When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near. For God said, “Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt.” 18 But God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. And the people of Israel went up out of the land of Egypt equipped for battle.
Lessons
It may be that the quickest/easiest path would actually harm you (Exodus 13:17b)
God knows best and He doesn’t owe you an explanation (Exodus 13:17)
All our equipping might not bring us to the quickest/easiest path because God’s ways are not our ways (Exodus 13:18, Isaiah 55:8-9)
