Here we summarise the wilderness wanderings up to the arrival at Sinai...

Arrival at Sinai (Part 2)

3 God’s Plan

Behind this story is God's grace, and how God made his will known to the Israelites by signs. God did not force his will upon them. Instead, he made it a condition that they choose to obey, in order that his kind intentions for them might be realised.

If they disobeyed, God warned, he would "break out against them."

Three things to notice in Exodus 19

• Notice God's intention: v. 5-6 (cf Rev 1:5-6, 1Pe 2:9) "You shall be a special treasure to me --a kingdom of priests"
• Notice the condition: v. 5 (cf Col 1:21-23) "If you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant"
• Notice the sign: v. 11,16 (cf 1Co 15:3-4) "It came to pass on the third day in the morning"

4 Early Stages of the Wilderness Wanderings

From Egypt to the arrival at Sinai...

• Ramases [in Egypt] to Succoth (Exo 12:37)
  ~ End of 430 years bondage
• Succoth to Etham (Exo 13:20)
• Turn back to camp between Migdol and the Red Sea (Exo 14:2)
  ~ Crossing of Red Sea
  ~ Egyptian army destroyed
• Red Sea to Wilderness of Shur (Exo 15:22-23)
  ~ Bitter waters made sweet
• On to Elim oasis (Exo 15:27)
• Elim to Wilderness of Sin (Exo 16:1)
  ~ Giving of manna and quail for food
• On to Rephidim (Exo 17:1)
  ~ Water from the rock and war with Amalek
• Rephidim to Sinai (Exo 19:1-2, Num 10:11, Num 1)
  ~ Arrived 3rd month after leaving Egypt
  ~ Stayed at Sinai 2 years
  ~ The Law given through Moses
  ~ Tabernacle constructed
  ~ First census taken

5 Latter Stages of the Wilderness Wanderings

From Sinai to the Promised Land...

• Stayed two years at Sinai.
• Sinai to Hazeroth, then to Kadesh (Num 12:16,13,14, Num 20:1-21)
  ~ Note: Kadesh (Kadesh-barnea) is an oasis surrounded clockwise
     by the wildernesses of Negev, Zin, Paran, and Shur.
  ~ Spies journey north to Canaan and return
  ~ Israelites rebel and refuse to enter the promised land
  ~ Water from the rock -Moses's error
  ~ Edom refuses passage along the King's Highway
• Kadesh to Mount Hor bordering Edom (Num 20:22-23)
  ~ Aaron dies, war with king Arad and the Canaanites
• From Mount Hor back toward the Red Sea (Num 21:4)
  ~ The bronze serpent raised on a pole
• Movements around Moab (Num 21:10-20, 33, Num 22:1)
  ~ War with king Sihon and king Og
  ~ Balaam, the donkey, and the angel
  ~ Israel becomes immoral (Num 25)
  ~ Second census taken
  ~ War with Midianites (Num 31)
  ~ Some tribes begin to settle (Num 32
• Summary of journeys and encampments (Num 33, Deu 1-5)