The faithful having to live in desolate places for while became a recurring theme in Scripture.

The Christian life is compared to
Israel in the wilderness.

Paul says Israel in the wilderness is symbolic of Christians trek out of the Egypt of this world into the eternal promised land of happiness. If you put the whole story together, Egypt represents this present world. Pharaoh represents Satan who has held us in bondage because of our sins, Heb 2:14-15. Moses then is symbolic (a type) of the Christ, as indeed he is in Deut 18:15 and many other passages. So Paul says,

“1 Now I would not have you ignorant, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 2 and were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 3 and all ate the same spiritual food; 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of a spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ.”
1Cor 10:1-4 WEB

So Israel passing under the cloud and through the waters of the Red Sea is symbolic of Christians being baptized in Jesus. The waters of the Red Sea then separated ancient Israel from slavery in Egypt, and the waters of baptism separates us from our bondage to sin.

“He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”
Mk 16:16 KJV

The Christian life?
It is here pictured as a life in desolate places!

“However with most of them, God was not well pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.”
1Cor 10:5 WEB

Paul goes on to say these passages were intended to teach us of the dangers lurking in the Christian life.

“6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. 7 Neither be idolaters, as some of them were. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.” 8 Neither let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them committed, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell. 9 Neither let us test the Lord, as some of them tested, and perished by the serpents. 10 Neither grumble, as some of them also grumbled, and perished by the destroyer. ”
1Cor 10:6-10 WEB

Some accuse Scripture of painting rose colored pictures of giving your life to God. These however are NOT rosy colored pictures. These are pictures of living in desolate places for a while, before we enter that ultimate promised land of the “new heavens and a new earth where righteousness dwells,” 2Pe 3:13, Revelation chapters 21 and 22.

So the Christian life is one of living for a while in a wilderness, in desolate places.

“11 Now all these things happened to them by way of example, and they were written for our admonition, on whom the ends of the ages have come.”
1Cor 10:11 WEB

We should not wistfully look back to Egypt and bondage.

KJV is the King James Version, 1611.

WEB is the World English Bible, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901