Israel had been encamped at Horeb almost a year, and it had been a very busy time. The commandments had been given as well as statutes and judgments, instructions for the tabernacle, the gathering of the materials and setting up of the tabernacle and the celebration of the first Passover.

The purpose for which they had been brought to this place had been realized; so now if Canaan is to be reached and their inheritance received it was time to move on toward the promised land.

There are some areas in which the phrase serving as our topic can be applied today.

To those who live in the realm of sin and its pleasure, you have been here long enough. Peter said, "...it should be sufficient that we did the will of the Gentiles in the former time of our lives - when we walked in licentiousness, lusts, drunkenness, revelry, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries..." (1 Pet. 4:3).

To those who live at ease in Zion, you have been here long enough. Many in spiritual Zion, the Lord's church, are like Judah of old as Amos (6:1-6) charged. They put far away the evil day (v. 3) and were not grieved for others (v. 6). If you have fallen into that state of spiritual lethargy, it is time to be up and doing (Rom. 13:11-14).

To those who are guilty of uncorrected wrongs against another, you have been here long enough. If you have sinned against another and foolish pride has prevented correction, it's been long enough (Eph. 4:26; Matt. 5:23-24).

To those who are idle in the marketplace, you have been here long enough. Some may be idle because of laziness. Some because no one has hired them. The Lord wants you at work in His vineyard (Matt. 20:1-16).

Someday these words will be spoken to each of us concerning our earthly pilgrimage. Here we are sojourners on the earth (Heb.11:13; 13:14). As the grand old hymn says, "Here we are but straying pilgrims..." Some day we will be called home because we have been here long enough.

- Sterling Herald, 2/15/15