Numbers 13-14 Being Picked And Failing

God told Moses to send one leader from each tribe to explore the Promised Land.  Moses obeyed and called out the men to be sent.  I suppose that God gave Moses the names of the leaders to send out, for they are listed here.  After exploring the land for 40 days, the men returned and told about the fertility and beauty of the land.  But then ten of the twelve reported that it would be a disaster to attempt an invasion, due to the size and strength of the people inhabiting the land.

Caleb stood up and refuted their report, and he encouraged an invasion, but the men besides Joshua rallied the people against the idea.  That night, they uttered the prophetic phrase:  “We wish we had died in Egypt or in this desert!”

God heard them and said to get ready, because that’s what would happen for their rejection of His plan.  No adjustment was going to be too big for God.  He told Moses, in front of all the people, that He would simple send a terrible sickness to get rid of the complainers, then make an entirely new nation from Moses that would be spiritually stronger than the current one!  How incredible to think that God thought nothing of holding off many generations as Moses’ prospective family grew into a large, strong nation that He’d lead into the land!

Moses was less concerned about the delay and more concerned about what other nations would claim about God – that He’d been unable to deliver on His promise to get the people into the Promised Land.  And that’s most likely what other nations would have said.  He asked God, “Show Your strength now, Lord.  Do what You said … By Your great love, forgive these people’s sin …”  The Lord answered, “I have forgiven them as You asked.”  WOW!  Just like that, He’d forgiven them.  But forgiveness of sin and unwinding of the consequences of it are two very different things.  This wasn’t the first time it had happened.  It was the tenth time, and for God, that was enough.  They’d run past His grace.

Except for Caleb and Joshua, no other people older than 20 would ever enter the Promised Land.  They would get what they’d so rashly wished – they’d die in the desert.  And their children would remain outside the Promised Land one year for every day the spies explored the land.  Yes, God forgave, but they didn’t escape the consequences of their sin.

Father, I think about the men You called out to explore the land.  You had more faith in them that they had in You.  I pray that as I strive to remain in Your will, that You will continue to build up my faith and trust in You, so that I will not shrink from whatever You ask me to do.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford