We use this Biblical account to teach our children about obedience. We use it to teach our adults about discipline.
It really is a great story of God's grace and mercy and how God teaches us that, not only do we not need to know the whole story, we shouldn't be overly concerned with the end result of our efforts.
We do spend a lot of time considering this account and what it teaches us. But what if I told you God is not always so gracious and merciful?
Our Bible study for last Sunday was on Joshua. Specifically, it was about God passing the mantle of leadership to Joshua. It was from there that we began to discuss how easy it is to obey/disobey God and how God dealt with that disobedience.
In the context of this account of Joshua and Israel, the Israelites had seen God's hand in their delivery from bondage. Yet despite God's repeated miracles it was no time before they were complaining to Moses that he should have left them in Egypt. Furthermore, once they spied out the promised land, all but two of the spies said the people were too strong for them to take the land. The Israelites had so quickly forgotten exactly who had gotten them to this point. However, Joshua and Caleb had not. They knew it was not them who would take the land but God would, through them.
What did God do when the Israelites refused to take the land? He didn't discipline them did he? This is what God said in Numbers 14 (NIV):
"Not one of you will enter the land I swore with uplifted hand to make your home, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun. As for your children that you said would be taken as plunder, I will bring them in to enjoy the land you have rejected. But as for you, your bodies will fall in this wilderness. Your children will be shepherds here for forty years, suffering for your unfaithfulness, until the last of your bodies lies in the wilderness. For forty years—one year for each of the forty days you explored the land—you will suffer for your sins and know what it is like to have me against you.’ I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will surely do these things to this whole wicked community, which has banded together against me. They will meet their end in this wilderness; here they will die."God cursed the Israelite adults (20 years old or older) to die in the wilderness. He used them to raise their children so that their children would take their place and inherit the land He had promised to them. Essentially God told the Israelites to "Step aside and let someone else inherit your promise". He didn't spend any time trying to discipline them or rehabilitate them. He move on without them.
If we are going to teach our children lessons about God's grace and mercy we should be just as willing to teach them (and remind ourselves) about God's judgement. If we aren't willing to do what God asks us to do He is more than willing to find someone else who is willing.
Look at it this way. God didn't put aside one person who disobeyed. He put aside an entire generation who disobeyed! He told them they would not inherit His promise because they had disobeyed. These were God's chosen people! He had gone to what appears (to us) to be a great deal of trouble to get them out of Egypt and into their own land.
This reminds me of a statement Bill Cosby once made about his childhood:
"From the age of seven my father established our relationship. He said, 'I brought you into this world an I can take you out. And it don't make no difference to me because I'll make another one who looks just like you'."God loves us and He wants the best for us. But don't be deceived... He will not allow our disobedience to interfere with what He has planned to do. He will accomplish His will with or without us. Wouldn't you much rather be on the field than on the sideline?
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. - Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
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