Numbers 7:1-11; 7:84-14:45

You’re welcome. We aren’t reading the “numbers” from the book of Numbers. Too many folks get discouraged when we get here, especially after the giving and receiving of the Law. I can’t stress this enough, hang in there. Don’t get lost in the details, keep looking for Yahweh. Throughout the Bible we simply need to ask four questions:

• “What does this passage say about God?”

• “What does this passage say about Jesus?”

• “What does this passage say to the original audience?”

• “What does this passage say to me, today?”

Challenge yourself to change the way you come to the Bible. Expect to learn about the nature of God and the nature of people. It’s amazing what we learn as the Israelites move out from Sinai and head to the land promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob … Canaan. All they have to do is march a few days where God leads them and go take possession of the land. They’ve given abundantly to the Tabernacle and her furnishings. Everything is set for Aaron and Moses and the people. They just needed to walk in faith. And, they blew it. I think we all were really pulling for them, too.

The celebration of Passover reminded them what God had already done to bring them this far. Now He would go out before them in the Cloud and lead them. They would vanquish the Amorites, Amalekites and the other people in Canaan, because those people had sinned grievously and persistently, and were unrepentant. God had been very patient with them (Genesis 15:12-21). So, they marched three days … and started to complain. About the manna being miraculously provided by God to feed over a million people each day. In the desert. Their minds went back to how wonderfully well they had it before. You know, in Egypt. As slaves.

Before we get too rough on them, we must be honest. In spite of what Jesus (our Passover Lamb) has done for us, we look back to our old life longingly. We seem to forget the misery of sin and how we desired with all of our being for God to save us. As we see the power of God, the patience of God and the grace of God, let’s never forget our ability to be dissatisfied when things are going well. Keep looking to the center of the camp where God is and simply follow Him one day at a time.

Now they arrive at Kadesh-Barnea on the frontier of the Promised Land. Spies are sent to ascertain if the land is fertile, if the people are strong and if the cities are fortified. It was purely a fact-finding mission. No commentary on their part would be required. God had promised it to them. Sure enough, the land was good and the crops plentiful. But, there were people there. Big, strong people. Look closely at the names of the peoples inhabiting Canaan. Now, compare it to Genesis 15:12-21, again. Not only had God foretold in detail the timing of their return to this land, He also foretold who would have to be driven out. The people lost faith. They rebelled. They wanted to go “home’ to Egypt.

Did they think that God didn’t know they would need food and water in the desert? Did they think that God didn’t know who would be in Canaan when they got there? All they had to do was go in faith and God would do the rest. Only Joshua and Caleb understood that if God was going to give the land to them they needed only go take it. They were afraid and did not want to fight when God was with them. When Moses shamed them, they suddenly wanted to go fight when God was NOT with them. They were defeated.

God is Almighty. People are not. God is ever-present and faithful. People are fickle and wavering. When our eyes are on our problems and obstacles, our eyes are off of God. We so easily allow God to diminish in our sight as our problems grow to apparent insurmountable proportions. Foolishly we try to overcome on our own. We are defeated.

It’s a valuable lesson to learn. Can we learn it? Will we learn it?

Consider His nature. Consider His ways. Strive to love Him more!