* The Promised Land was only about a 5-6 day’s walk from Egypt.

* But they went the long way through the wilderness toward the Red Sea.

* Why? Because God had to prepare them for the promise.

* First, God needed to kill the Egyptian army.

* Second, before they entered the Promised Land they needed a solidly established government based on God’s Law.

* Third, God had to prepare them for battle - they had to raise up and train an army to take the land.

* This is symbolic of the church today - the church militant.

* If we allow God to lead we’ll find He’ll most likely take us the opposite direction we think we need to go.

* But God had to get Egypt out of Israel, not just Israel out of Egypt.