The Penalty For Israels Rebellion
March 16, 2021
Commentary
God makes it clear to the Israelites that the whole generation which came up to Kadesh-Barnea and turned back in unbelief will die (vv. 32-35). Only two men of the old generation will be permitted to enter the promised land. They are Joshua and Caleb (vv. 36-38). They were different than the other spies because they believed God and brought back an accurate and good report. Caleb walked up and down the land and claimed the land where the giants lived. “This is what I want,” he said, and God gave it to him for an inheritance. We should be asking our self what we want of God. If we think we can sit on the sidelines and get it, we are wrong. There is a great deal said in the Scriptures about the Christian’s walk and very little said about the Christian’s sitting down. God also said that Joshua would also go in (v. 38). Joshua became the leader to succeed Moses because he was a man of experience and a man who wholly followed God. Faith was the essential thing.
Some of these folk who entered the land were teenagers at Kadesh-Barnea. God set the age at 20, and all from twenty years old and upward died in the wilderness. The older generation did not want to enter the land because they feared for their children’s safety (v. 39). They were really insulting God by saying that He didn’t care for their children. Now, it is that generation of young people who have come to the border of the land and are ready to enter. It is to them that Moses is speaking. Finally, those over 20 realized they had sinned and if they turned back they would face the wilderness, so they decide to go into the Promised Land after all (vv. 40-41). God warned them not to do this because they were motivated by fear and not by faith, but they went ahead anyway and were defeated vv. 42-43). They wept not because they disobeyed God but because the Amorites chased them (vv. 44-46).
Application
If I want God’s blessing, I must step out in faith for Him, not because I have to but because I want to. I think there is a very fine line between true faith and presumption like the Israelites had.
Deuteronomy 1:32– 46 (NET)
32 However, through all this you did not have confidence in the Lord your God, 33 who would go before you on the way to find places for you to camp, appearing in a fire at night and in a cloud by day to show you the way you ought to go.
34 When the Lord heard you, he became angry and made this vow: 35 “Not a single person of this evil generation will see the good land that I promised to give to your ancestors! 36 The exception is Caleb son of Jephunneh; he will see it and I will give him and his descendants the territory on which he has walked, because he has wholeheartedly followed me.” 37 As for me, the Lord was also angry with me on your account. He said, “You also will not be able to go there. 38 However, Joshua son of Nun, your assistant, will go. Encourage him, because he will enable Israel to inherit the land. 39 Also, your infants, who you thought would die on the way, and your children, who as yet do not know good from bad, will go there; I will give them the land and they will possess it. 40 But as for you, turn back and head for the wilderness by the way to the Red Sea.”
41 Then you responded to me and admitted, “We have sinned against the Lord. We will now go up and fight as the Lord our God has told us to do.” So you each put on your battle gear and prepared to go up to the hill country. 42 But the Lord told me: “Tell them this: ‘Do not go up and fight, because I will not be with you and you will be defeated by your enemies.’” 43 I spoke to you, but you did not listen. Instead you rebelled against the Lord and recklessly went up to the hill country. 44 The Amorite inhabitants of that area confronted you and chased you like a swarm of bees, striking you down from Seir as far as Hormah. 45 Then you came back and wept before the Lord, but he paid no attention to you whatsoever. 46 Therefore, you remained at Kadesh for a long time—indeed, for the full time.