In today’s reading, Numbers 14, we catch up to the Israelites as they’ve first encountered the abundant land of Canaan, the land of milk and honey which God has promised his chosen people. We’ve been reading very frequently lately about how good things come to those who trust in the Lord. We’ve also learned how since they’ve been rescued from Egypt, the Israelites have established a track record of being really bad at trusting the Lord when it matters. Luckily, the faithful few among the chosen people have kept God’s favor, but we see this ever-splitting dichotomy come to a head in today’s reading.
Previously, God commanded Moses to establish a team of twelve leaders, one from each tribe of Israel, to report on whatever they could find in the land of Canaan. These men went and scouted out the area, finding fertile lands and rich fruit. However, they also found enormous walled cities and intimidatingly large men inhabiting these lands. Clearly God had promised that this land would belong to Israel, and that none of these obstacles could overcome His guidance. However, choosing instead to trust only their own fear and doubt, determined to avoid encounters with these difficulties, they simply return to the people of Israel and lie, spreading a negative report and discouraging further attempts.
This incites a rather ugly and violent outcry among the people of Israel, wishing that they would have died in the desert, and wishing to return to Egypt where they did not have to fear for their lives. When Joshua and Caleb, the two faithful of those who’d spied on this new land, encouraged those affected to trust in the Lord’s protection, the people discussed stoning them to death! At this point, the Lord’s anger is rightfully raised against Israel – this marks the tenth time in their short time of freedom when everyone has stopped in their tracks and raised arms against God due to lack of faith.
We too often raise arms against the Lord, lashing out against His plans. We are ensured during times of ease that God has promised us many great blessings and that no trouble could stand against Him. But when we meet challenges in our paths with fear – putting our fear of sturdy citadels and mighty opponents over confidence in the Lord – we suddenly see no way to approach these obstacles other than through our own volition. When dangerous and unfamiliar circumstances present themselves, we wonder how we can deal with the situation we’ve found ourselves in, not how He helps us to rise to these circumstances.
This passage forces me to reflect on such times when I’ve rebelled against God, angrily crying out for simpler times and swifter trials rather than rejoicing in Him acting on his promises and praying for help. I think back to times I have moved to a new city, wishing for a return to my comfortable former life and those I knew back home, rather than thanking God for new opportunities and finding ways to glorify Him living in new places. I’ve gone out searching for work with fear in my heart from my own incompetence and inability, rather than trusting that He would have a plan for me to use my gifts in ways that please Him. As God rebukes and decides how to deal with the rebellious Israelites, I too am reminded of the despair I ensure myself whenever I try to achieve great things solely by my own merit.
God sends a very clear message to the Israelites after this: without trust in the Lord, there is certainly nothing but death that awaits you. Those of the spies who would spread lies to the Israelites were immediately struck down by plagues, and those who spoke against His plans were promised to spend the next 40 years wandering the desert, perishing before they would ever be able to set foot into the promised land. But Caleb and Joshua, the ones who spoke out for Him, are promised the chance to set foot in that land as reward. When we too reject God’s ways and cast doubt on Him through our actions, we doom ourselves to wander meaninglessly through our lives with no hope and no possibility of seeing the great future God has promised us. But exercise trust and mindfulness in the Lord, and he will keep every promise to reward us abundantly. Only through God can we ever hope for peace, purpose, and a worthwhile destination of the lands promised for us.
I would pray that you could see to the trials ahead of you not through the lenses of your own doubt, but leaning wholly on His promises and His works. I pray that you would have honest and difficult conversations through Scripture and prayer that help you rely on Him in the most hopeless looking situations, looking past your limited self, instead joyous at how these situations can be overcome with the help of a limitless God. Have a wonderful day.
-Ross B.