Numbers 14: The congregation listened to the negative report of the 10 spies and rebelled against Moses and Aaron, wanting to choose a new leader and return to Egypt. Joshua and Caleb begged the people to trust God and not rebel, but they wouldn’t listen. God said that He was going to destroy the people and make a great nation from Moses, but Moses interceded for them and begged God not to destroy them. Moses changed God’s mind and He spared the people but would punish them by making them wander in the wildeness for 40 years. Everyone 20 and older would die in he wilderness. Of all those 20 and older only Joshua and Caleb would live to see the land of Canaan. God sent a plague killing the 10 spies. The next day the Israelites decided to obey God and attack the Canaanites even though Moses warned them not to, and they were defeated. Their motives for attacking were not sincere. They only attacked b/c of the punishment God pronounced on them, but it was too little, too late according to Moses.
Life Lesson: The 10 spies and the people were paralyzed by their fear into disobeying God. All they needed was a little faith and courage. Fear and lack of faith will keep your from obeying God. It will also keep you from enjoying God’s blessings that He has available for you (like entering Canaan to enjoy the land that flowed with milk and honey). Psalm 118:6 The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Psalm 56:3-4 When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise—in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” Psalm 23:4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” That doesn’t mean that you won’t be afraid. It just means that you will not let your fear stop you from obeying God. You will overcome that fear with faith and courage. I ask you, “What are you afraid of in life?” Trust God and step out in faith. God will reward you. I wish that worked with phobias but I can’t seem to make it work with my fear of heights!
Numbers 15 gives laws for various animal sacrifice offerings for when they eventually enter Canaan, which is kinda weird since it would be 40 years before they entered Canaan. A man gathering wood on the Sabbath was stone to death at God’s command. The command to observe the Sabbath and not work on the Sabbath had been given at Mt Sinai.
Numbers 16 is the story of Korah’s rebellion. The Levites Korah, Dathan, Abiram, and 250 of the leaders rebelled against the authority God had given Moses and Aaron. They were mainly attacking that authority of Aaron as high priest. God was about to destroy the whole congregation, but again Moses interceded for them and God only killed Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. He opened up the earth and they just fell into the earth along with their possessions. The next day the congregation blamed Moses for the deaths and God was ready to destroy the whole congregation again and began killing many with a plague. Again Moses interceded for the people and the plague was stopped when Aaron stood with his censor between those who died from the plague and those who were still alive. But 14,700 died before the plague stopped.
Numbers 17: God then told Moses to get a rod for each of the 12 tribes and a rod for Aaron and the Levites. He was to put them in the tabernacle overnight. The next morning Aaron’s rod budded with blossoms and ripe almonds, showing that God had chosen Aaron and his family as the only true priests with Aaron as the high priest. Aaron’s rod that budded was kept in the ark of the covenant from that time on.
Numbers 18 gives the duties of the Levites and a command for the people to give tithes to support the Levites since they would devote themselves to the work surrounding the tabernacle. They would be able also to eat some of the offerings the people made.
