Exodus 13:20 After leaving Sukkoth they camped at Etham on the edge of the desert. (The Israelites had escaped slavery and bondage in Egypt and were now in new and unfamiliar surroundings, in uncharted territory. Even though they had been freed from slavery, God had led them to the desert, a place far different from their homes in Egypt, an inhospitable place where they did not know the way, where they did not have even basic supplies of food and water, where they had to depend entirely on the Lord for their provision and for guidance and direction. Their first encampment was at Sukkoth which means to tabernacle and refers to a covering that protectively screens. At their very first stopping place, the Lord put them in a camp where they were covered and protected, where the Lord tabernacled with them.
But the Lord doesn't leave them in this place. He leads them to their second camp at Etham at the very edge of the desert wilderness.
The name is Egyptian and means a wall, a fortification. The Lord not only led them to the edge of the wilderness, but He led them to a wall that would have been impossible for them to cross without His intervention and guidance. Here at Etham, they were confronted by the wilderness that lay ahead of them and by Egypt that lay behind them.
While their difficulties would tempt many of them to return to the slavery of Egypt because it was, at least, familiar to them, these new circumstances would force them to depend on the Lord. When we find ourselves in the desert wilderness,
the Lord is showing us through His people's journey
that He leads us to His Sukkoth where He invites us into His tabernacle covering of rest and protection. Then when we arrive at Etham where we feel trapped and find no where to turn, He assured us that the same Lord Who protected us at Sukkoth is still leading us even when we are at the wall of Etham.)
