Vol.IV No.IV Pg.1
May 1967

11 Days To Kadesh-Barnea

Robert F. Turner

"It is eleven days' journey from Horeb by the way of mount Seir unto Kadeshbarnea." A striking piece of information -- to those who see its significance in Deut. 1:2.

In Numbers 10: we can begin to trace the first journey of the Israelites from Horeb (Sinai). They "set forward" in the 2nd. year, 2nd. month, 20th, day, of their journey out of Egypt. On the 3rd. day of this trip they rested. (10:33) Here the people began to murmur and complain because they had no meat to eat. (11:4-f)

And God said, "Jehovah will give you flesh, and ye shall eat. Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days, but a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you--." (11:18-f) That "shot" the travel schedule.

But they finally moved on to Hazeroth. (11:35) Here, Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because he had married a Cushite woman. Envy entered the picture, and they questioned his authority. (12:1-2) Then God caused Miriam to become leprous, as white as snow with the disease. (12:9-12) Moses prayed for her, but God said she must be shut up without the camp for seven days; (12:13-15) "and the people journeyed not till Miriam was brought in again." We can count forty days spent on that eleven day journey, to this point; and they have not yet arrived in Kadesh-barnea.

And when they did arrive, and sent out spies to survey the land; these faithless, spineless characters were so fearful of the fight they sought to dissuade the people from doing as God instructed. (13:21-f) God finally caused them to wander another 38 years (including a return trip from Sinai to Kadesh-barnea) before they were allowed to cross into Canaan Land.

It is a long trip from Sinai to Kadesh-barnea -- when sin goes along. How long will it take you to mature as a Christian? A few years of happy development could become a life time, or never-never -- at present progress.

Travel advice?? "Take your burden to the Lord, and leave it there!!"