The Israelites wanted to go back because—as Les puts it—they had a short memory: they remembered the fleshpots of Egypt while disregarding the misery and destitution they had been delivered from.
When the Israelites grew uncomfortable in the wilderness, they told Moses and Aaron they wished they had died in Egypt by the fleshpots. Les shows that Egypt was a shambles and economically destitute by the time they left, and that they could have entered the promised land. Their short-term recollection made Egypt seem better than it was.
Exodus 16:3 — This is the very verse Les quotes when he points out how short memory can be—the Israelites themselves said they wanted to die in Egypt by the fleshpots.
In Exodus 16:3 the children of Israel said to Moses and Aaron, "Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger." The Scripture plainly shows that the people's longing to go back was tied to what they remembered eating in Egypt. It does not describe their Egyptian life as good; it records their complaint that they had been brought into the wilderness to die. The desire to return to Egypt is therefore a backward-looking complaint, not a realistic appraisal of their past.
Les points to the Israelites' words in Exodus 16:3 as a clear example of how short memory can be. He observes that they told Moses and Aaron, "Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full," and then he comments, "Isn't it amazing how short memory can be? They didn't have it that good." They were already getting squeamish about where Moses was taking them. Les also reminds readers that Egypt was not the comfortable place they remembered. By the time the Jews left, Egypt was destitute economically in every which way; it was in a shambles. Instead of remembering slavery, they remembered the food. Les makes the larger point that Israel could have had the promised land, but their carcasses fell in the wilderness. He also describes Egypt as a picture of the world and says a believer who goes into the world will soon be in trouble. The desire to go back to Egypt is therefore a backward look toward the world system from which God had redeemed them.
In the wilderness, the people's memory of Egypt centered on food: they said they sat by the flesh pots and ate bread to the full. Les says this shows how short memory can be, because in reality Egypt was not that good. They were "getting squeamish" about where Moses was leading them.
Les points out that after the plagues, Egypt was in shambles and the Jews left destitute economically in every which way. This helps explain why their nostalgic longing for Egypt was not based on reality.
Les says Egypt is a picture of the world, and Israel was instructed to stay in the land of promise rather than go down to Egypt. A believer who goes into the world, he says, will not be long before he is in trouble. Israel's desire to return to Egypt is another example of looking back toward the world.
Les emphasizes that their carcasses fell in the wilderness even though they could have had the promised land. The millions who came out of Egypt did not enter because of their response.
Israel Could Have Had the Promised Land
Les shows that Israel was positioned to enter the promised land, but instead their carcasses fell in the wilderness—so the desire to return to Egypt meant rejecting what God had prepared.
The Fleshpots of Egypt and Short Memory
Les directly explains why Israel wanted to return: they remembered the fleshpots and bread of Egypt, and he says, "Isn't it amazing how short memory can be? They didn't have it that good."
God’s Promise to Abraham: Understanding Genesis 12 & 15
Now in those 400 and some years, they go from 70-some souls, 72 I think, to about a time when Moses will lead them out on that night of the Passover, they'll be anywhere from three to seven million people, not counting the mixed multitude that came with them. So always remember that the nation of Israel became a nation of people while they were in slavery in Egypt.
Egypt Was Economically Destitute
Les shows that the Egypt they longed for was actually a shambles and economically destitute after the plagues, contradicting their nostalgic memory.
Egypt as a Place of National Death
Les describes Egypt as a place where Israel was out of God's control and in a place of death nationally, making a return to Egypt all the more backward.
Why Israel Rejected Their Messiah — Acts 7 & Joseph Explained
Stay in the land of promise, and I'll bless you. But now in a future generation it's time for the nation of Israel to explode in population." And God had told Abraham that that would be down in Egypt. And so now God comes back to Jacob and He says, "...Fear not to go down into Egypt." And here's the part I always want folks to understand.
Is the New Covenant for Israel or the Church? Jeremiah 31 Explained
Because here God had been telling Abraham, and he told Isaac, ìDon't go into Egypt.î And when they tried it, they got in trouble, until they hightailed it back to Canaan. Now God tells Jacob, ìDon't be afraid to go down into Egypt, for there in Egypt I will make of thee a great nation .î And that's exactly what happened.
Egypt as a Picture of the World
Les teaches that Egypt was a picture of the world and that a believer who goes into the world will quickly get into trouble—so Israel's desire to return was spiritually dangerous.
Exodus 16:3: And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.
This is the verse where the Israelites themselves express their desire to return to Egypt, and it is the passage Les quotes to show their short memory.
Yes. In Exodus 16:3 they told Moses and Aaron that they wished they had died by the hand of the Lord in Egypt when they sat by the fleshpots and ate bread to the full. Les cites this as evidence of their short memory.
No. By the time they left, Egypt was destitute economically and in a shambles. Les says they didn't have it that good in Egypt, and the wilderness was actually leading them toward the promised land.
Les uses Egypt as a picture of the world and says believers who go into the world will get into trouble. Israel's desire to return is an example of looking back toward the world rather than forward to God's promise.
Watch the Teaching: Why Israel Rejected the Promised Land — Kadesh-Barnea Explained