Now when Pharaoh had let the people go, God did not lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines, even though it was near; for God said, "The people might change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt."Interesting that God kept the people away from the fastest route. Given what little I know about the Philistines' territory at the time, they may have controlled the entire Mediterranean coastline in the region, which would mean that any way to the promised land would have to go through them. If I'm right about that, then God was leading them away from the only path to what He had promised them.
Also, it's interesting what reason God lists. Despite everything that has happened, all the plagues and tragedies God struck the Egyptians with, the people have never seen combat. They don't know if God would protect them in a standard battle, and apparently would be afraid of entering one. That makes sense, in many ways. They were slaves, not soldiers. They may be physically able to fight, but that doesn't mean that they knew how. Moses and Aaron were spiritual leaders, not military commanders. So God leads them another way, until they're ready to do battle, and ready to trust Him to provide when their strength is insufficient.
A great example of God's long view w.r.t. time and events. Often in my own life I've found that frustrating current events nest into a more useful life tapestry much, much later...and I try to keep those in mind as the newest frustrations crop up...
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