Numbers 14:1-10, “Then all the
congregation raised a loud cry, and the people wept that night. (2)
And all the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The whole
congregation said to them, "Would that we had died in the land of Egypt!
Or would that we had died in this wilderness!
(3) Why is the LORD bringing us
into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become
a prey. Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?" (4)
And they said to one another, "Let us choose a leader and go back
to Egypt." (5) Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces
before all the assembly of the congregation of the people of Israel. (6)
And 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 said to all the congregation of the people of Israel, "The
land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceedingly good land. (8) If
the LORD delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a
land that flows with milk and honey. (9) Only do not rebel against the LORD. And do
not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection is
removed from them, and the LORD is with us; do not fear them." (10)
Then all the congregation said to stone them with stones. But the glory
of the LORD appeared at the tent of meeting to all the people of Israel.”
Speechless, dumbfounded, lost for words, shock, disbelief! These
verses produce such a result when we read them. We are tempted to rub our eyes
and read it again just in case we misread this passage. Numbers 14 reveals to
us a sobering truth, a frightening reality with regards to our sinfulness.
Mankind has the most remarkable and tragic ability to rebel against God, and to
do so with a cold, calculated and stubborn defiance.
Most people who read through Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers, when they
get to this chapter they are left wondering, “What more could God have done to
prove Himself trustworthy, faithful, true and able?” The people of Israel
spectacularly, tragically fail on every level when they rebel against God.
We need to pay careful attention to what is happening in this passage,
because the punishment that God pours out on this generation is severe, every
single one of them will die, except for two men. Many might think this
punishment is harsh and undeserved, that God has gone too far and should have
been a bit kinder, more gracious and forgiving. However, once we see the full
extent of their sin and rebellion, we will be able to understand why God
punishes them so severely.
Firstly, we need to keep in mind this is not the first time the people
have rebelled against God. There have been multiple rebellions, some more
passive, but others much more active and deliberate, with the making and
worship of the gold calf being the chief of these rebellions. The people have
shown contempt for God, constantly doubting and questioning God, accusing God
of being deceitful, lying and unfaithful, even worse accusing God of evil, of
wanting to kill them. Thus it is not as though God has not been gracious in the
past and given them opportunity to repent and change their ways. God has been,
exceedingly, exceedingly patient and gracious with the people of Israel.
In Numbers 14:1-10, they are doing more than just refusing to go into
the Promised Land, it is a wholesale rejection of God. They reject God’s
deliverance and salvation from slavery in Egypt, they reject God’s promise to
give them a land flowing with milk and honey. They reject God’s promise to give
them a new land, new life and a new freedom. They now have it firmly fixed in
their minds that God is not true, nor is He to be trusted, God is a liar, a
deceiver and a God who wants to destroy them, God is out to humiliate and slaughter
them, causing them to suffer immensely. They are calling into question
everything that God is and calling God’s salvation evil, God’s promises evil,
and that God is not a God of life, but a God of death.
Once they have completely rejected and rebelled against God, they then
turn against God’s servants, Moses, Aaron, Caleb and Joshua. Such is their
anger and determination to rebel, such is their hate against God that they want
to kill these four men. The very sentence that the people of Israel deserved
time and time again for their sinful ways, they now wish to execute against God’s
chosen men.
They reject and rebel against God and His servants, and finally they
reject their salvation, they reject their freedom, they reject their nation,
they reject each other, they reject themselves. How do they do this? They
reject all this by stating that they wish to return to Egypt. In seeking to
return to Egypt they are choosing to subject themselves to slavery once more.
Had they returned to Egypt they would have not received a warm welcome, if the
Egyptians did not slaughter every single one of them, they would mistreat and
enslave them with greater harshness than ever before. The Israelites are
willing to see each other, their own wives, sons, daughters subject to harsh
labour and cruelty, they would rather have Pharaoh throw their new born
children into the Nile, than to trust God and go into the Promised Land. The
truth is that we do not truly appreciate just how great their rebellion is! It is
a complete, utter, wholesale, deliberate and defiant rejection and rebellion of
God and anything associated with God, His servants and His promises.
This passage records yet another occasion of man’s sinfulness and
rebellion against God. As much as we would like to distance ourselves from it
and regard ourselves as being better, we cannot. Numbers 14 makes the following
truth crystal clear, man, all mankind has rebelled against God and rejected Him
to the same degree. Every one of our lives are a chilling testimony of how we
have done exactly this, despite the fact that God has given so much to us,
revealed Himself to us and been so good towards us.
God has been gracious, patient, merciful, kind, gentle and forgiving.
He has warned us time and time again, He has made know His truth to us and the
consequences if we should reject Him. Yet we continued on in our rebellion. Our
rejection of God was not passive, or a mere over-sight, or a mistake, it was deliberate,
active, defiant and personal. Every time we sin, grumble, complain, doubt or
accuse God, we are guilty of such a rejection of God. Every time we desire
something more than God, give something the place of God in our lives, and strip
God of His Godhood giving it to someone or something else, we are guilty of
such a rebellion. Therefore, every single one of us deserves to be sent out
into the wilderness of God’s judgement and to perish under His hand of holy,
divine and just wrath.
Having read this passage and realised that it is also true of our own
hearts and lives, we are left marvelling at the awesome grace of God towards us
in and through Jesus Christ. How incredible it is that God should want and
desire to save, redeem, justify, adopt, and glorify rebels such as us! God
chose to pour out His wrath against us rebels upon God the Son, and made His
enemies, His own children and set them upon thrones in His kingdom as co-heirs!
“And
can it be that I should gain
An int'rest in the Savior's blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain?
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, should die for me?”
An int'rest in the Savior's blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain?
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, should die for me?”
Almighty
God, we humble ourselves before Your throne, we lay our faces down to the dust,
for we are all rebels against You. How great is our sin before Your eyes! Yet
how much greater is the grace and the atoning sacrifice of God the Son before
Your eyes! How great Your love and mercy is that You should save Your enemies
and make us Your very own children. Faithful, holy God, help us to see the
horror of our rebellion and the immensity of Your grace, so that we might grow
in love, thanksgiving and the pursuit of holiness. May we constantly and
joyfully testify to others of how we have been given such a great salvation.
All glory, honour, praise and adoration belongs to You, our gracious God. Amen.
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