For some reason when I think about bible stories the one that comes to mind more then any other is the Exodus.  This could be because I felt like I have left what I called home to wander in the desert.

I can see how the people just wanted to be left alone because all they knew was slavery and even though they did not like it that is all they knew.  It is akward having to leave the only thing you know and not know what you are going to.  To say that you are going to your own land would be strange for people that only knew of one land and had never been able to venture away from that.

I can see how God and Moses would be annoyed at the people complaining all the time.  Even when God things happened they did not remember them and thus could only see the bad in every thing.  Moses came so far only to not be allowed to enter the promise land because of anger but his anger I can understand after leading the people out of slavery to have them do nothing but complain about every little thing.

I think that God had to remove the slave mentality and raise up warriors that would take the land that was promissed to them.  Until the slave mentality was removed from them they would never have been able to enter into the promise land.  Those that still felt like they were slaves would have just surrendered to those already in the land.  I think this is why we have to die to ourselves as God can use those that will not give up until God's work is done.  We may fall but those that get up will be used by God.  Some of us just stay on the ground and wallow about where we are.

Some of them decided to live just on the outside of the promise land.  They found land they thought looked good and also probably because they did not have to fight for the land.  By just being on the outside they did their own thing such as raising pigs which were unclean to jews.  This is also where the possessed man lived that Jesus freed by releasing the demons into the pigs.  This happens even today as we get away from church or those that hold us accountable we start to do our on things or even to go back to our old life style.  I know for me I live on the outskirts and like to be by myself but in doing this I set myself up to do my own thing and to wallow in my own self pity.  Hopefully others will learn by this and find some one they can talk to about any thing and be held accountable so they do not fall down and just stay there.