How would YOU respond?
11 The LORD said to Moses, “How long will these people despise Me? How long will they not trust in Me despite all the signs I have performed among them? 12 I will strike them with a plague and destroy them. Then I will make you into a greater and mightier nation than they are.” 13 But Moses replied to the LORD, … 19 Please pardon the wrongdoing of this people in keeping with the greatness of Your faithful love, just as You have forgiven them from Egypt until now.” Numbers 14:11-13, 19
Moses was just threatened by the entire Israelite camp – they were about to stone him and Aaron! The spies had gone through the land of Canaan and discovered the fruitfulness of it as well as size and fierceness of the inhabitants. They came back and told the people that they would surely be destroyed if they tried to go into the land. Of course, Caleb and Joshua disagreed due to their faith in God. Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before the Israelite assembly to plead with them not to lose faith in God. However, the Israelites responded by threatening to stone them to death!
The amazing part is what happens next. God tells Moses that He is angry with the Israelites, and is going to destroy them all and raise up a new nation from Moses’ descendants. Now stop and think, for a moment. The Israelites tried to kill him, and God wants to kill them and make him like Abraham is to the Israelites – the father of the nation! What do you think you would do if God told you that? Something like “Thank you Lord!” or “Praise God” or “What an answer to prayer, my enemies will be defeated” or some such like response? When we are in the midst of a life-storm and ask God for solutions, do we turn them down when they come? NO! Of COURSE not! How ridiculous!
Well, Moses interceded with God on the Israelites’ behalf. Moses pleaded with God NOT to destroy them! God listened, and that is why they wandered for 40 years in the wilderness until all the men 20 years old and upward died (except for Caleb and Joshua). Their wanderings was a reprieve from God – a blessing, if you will! If Moses had NOT interceded with God, but instead had accepted God’s decision, he would have lost the test! If God had set any one of us up with a choice like that, would WE have PASSED the test? Honestly, how would YOU respond to such a scenario?
The only reason Moses passed was due to the length of time he spent with God. The only way we will pass our tests is if we spend MORE time with God! Our challenge today: Figure out when we can spend more time daily with God, and start doing so!
