Numbers: Why the Wandering?

Although forty years of wandering in the desert may seem like a waste of time, and detour from fulfilling God’s purposes, there are several possible objectives for sending the Israelites out into the desert to wander that are not simply about wasting time. One is to purge the people of evil, another is to make them grateful. Yet another reason is to make them obedient. Other possible reasons are to give them time to recover from the large numbers of people who got struck dead, or to strengthen their resolve to enter the land so they don’t run at the first tight of a fight, or to discipline the people. While some may argue that that the given objectives are adequate to explain the forty years of wandering, each of these possible objectives leaves the question of why these things need to be accomplished unanswered.

There is, however, an objective that answers the question of why these things need to be accomplished. If the forty years of wandering in the desert were to bring God glory, then each of the above tasks are to bring God glory. They fit under and support this overarching purpose This is also an objective that does not beg the question of why it is necessary.

While it may seem to be a bad witness for God to be killing large portions of his people, purging evil from God's people does bring glory to God's name, both at the time, and in the future. At the time, it shows that he is a just god who doesn't tolerate evil, and punishes sins accordingly. A purified nation is also more capable of bringing glory to his name in the future by providing the nations with a good witness of who the Lord is throughout the generations than a nation that God doesn't purify.

It also beings glory to God’s name for Israel to learn gratitude. If they are grateful for what he had given them, then they will praise him and give glory to His name. The forty years in the wilderness gave them many things to be thankful for. God guided them safely, and they survived the wilderness. He fed them for forty years on manna. He gave them water. If forty years of miracles is not enough to produce a grateful nation, nothing will. Also, forty years of doing amazing things for his people will cause future generations to praise him. Other nations will see what he has done for his people and will praise him for that as well.

The objective of making the people of Israel obedient is similar to the objective of purging them of evil, except that it is aimed more at changing the actions of the survivors than stopping the spread of evil. It too brings glory to God by providing a witness to the nations. He has chosen the people of Israel to be his representatives among the nations. Forty years in the desert watching God strike thousands of people dead because they didn't obey him is a really good incentive to obey him, and to give him the honor he demands.