Moses gave the expedition instructions to find out about the land and people. The explorers were gone 40 days. They reported to Moses, Aaron and the whole community that while the land was indeed bountiful, the people were many and strong. They went on about how mighty the people were and scared everyone by suggesting that they couldn't be defeated. Then Caleb stood up and shushed them all and told Moses that they should go and take possession of the promised land. The other men who had gone on the expedition said that the current inhabitants couldn't be defeated and that they'd lose. They said that they looked like grasshoppers to the Nephilim (Jan 2 entry) and that they looked like grasshoppers to themselves too. (I guess they forgot that they had God on their side!)
That night everyone was sad and depressed because they believed the lies these men told. Then they started talking about going back to Egypt. Moses and Aaron just fell down on their faces. Caleb and Joshua (his name was changed from Hoshea by Moses) tore their clothes and told the whole community that God was on their side and not to be afraid. Then the people wanted to stone them! Just then God came down to the Tent of Meeting and asked Moses when the people would believe in him after all the miracles they had witnessed. God was so mad he wanted to strike them down with a plague. Moses talked with God, saying that everyone who knew about the Israelites knew about Him and that it was by His power that the Israelites left Egypt and that they would believe the lie that God couldn't deliver His promise, so He slaughtered the people in the desert. Then Moses told God to punish the guilty and asked Him to forgive the sin of the people. God forgave them, but he said that all the people who had witnessed all the miracles in Egypt would not live long enough to see the promised land. That for 40 years their children would be shepherds and nomads and that the very things they had been afraid of would happen to them. God promised that Joshua and Caleb would be blessed and enter the land as promised. God caused a plague to kill all the explorers who had spread the bad report of the land except for Joshua and Caleb. Then the Israelites felt bad and decided to go and fight for the land after God had cursed them. It's like those people who don't like the consequences of their choices and try to get a do over. Moses told them not to go, but of course they didn't listen. They lost.
In ch 15 God instructs the Israelites to make a burnt offering to him in the land He will give them. Everyone native-born or alien was to make the offerings to God.
Tomorrow read Numbers 15:22-16
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I went to www.heartlight.org and printed the "Straight Through the Bible Reading Plan" as a guide. I keep it folded in my bible as a bookmark. The breaks seem a bit awkward, but I use it anyway. Hope this helps you!
ReplyDeleteLove, duffy:)