Why did it take 40 years for the children of Israel to reach the Promised Land?

on Jul 7, 2025

From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham

Q: In recent months, there’s been so much attention on the Gaza Strip. Until I saw the map on TV, I never realized how close to Egypt it is, and not that far from other regions in Israel. I thought this might be an interesting study for a group of young people who are preparing to visit the Holy Land. Why did it take 40 years for the children of Israel to reach the Promised Land? It isn’t that far; if there is a lesson, what is it? – W.W.

A: The ancient Israelites could have completed their journey from Egypt in a few months. Instead, the journey took 40 years, and a whole generation died because of their unfaithfulness to God. He led them out of bondage, across the sea on dry land, and protected them from the Egyptian army – but they failed to obey their God in the day-to-day living.

Lack of faithfulness is actually a sign of spiritual immaturity. One sign of emotional immaturity is the refusal to accept responsibility. The same thing is true spiritually. A young person, for instance, may want all the privileges of adulthood but refuse to accept the responsibilities that go along with it. God has given us certain responsibilities as mature Christians. When we are disobedient, we are unfaithful. When we exhibit obedience, it is a sign of maturity, and this is vitally important in living the Christian life.

But we can become impatient when we discover it takes so long to become like Jesus. This is why walking with Him day in and day out and learning from Him through Scripture is the key to becoming spiritually mature. While God’s people were unfaithful, God remained faithful to them; as Christians, we are called to faithfulness. This is accomplished through obedience to God’s Word (see Deuteronomy 7:9).

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(This column is based on the words and writings of the late Rev. Billy Graham.)