Numbers 14:1-12
In Numbers 13 we were told that twelve spies were sent into the promised land to see what it was like. When they returned, they reported that the land was a good rich land that “flowed with milk and honey”. However, all except for Caleb suggested that the inhabitants were too numerous and strong for them. Caleb was the only one who urged that they should immediately go in and take it, since the LORD was with them.
After listening to the reports, the people conclude that they should not enter. They are afraid especially for their wives and children. They want to choose a new leader and go back to Egypt. Moses and Aaron, as well as two of the spies – Caleb and Joshua – Try to convince them otherwise, but they are determined to go back and threaten to stone them. The presence of the LORD appears and tells Moses that He will strike down the people and will make a nation out of Moses.
Moses once again intercedes for the people and asks that the LORD forgive them. The LORD accepts Moses’ request and forgives the people. However, all the adults who have seen the LORD perform miracles and yet have not believed and trusted in His promises will not be allowed to step into the promised land. Instead, they will wander in the desert for forty years until they die. And then the LORD will take their children, who the people believed would become booty, into the land. Caleb and Joshua, who showed faith in God and His promises will be the only ones allowed to enter the land. The other ten who spied out the land die by a plague sent by the LORD. The LORD tells Moses to lead the people back towards the Red Sea the next day.
When Moses tells the people what the LORD had said, they all realize that they sinned against the LORD and mourn. They decide that they will enter the land after all. Moses tells them not to do it and warns them that this would be another sin against the LORD. Additionally, since the LORD will not be with them, they cannot succeed. They go in any way and are defeated.
It is interesting that the Israelites end up getting what they desired through God’s judgement against them. In verse 2, they said, “Or would that we had died in this wilderness!” and they will. They did not want to enter the promised land, and they will not. They were concerned for the safety of their children, and the LORD will take them in after the current adults have died in the wilderness.
When the people finally understand that they made a mistake by not entering the land, they think that they can make things right by going in. But the LORD had already decided that they should not enter. Going in now would mean going against the LORD’s will. We should keep in mind that the LORD’s plans include not only people and place, but also timing.
These Israelites have committed two great sins against the LORD. The first was in Genesis 32, when they worshipped the golden calf. The second one is their refusal to enter the promised land. Each time, the LORD takes these seriously enough that He was going to destroy them and create a nation out of Moses. Each time, Moses intervenes so that the LORD forgives the people.
This speaks well of Moses, since it would have benefited him to become the ancestor of a great nation. Instead, he is willing to forgo any benefits and rather works for the welfare of the people.
In Luke 9:24, Jesus taught, “For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it.” The Israelites were afraid of the inhabitants and wanted to save their lives and their children’s lives by refusing to enter. They will die in the wilderness. Moses, on the other hand, lifts God’s plans above his own glory and he will be remembered as the greatest prophet of the Old Testament.
There are parallels between this incidence and the coming of Jesus Christ. From the time of Abraham, what the people were looking forward to the most was to come into the promised land and take possession of it. Yet, when that time came, they refused to enter. Apparently, the land having residents that must be overcome was unexpected, and the fear they had for this was greater than the LORD’s promises. They could not come to trust in the LORD’s words and power, even though they had witnessed and felt His power regularly.
In the time of Jesus Christ, all of Israel was eagerly awaiting the coming of the Messiah. Yet, when He came, He did not meet the people’s expectations and so was rejected. They were not willing to trust in Jesus, although they had witnessed His power and teachings regularly.
The New Testament teaches us that when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, and we ask for forgiveness of our sins, we will not only be forgiven, but we will also be given eternal life with the Lord and other believers. Not only that, but we will also then be able to do the work the Lord has been planning for us.
It is easy enough to go astray out of fear. When we can’t quite trust in the power of God, then temptation comes to entice us to go our own way. And when we do, there will be consequences, not only for ourselves, but sometimes for those around us. Although the consequences may not go away, we can trust that God will forgive us.
When we see others go against the Lord’s will, we should pray for them and intercede for them, just as Moses did for the people.
When we have gone astray, we need to trust God’s love and turn back to Him in repentance. In Romans 8, Paul teaches us that there is nothing that can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord – Not even ourselves.
(the above is a summary of the message shared by Shun Takano during our worship on October 13, 2024.)
Japanese Congregational Church 