Instead of leading Israel directly to Mount Sinai, YHVH rerouted their journey towards the Red Sea.  After crossing the Red Sea, they embarked on a 'three-day journey' into the desert, but only to arrive at Marah, rather than Mount Sinai. Then, over the course of their five-week excursion from Marah to Mount Sinai, they ran out of food at the desert of Sin, ran out of water at Rephidim and faced Amalek's unprovoked attack.  Only after some seven weeks did they finally arrive at Mount Sinai.

Were these events simply incidental, or were they all part of a Divine 'master plan?'

Recall that YHVH had called upon Israel to repent before the Exodus.  (Ezekiel 20:4-10)   Had the children of Israel indeed obeyed that call, the redemption process would have proceeded as originally planned and they would have journeyed from Egypt directly to Mount Sinai in three days.  However, the nation did not fully repent.  Although offering the Passover Sacrifice rendered them worthy enough to survive the Tenth Plague, Israel was far from being spiritually prepared to receive the Law (Torah) at Mount Sinai.  This may explain why YHVH  found it necessary to 'change' His original plan.

Despite the distinctive nature of each of the events that the Israelites encountered after departing Egypt, all these events shared a common purpose - each incident helped prepare them for their Mount Sinai experience.  YHVH intentionally designed these events in order to catalyze Israel's spiritual growth, to 'train' them to become His Nation.

Breaking Slave Mentality

It is extremely difficult for a slave, even after having gained his freedom, to act or think like a free man.  The Israelites did not listen to YHVH's original call because of their 'crushed spirits and hard labor'. (Exodus 6:9)  The strain of their prolonged bondage and the fatigue of their daily routine had drained them of all spirituality.  Because of their bondage they became dependent upon their Egyptian masters.  Before they could become YHVH's servants, they had to transform their physical dependence on Egypt to a physical and spiritual dependence on YHVH.

Knowing how difficult it is for an individual to change his character, all the more so for an entire nation. Therefore, the rebuilding of Israel's character became a very complex process.  

A change of character usually occurs in one of two ways:

1) A traumatic experience - which usually brings a sudden change.
2) A change of daily routine - which slowly changes behavior.

YHVH employed both approaches.

Splitting The Red See - Breaking Old Ties

The splitting of the Red Sea was a traumatic experience which helped Israel break their dependence on Egypt. There, YHVH inflicted His final punishment upon Pharaoh and his army. (Exodus 14:4)   Were YHVH's sole intention merely to punish the Egyptians, He could have done so during the Ten Plagues.  Israel, however, had to witness all the events that took place at the Red Sea because these events occured for their benefit as well.

"And they complained to Moses saying...  What have you done to us by taking us out of Egypt?   Is this not the very thing we told you in Egypt:  Let us be and we will serve the Egyptians, for it is better for us to serve the Egyptians than die in the desert."  (Exodus 14:11-12)  

YHVH responded to their complaint by commanding them to break away from this instinctive dependence.

"Do not fear, stand upright and watch YHVH's salvation... for the manner in which you see the Egyptions today - you will never see them again."  (Exodus 14:13)

Although YHVH's reassurance appeared to be a promise, it was also a command.  "In the manner by which you look at the Egyptians  today - do not look at (to) them this way ever again."  

YHVH did not say that they will never face an Egyptian army again.  Rather, He commanded them to never again look to Egypt for their salvation.  

YHVH's plan appeared to succeed.  Upon seeing the drowning of the Egyptians in the sea, Israel indeed reach the proper conclusion:

"Israel recognized His great Hand... and the people feared YHVH and believed in YHVH and Moses His servant."  (Exodus 14:31)  

Instinctively, the Israelites respond in a song of praise to YHVH.  (Exodus 15:1)

Marah: A Desert Seminar

Instead of arriving at Mount Sinai, Israel arrived at Marah, (which means 'bitterness' in Hebrew) where the only water they could find was bitter and undrinkable.  Having severed their ties with Egypt, the Israelites now had the perfect opportunity to accept YHVH's commandments and 'cure' their attitude problem. 

"Should you listen to the voice of YHVH, and do what is proper in His eyes, and listen to His commandments, then the affliction that I put on the Egyptians I will not put on you, for I am YHVH your Healer."  (Ex 15:26)

By healing the waters of Marah and linking it to the people's willingness to obey Him, YHVH tought an important lesson about spiritual dependence.

