This is interesting:
Report of the Spies – (Numbers 13:25-33) KJV
So, spies? Even spies lie.
32 “And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.” – Numbers 13:32
And when these “lies” are believed as if they were true, it can change the direction of ANY game plan.
The People Rebel – (Numbers 14:1-12) KJV
The spies who lied to Moses and the people, then turned into “murmurings” and they rebelled.
The People Rebel – (Numbers 14:1-12) KJV
And Moses interceded for the People
Moses Intercedes for the People – (Numbers 14:13-19) KJV
But then, God had already been offended.
20 And the Lord said, I have pardoned according to thy word:
21 But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord.
22 Because all those men which have seen My glory, and My miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted Me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to My voice;
23 Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked Me see it:
24 But My servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed Me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it.
25 (Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwelt in the valley.) Tomorrow turn you, and get you into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea.
26 And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
27 How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against Me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against Me.
28 Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the Lord, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you:
29 Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward which have murmured against Me.
30 Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.
31 But your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised.
32 But as for you, your carcases, they shall fall in this wilderness.
33 And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness.
34 After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know My breach of promise.
35 I the Lord have said, I will surely do it unto all this evil congregation, that are gathered together against Me: in this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.
36 And the men, which Moses sent to search the land, who returned, and made all the congregation to murmur against him, by bringing up a slander upon the land,
37 Even those men that did bring up the evil report upon the land, died by the plague before the Lord.
38 But Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of the men that went to search the land, lived still.” – God Promises Judgment – (Numbers 14:20-38) KJV
This story has been put in the bible for a reason. Man, in his “human nature” that is sinful, despite seeing God’s miracles, with their own eyes, like these Israelites did, still had complaints! Murmuring and complaining, and God hears them all.
The lack of a strong faith, anchored to the Truth, can easily cause people to fall into deception, into believing lies, masquerading as truth.
So this story is a good reminder for all of us, to always count our blessings – be grateful to God for our blessings.
Because when God makes a promise – He stays true to His promises.
Our faith can start with “little faith”, but as you study God’s Words, and God’s promises, He will help your faith to grow!
And He punishes liars, and also those who believe lies.
Israel Defeated in Battle – (Numbers 14:39-45) KJV
These stories in the Bible have a lot of lessons to teach all of us.
It applies today, as it did before, and shall apply for generations to come.