"Wilderness experiences" are mentioned quite a few times throughout the Word of God. They are spiritual experiences that have occured historically, and have continued to occur experientially in the lives of God's People, ever since God placed His first mandate upon the life of an individual, or a Nation. These are experiences that are ordained of God in our lives, ones that are tailored by Him to suit our needs. In these experiences He can change us, and bring Himself Glory.
Wilderness experiences are spiritual journeys that are spoken of in the Word as being seasons of enhanced spiritual growth and confirmation that can only take place in our lives during times of difficulties, and struggles. During these times we learn to trust in God. We learn to recognize His leading, and follow His commands. We learn in times of uncertainty that only through complete obedience to Him shall God's good Will most certainly be done in our lives, no matter what our life's circumstances may look like. These are times when God can do a deep work of transformation in us. He has our undivided attention when the heat is turned up under the smelting pot. We are that smelting pot, and He skims off the impurities of the remnants of our old nature when they "rise to the top", so that ultimately only the purified Gold of the Character, and the obedience of Christ will remain within us.
Wilderness experiences are unique experiences that have always occurred in the lives of individuals who were and are chosen by God to be purified, and prepared for the calling that He places upon our lives. The Nation of Israel being led in it's Exodus from Egypt, through the wilderness, to God's chosen destination for them of the Promised Land, is one outstanding exception to the rule of the wilderness experience being one that is reserved for individuals.
Moses is generally thought of as being the first man spoken of in Scriptures who was ordained of God to pass through a wilderness experience that was to prepare him for a ministry. Moses discovering his true Hebrew heritage, and beginning to walk in his newly revealed Hebrew identity was a type and shadow of our spiritual nationalities being changed when God gives us a new spiritual nature, when we are "born again." It was during Moses's wilderness experience that God appeared to him in the Burning Bush, and God commanded Moses to lead His People out of Egypt. In his role as leader of God's people out of the land of bondage, Moses was a type and shadow of Christ.
The account of the birth and the days of the younger Moses is actually very brief, in the Book of Exodus. When he was around 40 years old, Moses fled Egypt when the Pharoah of Egypt discovered that he had killed an Egyptian taskmaster who was abusing one of his Hebrew brethren. These events were the beginning of Moses's wilderness experience that was continued upon his arrival in the land of Midian, where he took up residence with a man named Jethro, who was a priest in that land. For a period of approximately forty years, God prepared and changed Moses in the wilderness, to make him ready for the tasks He had planned for him.
Moses married Zipporah, who was one of Jethro's seven daughters. They named their son Gershom, which means, "I have been a stranger in a strange land." Moses had learned the ways of Egypt by experience, and even when he had played the part of an Egyptian prince, Moses's heart had never truly been "with" Egypt's culture and ideologies, that embraced the spirit of idolatry. Yet it was part of God's plan for his life, for Moses to "infiltrate" the enemy camp, to learn their ways, as part of his destiny for Moses to become the leader of God's people away from their bondage towards God's chosen, prepared place for them.
It is relevant to take note of the fact that Moses was made a shepherd during his 40 years in the wilderness with Jethro, while the Lord was shaping Moses's character. Only God is able to give us a shepherd's heart. God always changes us in our wilderness experiences by removing the ways of Egypt from our hearts, and replaces those ways with His Ways. The princes of Egypt were proud, vain men. The Princes that God creates are men of true compassion, strength, and humility. "Now the man Moses was (made) very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth." Numbers 12:3. Meekness is defined as compassionate humility, strength made gentle, patience under fire. In meekness there is a rest in the soul that has appeared through having learned obedience to the only One Who can give that rest and peace. Meekness is a necessity for one who is to lead and instruct others in a strong yet compassionate, Christ like manner.
During a season of leading his flock of sheep, Moses was led in his journey to the "...backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb."- Ex 3:1. God then appeared to Moses, and placed His mandate upon Moses's life. God's mandate upon the life of Moses was for him to be a leader, one who through Divine Enablement, at His express commands would work deliverance for His people. Moses had learned, through long and intimate acquaintance, to recognize and obey the Voice of his true King. The Moses that would appear before Pharoah to deliver God's command to him to release His People from Egyptian slavery was a very different Moses than the one who had stood before Pharoah as a Prince of Egypt. He had been transformed into a true Prince and obedient servant of God, "in the wilderness."
John Simmons © December 29, 2008