The 'message' of the The Tree that YHVH instructed Moses to cast into the water (Ex 15:23-25) related back to the garden of Eden, the place of total obedience.  The word "water" in Tanach/Bible refers to the Living Word of YHVH (Torah).  In Elim (Ex 15:27) where there was plenty of water and food, no one complained.  However, in the desert of Sin, when the food supply ran out, another round of complaints quickly spread through the camp. (Ex 16:2-3)  Even though Israel had the right to ask for food, their attitude and the way in which they asked was inexcusable.

"If only we had died by the Hand of YHVH in Egypt, when we had plenty of meat and bread to eat.  Now you have brought us out into this desert to die of famine" 

Their complaint showed that they had retained their instinctive dependence upon Egypt. They reacted to hunger by reminiscing about the 'good old days' in Egypt. The trauma they had experienced so far was not sufficient to totally change their character. They will therefore, require a daily routine that will slowly change their instinctive behavior.

The Manna was chosen by YHVH to served this very purpose.  It provided a daily routine to transform them.

"He tormented you and starved you, then gave you 'manna' to eat... in order to teach you that man does not live on bread alone, rather, man lives by whatever YHVH ELOHIM  commands."  (Deut 8:3)   

By allowing them to gather only enough food for one day at a time, YHVH tought the Israelites to become dependent solely on Him. To emphasize this point, their food fell directly from heaven. 

In describing this process, The Torah uses the word 'test'.

"Behold I will rain down bread for you from the heavens, and the people shall go out and gather each day that day's portion in order that I may  'test'  them, to see whether or not they will follow my instructions."  (Ex 16:4) 

The classic example of a 'test' is the story of Isaac's binding, where YHVH 'tested' Abraham (Gen 22:1) not to find out if he was worthy, but rather to make him worthy.

The manna served a similar purpose.  YHVH was not testing the Israelites to find out if they would obey Him, rather He was training them in order that they learn how to obey Him.

Rephidim: Preparing for Mount Sinai

Before actually arriving at Mount Sinai, the Israelites stopped at Rephidim, where there was no water to drink. (Ex 17:1-3)  
Why did YHVH lead them to such a location?  Did He really expect them to survive without water?

Once again, YHVH wanted Israel to complain.

The situation at Rephidim was to prepare Israel both physically and spiritually for their Mount Sinai experience.  Although YHVH agreed to provide them with water, He did not supply the water there, at Refidim!  Instead, He instructed Moses to gather some elders (Ex 17:5-6) and travel to the rock at Horeb - Mount Sinai. (Ex 3:1,12 and Deut 5:2)  After Moses hit the rock, the water gushed forth from Horeb and flowed from Mount Sinai into the desert.  But to drink that water the Israelites still had to travel from Rephidim to Mount Sinai, their new source of water. (For proof that hitting the rock created a gushing river flowing down the mountain see Deut 9:21)

Not only did heaven replace earth as the source of bread (food), but Mount Sinai had replaced the Nile as the constant source of water.  Israel's dependence on Egypt was now replaced by their need for total dependence on YHVH.

Mount Sinai became a source of water for the children of Israel before it becomes the source of Torah.  In order for them to appreciate Mount Sinai as their source of spiritual life, they first had to identify the mountain as their source of physical life.

The War with Amalek: Looking Up to YHVH/Mount Sinai

As Israel began to journey from Rephidim to Mount Sinai (their new source of water) Amalek attacked the 'slow travelers' still at Rephidim, war broke out and YHVH ordered that Joshua lead the people in battle.  In contrast to the spliting of the Red Sea, here the Israelites themselves have to do the fighting.

In order for the people to recognize that YHVH Himself brought them victory - despite their own military efforts -YHVH instructed Moses to climb the hill and raise his staff heavenward.  Which 'hill' did Moses stand on?   I believe Moses was actually standing on Mount Sinai.  Just as Mount Sinai had become their source of water, it now became their source of military salvation.  For Israel to become victorious, Moses had to raise his hands (Ex 17:11) to show and teach the people to look up to YHVH,  (represented by Mount Sinai and the Torah - "YHVH Word")  for their salvation.

From Passover To Pentecost

During the seven weeks journey from Egypt to Mount Sinai, the Israelites encountered many traumatic experiences and changes in their daily routine, which helped prepare them for the receiving of the Torah.  This 'training period' was their next step in the process of becoming the 'Chosen People' and YHVH's special Nation.