and began to complain. “Did the Lord lead us out into the wilderness just to die?” they asked of Moses. Then when God parted the sea and led them through to safety, they sang praises to His name.
When the water they found was bitter and undrinkable, they doubted again…Then they needed food. Each time God met their needs by giving them fresh water and bread that fell from heaven. When they wanted meat He sent quail for them to eat. Even as He met each one of their needs and showed his presence in the form of a cloud, at the slightest discomfort, the people complained.
When Moses went up on the mountain to receive the ten commandments, the people formed a golden calf and began to worship it. At this point God had reached the end of His patience and said to Moses in exodus 32: 9-10 …”I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiff-necked people. Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them.”
Moses then spoke up for the people and reminded God of His promise to Abraham, Isaac and Israel. Exodus 14: 1 And the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do to his people.
Though the people still tried His patience, God continued to lead them and fulfilled His promise. After forty years, when a whole generation had passed away, He led their children and grandchildren into the promised land.
Today we dwell in a land filled with God’s blessings. Food, water, clothes and other necessities have been available abundantly to most and shared with others. The situation we find ourselves in today with the coronavirus might make us ask: Are we a stiff-necked people? Have we done our best to honor God and His laws? We’ve seen days recently when food supplies are scarce, store shelves are empty and people are hoarding…of all things…toilet paper.
Do you fear God has forsaken us and left us to fend for ourselves while some unknown virus takes its toll on the whole world? As a nation we have been through many catastrophes but only two wars have affected the entire world like this virus has. Is God trying to tell us that He is out of patience with a stiff-necked people who refuse to follow His laws and have in every way defied Him? Who will plead with Him as Moses did that He will once again show us mercy and take this evil away?
Luckily we do have someone to intercede for us…God’s own Son, Jesus Christ gave His life and shed His own blood to cover the sins of us all…the whole world. No one was excluded when this new covenant was made… and every one who prays and asks for God’s mercy will receive it.
Many times the people refused to listen to Moses and the directions God gave. They let their fear of the unknown and the discomfort of living in the wilderness make them bitter and hateful. For too long we have seen hate and discontent grow among us as the politicians who claim to have our best interests at heart can’t agree on how to lead. Christians are being persecuted and Jewish people as well. Our laws contradict His and abortion is too often an answer. We rationalize and make excuses rather than face the consequences we deserve.
It is time for much prayer and cries for mercy. I am thankful that our President is one who is not afraid to mention God and ask for His direction in how to handle this situation. Hopefully he, like Moses, will continue to do so. The virus will pass, but will we return to life as we knew it before? I hope not. I hope we come out with a better understanding of God and how He leads; with more appreciation of what we have and for the people He has placed in our lives. I pray that families will come together and forgiveness more readily given to those who have wronged us. May we help each other as we help ourselves and reach out to those who have no one else.
May we cease to be a stiff-necked people who doubt when God leads in ways we didn’t expect and open our hearts to His words of comfort and direction. “Fear not,” He tells us, “for I am with you always.”