To a New Land

Exodus 3:8 "...land flowing with milk and honey." Sounds amazing doesn't it? Actually in my former understanding I did not understand why the Israelite had such a hard time going to this land which flows with milk and honey. I mean if the land flows with these than wouldn't you just dive in? I know I would, but having experienced some of this land and learned more about it I realize that their was a difficulty coming to Israel. The Israelites were in fact coming out of Egypt. Numbers 14:3 "...'Wouldn't it be better for us [Israelites] to go back to Egypt?'" Egypt was full of food, security, and other comforts one would find in the ancient world. Egypt was one of the superpowers and to be a slave in Egypt had more benefits than living out in desert on your own in the area of present day Israel, Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan (I will from here on out refer to as Israel).

Egypt had the Nile river. This alone puts Egypt on top of the surrounding areas. A consistent harvest calendar allows for civilization to become more complicated (some would say sophisticated). It also allows for a more centralized government because of the communication the river transportation allows. Lastly Egypt is very secure in the ancient world because it is surrounded by barren desert. Egypt doesn't need to rely on anything beyond the river really.

In the land of Israel there is no powerful river (the Jordan does not compare). There are numerous highways in and out of Israel that make it very vulnerable to attack while also making it a prime target. So the Israelites have to rely on rain for crops to grow not an annual flooding of a river like Egypt. On top of that Israel does not make Egypt a target for military exercises (that's a modern history phenomenon) Israel was a target of Egypt as well as the target of a few other big names of the day. The land of Israel is not conducive to building an empire because it lacks too much.

So why the struggle you ask? Because faith is what is needed to live in the Promise Land. Some of the Israelites did not want to leave the easy plains of Egypt for the high hills and dry land of Israel. The milk and honey did not come flowing because of the Nile. It all came from the Hand of God.