41. Millions of people complain: Eating the same food all year—is it a trial or torment?
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On the first day of the second year after the Israelites left Egypt, the tabernacle and everything inside it were completed. Moses once again proclaimed God’s commandments and laws to the people and appointed Aaron’s family as high priests.
On the eighth day of the first month, the whole congregation gathered before the Tabernacle. After Aaron finished offering the sin offering, burnt offering, and peace offering, he raised his hand to bless the people and walked down from the altar.
Afterwards, Moses and Aaron entered the tent of meeting and came out to bless the people. At that moment, God’s glory was revealed to all the people, and fire came down from heaven, burning up the burnt offerings and fat on the altar. When the people saw this scene, they cheered in unison and bowed down in worship.
On the evening of January 14th, the Jews celebrated the Passover for the second time at the foot of Mount Sinai. Under the full moon, in the chill of spring, by the campfire, they ate lamb, reminiscing about their last night in Egypt a year ago and the magical experiences that followed. For seven consecutive days, they feasted, drank, and celebrated, commemorating God’s salvation and celebrating their freedom.
A week later, on February 1st, God had Moses count the number of men from the twelve tribes who were over twenty years old. Joseph’s two sons each counted as a tribe, while the tribe of Levi, being hereditary priests, was not counted.
According to statistics, the twelve tribes had a total of 603,550 males. They are all recorded. On the morning of February 20, the loud trumpet broke through the silent camp, and people came out of their tents and gathered before Moses. After camping at the foot of Mount Sinai for nearly a year, the time came for them to leave. The pillar of cloud that had been covering the Tabernacle slowly rose and drifted northeast. Following Moses’ orders, the tribe of Judah, stationed east of the Tabernacle, broke out of camp and led the vanguard, with a Levitical detachment following closely behind, carrying the dismantled tabernacle on their shoulders.
Then came the eldest son, the Lü Bian family. The other families set out in order, until the Dan family covered the rear. As the sun rises and the spring breeze rises, over two million Hebrews wind and wind, strolling slowly across the barren wilderness.
Ahead of them was a pillar of cloud leading the way, which had been guiding them since leaving Egypt. Behind them stood the towering Mount Sinai, and at its foot they made a covenant with God and were disciplined by Him. In the procession, men lead oxen and drive carts, women hold their children, silently following the elders of their families toward unfamiliar directions.
As they walked farther and farther, people occasionally looked back. After parting from Mount Sinai, the spring flowing from the rock still flowed, and the shards of Moses’ smashed slabs were scattered at the foot of the mountain. The footprints left behind would soon be erased by the wind, and the dark Mount Sinai would forever remain deep in the memories of their people. They left here and never returned.
Seeing the cloud pillar leading the way, their melancholy turning into inexplicable tension as they left.
Where will God lead us? What Moses could never forget was God’s promise to his ancestor Abraham four hundred years ago—Canaan, known as the ‘Milk and Honey’. Canaan—is he really that plump? It was just a strange name, because not only us, but even our ancestors and grandfathers were all born and raised in Egypt. Why must we “return” to Canaan?
What was the cost of entering Canaan? Moses counted our male population, specifically those suitable for war. Canaan is so fertile and fertile; how could the people living there possibly hand it over? They must have a dedicated army waiting; that’s their turf, and they’re waiting for the enemy to wear. How could our 600,000 slaves possibly defeat them?
Even if God can help us win, can we avoid dying in battle? Why didn’t God keep us as slaves in Egypt? At least we don’t need to go to the battlefield, and didn’t their army protect us too? In Egypt, wasn’t what we ate and drank tastier than the manna God gave us? No matter how hard or tired we are, isn’t it better than dying on the battlefield?
And God’s discipline is truly harsh. We only worshipped a golden calf, and within a day, we were severely punished.
But when Egyptians worshipped the sun god, knelt before the glittering idols, and enjoyed themselves with beautiful temple courtesans in temples, how exhilarating they were! But we lived in Egypt for two hundred years, let alone experienced it, didn’t even have the chance to see it with our own eyes. Why didn’t God discipline them?
Thinking this, they dared not speak, because they had personally experienced God’s works too many times and knew that God was truly holy and awesome, and that God’s word was truly unquestionable. They could only keep their complaints bottled up and bow their heads to follow Moses.
The first night arrived just like that. People camped in the wild, exhausted, ate their manna-made dinners, and fell into a deep sleep.
Early the next morning, Yun Zhu continued moving forward, and they still broke camp and set out.
The third day was the same. At night, while camping, the exhausted people stared at the manna in the pot, finally finding an outlet for their pent-up resentment. The whole camp was filled with rising and falling complaints: “Even if I worked myself to death or starved, I wouldn’t want to eat this manna anymore!” Eating it made my stomach feel nauseous. ”
“When we were in Egypt, we could eat fish without spending money, plus cucumbers, watermelons, chives, scallions, and garlic.”
“And now? Besides manna, it’s just manna! How could just eating this make up for the energy you burned out? Moses heard the sarcasm coming from the tents, exhausted and helpless, so he prayed to God and lost his temper: “Why have you made things difficult for me? What did I do to offend you, and you insist on placing the burden of managing them on me?
Could they be my own flesh and blood? Why should I carry them to the place you promised their ancestors to be like a father caring for his son? They all cried and begged me for meat. Where could I find meat for them? Instead of treating me like this, you might as well show mercy and kill me, so I don’t suffer!” ”
The waning moon hung in the sky, and over the calm wilderness, a southeast wind quietly rose, making the thousands of bonfires burning in Israel seem shrouded in mystery.
