It’s Over at 40

26 Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, 27 “How long must I put up with this wicked community and its complaints about me? Yes, I have heard the complaints the Israelites are making against me. 28 Now tell them this: ‘As surely as I live, declares the LORD, I will do to you the very things I heard you say. 29 You will all drop dead in this wilderness! Because you complained against me, every one of you who is twenty years old or older and was included in the registration will die. 30 You will not enter and occupy the land I swore to give you. The only exceptions will be Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.
31 “‘You said your children would be carried off as plunder. Well, I will bring them safely into the land, and they will enjoy what you have despised. 32 But as for you, you will drop dead in this wilderness. 33 And your children will be like shepherds, wandering in the wilderness for forty years. In this way, they will pay for your faithlessness, until the last of you lies dead in the wilderness.
34 “‘Because your men explored the land for forty days, you must wander in the wilderness for forty years—a year for each day, suffering the consequences of your sins. Then you will discover what it is like to have me for an enemy.’ 35 I, the LORD, have spoken! I will certainly do these things to every member of the community who has conspired against me. They will be destroyed here in this wilderness, and here they will die!”
36 The ten men Moses had sent to explore the land—the ones who incited rebellion against the LORD with their bad report—37 were struck dead with a plague before the LORD. 38 Of the twelve who had explored the land, only Joshua and Caleb remained alive.
39 When Moses reported the LORD’s words to all the Israelites, the people were filled with grief. 40 Then they got up early the next morning and went to the top of the range of hills. “Let’s go,” they said. “We realize that we have sinned, but now we are ready to enter the land the LORD has promised us.”
41 But Moses said, “Why are you now disobeying the LORD’s orders to return to the wilderness? It won’t work. 42 Do not go up into the land now. You will only be crushed by your enemies because the LORD is not with you. 43 When you face the Amalekites and Canaanites in battle, you will be slaughtered. The LORD will abandon you because you have abandoned the LORD.”
44 But the people defiantly pushed ahead toward the hill country, even though neither Moses nor the Ark of the LORD’s Covenant left the camp. 45 Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in those hills came down and attacked them and chased them back as far as Hormah.

This is the conclusion of a great story of Israel’s deliverance from slavery in Egypt. One would think they would be gung ho, ready to get into their Promised Land. But that was not the case. Not only did they whine their way through the Sinai Peninsula now they were ready to stay just outside the borders of the land God promised to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and to them. After all, the 12 spies scouted out the land and saw how great it was, but 10 of them reported that it would be TOO hard to beat the people of the land. Forget that God promised to send angels to drive the people out of their way. Forget that the plagues of Egypt only affected the Egyptians and forget the whole Sea of Reeds parting for the crowd. And who remembers the manna (food) from heaven, the quail every morning and water from a rock in the desert. The people of the land were TOO big and strong for God to handle. Obviously this did not make God very happy.

Their lack of faith slapped his Deity right in the face. So, here’s what happened:
1. 10 spies – struck dead with a plague
2. Everyone 20yo and younger will never get into the land alive
3. It’s Over at 40 – Everyone will wander in the wilderness for that many years
4. God will treat them in a manner usually reserved only for His enemies

Once again the people hang their heads reluctantly in some shallow form of repentance. But, instead of accepting the consequences, they try to supersede God by going into the land on their own. That, of course, did not work out too well.

This leaves me with a few thoughts of contemplation. Perhaps they will push your spiritual introspection as well:
Why is it that I want to do my own thing all the time?
Why do I not listen to God more, wise counsel more, my parents more?
How often do I make repentance seem cheap and my reverence for God’s will seem shallow?

I don’t know about you. But this is what I’m thinking about today.

Peace,
Pastor Tim