March 9, 2021
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Reading along with us in Numbers? Here’s today’s reading:
Numbers 14 (NIV)
The People Rebel
1 That night all the members of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. 2 All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this wilderness!...Continue Reading
17“Now may the Lord’s strength be displayed, just as you have declared: 18‘The Lord is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.’
Oh these people continue to doubt God despite all they had seen and all they had been delivered from. God is exceedingly forgiving but He is also just and punishes us for our unbelief and so those that doubted would never see this promised land.
Numbers 14
A lot of grumbling going on in this chapter and the Lord makes it clear they will pay for their grumbling. After all they had previously witnessed, miracles, being fed, and protected. Their lack of faith and trust in God after bringing them so far the Lord will bring harsh punishment.
What a merciful God. They had seen and heard so much directly from God. And still unbelief. Caleb is my new Mentor. Because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly!!!!
The Israelites never seem to learn. What hubris and ignorance is found in suggesting they return to Egypt or die in the desert..it’s interesting that God takes them up on that one. I did not recall that they actually suggested picking a leader to bring them back. It challenges all of us to consider where God may be leading us that fear keeps us from. It is so easy to look at perceived results of decisions and choose the path of least resistance rather than trusting God and doing things His way. As many have already said, God had done so much that made trusting Him to give them victory a no brainer. But fear is a powerful force and it will often lead us to protect our own interests rather than following God.
So we can understand God’s reaction and yet kudos to Moses to remind God of the implications of His actions that would lead to His name being discredited. Not that God didn’t know that, but He encourages interaction like this with us to see what we understand and for us to see how we will react. What an awesome God Who would interact with us in such a way and allow us to have an effect on His plans and decisions. And so God acts in justice and mercy….sparing the Israelites but giving them their wish to die in the desert. And what provision He will make for them there….and yet time and time again they don’t learn from the mistake that they make right here. Believe God and follow Him where He leads!
Numbers 14
Joshua and Caleb try to turn the focus back to faith and truth, but to no avail.
“But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes; 7 and they spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying: “The land we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. 8 If the Lord delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, ‘a land which flows with milk and honey.’ 9 Only do not rebel against the Lord, nor fear the people of the land, for they[c] are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the Lord is with us. Do not fear them.”
Moses’ actions again clarify what a humble, righteous man he was. Who of us wouldn’t say, “sure, God, I am weary of these people too, you can start over with me.” Moses doesn’t. He reasons with God to continue His plan for the Israelites, but the rebels are disciplined for their unbelief and will die in the desert. Even though their children will be able to enter, they must wander in the desert for 40 years. Once they realize the consequences, they try to quickly change course, but it doesn’t work.
Numbers 13, 14
As surely as I live, declares the Lord, I will do to you the very thing I heard you say: 29In this wilderness your bodies will fall—every one of you twenty years old or more who was counted in the census and who has grumbled against me. 30Not one of you will enter the land I swore with uplifted hand to make your home, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun