Hebrew History 101 | The Wilderness of the People | Our Modern Sinai

This lesson dives into one of the most sobering yet hopeful chapters of our history. It addresses the "in-between" space we currently occupy - the spiritual desert where the Most High meets us before the final restoration.

Introduction:

Our history didn't start on a slave ship, and our identity isn't a mystery - it’s has been away - in our season of gross darkness - like an old family secret waiting for the right generation to uncover it. We often think of the 'wilderness' as a place of sand and heat from thousands of years ago. But the prophet Ezekiel spoke of a different kind of desert - a 'Wilderness of the People.' This isn't a geographical location; it is the state of our exile. It is the mental and spiritual space where we find ourselves right now: scattered among the nations, stripped of our land, culture, identity, yet being cornered by the Creator for a face-to-face reckoning. If you feel like you are in a dry place, searching for truth amidst the chaos of the world, realize that you aren't lost, you are being processed for the return.

The Face-to-Face Reckoning

In Ezekiel 20:33-35, the Most High makes a terrifying and beautiful decree:

"As I live, saith YAH GOD, surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out, will I rule over you: And I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered... And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face."

What does this mean for our generation?

1. The End of Assimilation: For a long time, we tried to blend in. We tried to be 'American,' 'British,' or 'Caribbean' and nothing more. But the "fury poured out" mentioned here is Elohim’s refusal to let us disappear into the melting pot. He is making it 'uncomfortable' for us to stay in the shadows of other identities. He is causing a ’hard’ separation from the nations through racism; and then, and only then will we realize that we are a distinct and separate nation with our own identity.
2. The Pleading: In the Hebrew context, to "plead" (shaphat) means to execute judgment or to bring to trial. In this modern wilderness, the Creator is presenting the evidence of our heritage to our hearts. He is forcing us to choose: Will you remain a 'byword,' or will you be My covenant people?
3. The Rod of the Covenant: Ezekiel 20:37 says, "And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant." Just as a shepherd uses a rod to count and inspect each sheep, the Most High is individually inspecting us. He is filtering out the "rebels" and the "transgressors" (v. 38) to ensure that those who enter the land are those who truly love the Law- these are the remnant.

The Purpose of the Dry Place

The wilderness is never the destination; it is the preparation.

• In Egypt, the wilderness was where we received the Torah.
• In the Diaspora, the "Wilderness of the People" is where we return to the Torah.

The religions of the nations cannot save us in this desert. The politics of the nations cannot feed us here. We are being forced to return to GOD because there is nowhere else to go. The isolation many feel today as they wake up to their Hebrew roots is exactly what Ezekiel described - a separation from the people so that YAH can speak to your heart without the noise of the world.

In the context of Ezekiel 20, the "Dry Place" or the "Wilderness of the People" is not a punishment of abandonment, but a strategic environment for restoration. The Most High uses this metaphorical, spiritual, and physical desert to strip away the distractions of the nations and focus our attention entirely on Him.

The Three Pillars of the "Dry Place"

1. To Break the Cycle of Assimilation

Israel’s greatest struggle has always been the desire to be like the nations around them. In Ezekiel 20:32, the people said, "We will be as the heathen, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone." The purpose of the dry place is to make that assimilation impossible. By placing us in a "wilderness" state, where we no longer feel at home in the cultures of the world, the Creator breaks our reliance on foreign identities. It’s time to seek GOD wholeheartedly!

2. For Individual Inspection (The Rod)

In the ancient world, a shepherd used a rod to count and inspect each sheep as they entered the fold.

"And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant." (Ezekiel 20:37)

The dry place forces every Hebrew to stand before YAH individually. In the "busy-ness" of modern-day Egypt, it is easy to hide in the crowd. In the wilderness, there is nowhere to hide. He inspects our hearts to see who truly desires the Covenant and who is simply following a trend.

3. To Purge the Rebels

The dry place acts as a divine filter. Just as the generation that left Egypt under Moses had to be purged of those who longed for their old lives, the modern "Wilderness of the People" filters out those who refuse to repent.

"And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me... they shall not enter into the land of Israel." (Ezekiel 20:38)

Summary of the Wilderness Function

The summary of the Wilderness Function from Ezekiel 20 is:

• Stage 1: Separation
• Action in the Dry Place: Pulling us out of the "melting pot" of the nations.
• Spiritual Outcome: Rediscovery of our "Peculiar" status as a set-apart treasure.
• Stage 2: Pleading
• Action in the Dry Place: A "Face-to-Face" reckoning (v. 35) where YAH presents His case to our hearts.
• Spiritual Outcome: Conviction of sin and a sincere return to the Law and Statutes.
• Stage 3: Purifying
• Action in the Dry Place: Removing the deep-seated desire for the idols of our captivity and rooting out the rebels.
• Spiritual Outcome: The formation of a holy remnant prepared to inherit the Promise.

The Takeaway for Today

The "Dry Place" is where the Byword dies so the Birthright can be reclaimed. If you feel isolated or misunderstood by the world as you embrace your Hebrew roots, you are simply in the wilderness being prepared for the Bond of the Covenant. The heat of the desert is intended to burn away the "wood and stone" of the nations so that only the gold of the Covenant remains.

Conclusion: Passing Under the Rod

The Wilderness of the People is a place of decision. It is where the 'byword' dies and the 'Hebrew' is reborn. We are currently passing under the rod of the Most High YAH. He is sifting us, shaking us, and calling us out from the countries where we were scattered. This awakening you feel - this hunger for the ancient paths and truths - is the 'pleading' of Elohim. Do not fear the desert. Do not fear the isolation. Do not fear being different. Do not fear the ‘calling.’ It is in the dry places that the Living Water is most sweet. The wilderness is almost over, but the bond of the covenant is forever. It’s time to stop wandering and start walking toward the Promise.

Reflection Questions:

• What tests and trials have you endured when rejecting assimilation into modern culture?
• What does "passing under the rod" look like in your personal life? What is the Creator asking you to leave behind in the wilderness? Are you embracing the fear or rejecting the ‘calling’?
• Why is it necessary for the "rebels" to be purged before the return to the land?

Elohim still loves you, Israel. The call remains the same: Choose Life, Choose Blessing, Choose Undivided Devotion. Repent, Return, and be free from the shadows of gross darkness.

I hope this blog post has been helpful. If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment below. Shalom qodesh qadasheem - the “set apart ones.”