Unbelief Leads to Destruction
"Then
all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that
night. All the sons of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron; and 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."
The twelve
spies had returned from the land of Canaan as we saw in Chapter 13, and even
though they agreed that the land was fertile just as God promised, nevertheless
it frightened everyone as ten of the spies excitably described those in Canaan
who were of larger stature than the people of Israel, and they wept because the
cities there were well fortified.
The fear of
people was greater than their trust in the Lord, and there in lies the problem.
Instead of believing in the one who; had parted the Red Sea, lead them by a
cloud during the day and a pillar of fire by night, rained manna and quail in
the wilderness, told them He would bring them to a land flowing with milk and
honey, their fear outweighed their belief in God.
Therefore
because of their unbelief God gave them exactly what they asked for, a death in
the wilderness (v.2). All those who
grumbled against the Lord from twenty years old and up fell in the wilderness.
However, to
the faithful servants Joshua and Caleb who gave the good report to the people
saying; “Do not rebel against the Lord; and do not fear the people of the land,
for they will be our prey. Their protection has been removed from them, and the
Lord is with us; do not fear them” (v.9), did live to see and enter, the
promise land.
Unbelief
can lead to distruction. Pray that the Spirit helps you in your unbelief. When
He calls you—pray. And when He sends you—go. He will be with you and you will
be blessed.
The Truth
Woe to
those who go down to Egypt for help, And
rely on horses, Who trust in chariots because they are many, And in horsemen because they are very
strong, But who do not look to the Holy One of Israel, Nor seek the Lord!
