Pam Padgett ... teacher
God promised the children of Israel to lead them to a good and large
land flowing with milk and honey after they were delivered from the
Egyptians. But God did not lead them in the shortest way to this land. Although it was nearby to go through the land of the Philistines, God knew
there would be war there and that the children of Israel would
want to return to Egypt because of this. So, instead, God led them
through the way of the wilderness ...
Exodus 13:17 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people
go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the
Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the
people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt: 18 But God
led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea:
and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt.
And God led them in a way they could recognize and follow: a pillar of a cloud during the day, and a pillar of fire at night ....
Exodus 13:20 And they took their journey from
Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness. 21 And
the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them
the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by
day and night: 22 He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor
the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.
God knows everything about us and what lies ahead. HE leads us in the best way for us. And God knows how to lead us in a way we can understand.