After the children of Israel had passed through the Red Sea, they found themselves in the wilderness. The wilderness is not as pleasant as Egypt. Like the children of Israel, many of us still remembered the taste of “garlic,” “onions,” and “leeks” when we were in the wilderness after we had made our exodus out of Egypt (Num. 11:5). We enjoyed recalling our experiences in the world. Many times you may have remembered the taste of going to the movies. This is a taste of “garlic.” Perhaps you still have memories of the times you went dancing. This is an “onion.” Before they were saved, some might have gone to the casinos in Las Vegas. After they were saved, however, in times of solitude they might have remembered those experiences. These are “leeks.” If we are honest, we must admit that we all have had such memories.
Although the wilderness does not seem to be a pleasant place, in it there is a certain enjoyment of Christ. In Egypt at the time of the Passover, the children of Israel enjoyed Christ as the lamb. In the wilderness they enjoyed manna day by day. They enjoyed Christ, not as something from the earth, but as something from heaven. When the children of Israel tasted manna the first time, everyone must have been excited. They might have said, “What a wonderful, heavenly food! It is nourishing, rich, and delicious.” But after a while, they became weary of manna. Morning, noon, and night they had nothing except manna to eat. Hence, they complained to Moses, saying, “We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic: but now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, besides this manna, before our eyes” (Num. 11:5-6). They seemed to be telling Moses, “When we were in Egypt, we had a variety of good things to eat. Eating manna here in the wilderness is a punishment. Why did you bring us here?” This is not only the history of the children of Israel; it is also our biography. Often in the meetings we praise the Lord, saying, “Hallelujah for the enjoyment of Christ!” But has there not been at least one time when you were tired of enjoying Christ? I doubt that there is anyone who has never been weary of the enjoyment of Christ.
Although the children of Israel did not like to be in the wilderness, there was nothing they could do about it. It was too late to repent and return to Egypt. They had no choice except to go forward. If they wanted something richer than what they had in the wilderness, they had to go forward, not backward. They had to continue through the wilderness and cross another river, the Jordan.
After the children of Israel crossed the Jordan River, they entered into the good land, and the manna ceased. Joshua 5:12 says, “And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the produce of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna any more; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year” (Heb.). Even if they had wanted to enjoy manna again, there was no more manna. Perhaps after dwelling in the good land for a few years, many of the children of Israel remembered the pleasant taste of manna. Nevertheless, instead of manna there were the riches of the good land. Their first enjoyment of the riches of the good land was not of fresh produce, but of old produce. From that time onward, however, they enjoyed the new, fresh produce of the good land every year.
God charged the children of Israel to keep the tithe, the first tenth, of all the produce of the good land, including the firstfruit and the firstlings, and to offer it to Him in the place of His choice for His worship. Deuteronomy 14:22 and 23 say, “Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year. And thou shalt eat before the Lord thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and of the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks.” The firstlings were offered to the Lord. The Israelites were not allowed to use them in their work; instead they were required to keep them aside to offer to the Lord in the three yearly feasts. Deuteronomy 15:19 and 20 say, “All the firstling males that come of thy herd and of thy flock thou shalt sanctify unto the Lord thy God: thou shalt do no work with the firstling of thy bullock, nor shear the firstling of thy sheep. Thou shalt eat it before the Lord thy God year by year in the place which the Lord shall choose, thou and thy household.” If the children of Israel wanted to enjoy their cattle, they had to begin with the second one. Furthermore, they could not enjoy the firstlings of their flocks and herds in the place of their choice. They had to bring them to the place God had chosen for His name and for His habitation (Deut. 12:5, 17-18). The same was true for the firstfruit of all the crops—the wheat, the corn, the wine, and the oil. The firstfruit had to be set aside to be offered to God in the place He had chosen. If we read the Old Testament carefully, we shall see that God charged the children of Israel to set aside three kinds of tenths for God’s purpose. None of these portions could be enjoyed in the place of their preference. Although they had full freedom to enjoy the remainder at any time, at any place, and with anyone, the top portions had to be offered to God in the place of His choosing.