Happy Valentine’s Day!
But there’s little happiness in the days described in Numbers 13-16. Things began well enough; the Israelite throng reached the threshold of the Promised Land. The Lord told Moses to send men from each tribe to explore the “land flowing with milk and honey,” (Exodus 3:8) and off they went. But things turned sour upon their return.
This exploratory trip was NOT designed to help them discern if they could conquer the Land. Remember, God had promised them this land; God had promised to help them take the Land. They were simply to explore and report.
To their credit, they did explore. To their shame, ten of twelve said, “We cannot attack those people; they are stronger than we are!” (Numbers 13:31)
Let’s pause to name these ten: Shammua, Shaphai, Igal, Palti, Gaddiel, Gaddi, Ammiel, Sethur, Nahbi, and Geuel. What do you notice about these names? Strange, aren’t they? Unmemorable? Nearly anonymous? Yet, they turned in the “majority report,” and incited the nation to follow them down the rabbit hole of fear!
Now, what were the names of the other two, the out-voted minority? Joshua and Caleb! Now these are names we know. These are names that parents, for centuries, have been proud to give to their children. You Morton UMC people; how many Calebs and Joshuas can you think of in our congregation alone?!
This rebellion and unbelief brought disastrous consequences. God nearly “struck them down with a plague” and began again with Moses; but Moses prayed and God relented. Still, the people were sentenced to wander the wilderness for forty years, so that every unbeliever of that generation might pass away. When this sentence was declared, the people rebelled again; and tried to reverse their punishment by attacking the Promised Land, anyway. When it comes to obedience, timing is important! Needless to say, this belated attack ended in humiliating defeat. The offerings commanded in Numbers 15 seem to be directly related to the people’s sin. The rebellion led by Korah, Dathan and Abiram in Numbers 16 has an even unhappier end: the ground opened and swallowed them alive! And when the people grumbled about that, a plague came and took 14,700 more of them. Only Moses’ and Aaron’s quick work of intercession and atonement, keep this day from being even worse.
Why am I thinking that the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre had nothing on these horrible days?
Until tomorrow,
Pastor Gary
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