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This morning I am so excited - doubly so! Why? A question that dogged me for some time has found an answer and it is in Ezekiel 20:46-47.

"46 "Son of man, set your face toward Teman, and speak out against the south and prophesy against the forest land of the Negev,

47 and say to the forest of the Negev, ‘Hear the word of the LORD: thus says the Lord GOD, "Behold, I am about to kindle a fire in you, and it will consume every green tree in you, as well as every dry tree; the blazing flame will not be quenched and the whole surface from south to north will be burned by it.

48 "All flesh will see that I, the LORD, have kindled it; it shall not be quenched.”’”

Now, what was my question? How were all the animals, livestock maintained when the Israelites left Egypt during the Exodus? Scriptures numbers them "without number" - now that is a LOT. A LOT. Have you ever heard the noise animals make when they are hungry, thirsty, uncomfortable? They get very noisy - I promise- I grew up on a farm with a diversified operation. I know the nature of domestic livestock. Scripture does not say the manna was for animal consumption at all, so how were they sustained? I suspected God had the desert grow vegetation that would have sustained livestock but where was the proof? Deborah mentions how God made it to rain in Seir...Now, here in Ezekiel, God is talking about the forest that characterized, grew in the Negev.

This just goes to prove that one does not reject a teaching just because we have some unanswered questions - He will provide the answer in due time if we are just patient.

Just thought I would share my pleasure and delight I had this morning as I read Ezekiel 20.

Sandra

I believe the Negev desert is in Israel so the wandering of the Israelites did not take place there I do not believe. Of course I may be wrong about that.

Some commentators do not think Ezekiel was referencing trees when he uses the term "forest” but rather people.

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"Some commentators do not think Ezekiel was referencing trees when he uses the term "forest” but rather people."

Sounds like a amillennialist talking - they will spiritualize whatever they do not like or understand. How you can say it is people given the context is a stretch.

If you study the OT law God promises rain from the sky if they will be obedient to Him; he also promises he will with hold rain if they persist in disobedience. Since this was the law back then, I find it hard to believe otherwise.

Context, context will teach one how to understand the WORDS spoken.

In any case, when you have 600,000 men besides women and children - some say up to 2,000,000 - traveling they will occupy a lot of real estate. Then you have all the animals - without number - to deal with. This was no small Exodus - it was huge. And Moses led them out of a country like Egypt - a phenomenal feat, no less. I try to visualize this in my mind, imagination and it just about fails me. I am left in awe. It is no wonder the Canaanites were scared silly when they were on the banks of Jordan fixing to cross over.

A forest of trees, vegetation is perfect for goats - they love to eat brush. In a woods you will have patches of grass that cattle and sheep can eat. It sounds perfect to me, being a farm girl that I was caring for all kinds of animals.

Sandra

I don’t know Sandra- I just randomly checked 3 different commentators and all three said the forest trees represent the people who were being judged. Why would God judge trees?

I think the bigger issue to your point is that the Negev is in the promised land, not the wilderness of wandering.

That being said, I have often wondered how all the animals were fed and watered. There are various explanations, none 100% satisfying.

I heard a DD talk about the Exodus and the parting of the RedSea . He said even if it was during thedry season as some commentators say the area crosed would be 50 miles wide and what water that was there would have stood 10 stories high in order to allow them to cross over on dry land . I like to take God s word literally how ever i sometimes apply it spiritually. But your understanding is awesome to ponder on about the Greatness of our God and Hid provision for His people, ie, us as well.

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"But your understanding is awesome to ponder on about the Greatness of our God and Hid provision for His people, ie, us as well."

This is why I love to study the OT so much. I am left with a sense of awe that fuels my admiration for who God is and how wonderful he really is - worthy of all my worship.

The Exodus to me is among the most awesome incident in the OT...

Consider: there were 600,000 men besides women and children - likely 2,000,000 people and then animals without number. How are you going to deal with human and animal wastes - known as feces or poop? Later God instructed the people to carry a shovel to buy their own wastes, but the animals - unless it is a cat, do not bury theirs. But God wanted the camp to remain clean... can you imagine? The logistics involved in this Exodus?

Why do I think of the animal wastes? Remember I grew up on a farm that had animals and fowl and they poop with no regard for place and people.

Totally amazing....

Sandra