Tuesday, June 15, 2021
Today’s Scripture
Today’s Author
Rachal Little
This passage begins with the Israelites standing at the edge of the Promised Land in full-on rebellion against God. In the previous chapter, God instructed Moses to send a group of spies to scout out the land and its inhabitants, and after 40 days, they brought back an unfavorable report – yes, the land is fertile, but the people are strong and so are their cities. Some spies even began comparing the inhabitants to giants and describing the land as one that devours its people! After hearing the report, the Israelites began to rebel – crying out that it would have been better if they had all died in Egypt or the wilderness. They complained that God would bring them out of Egypt only to have them die in battle, so they decided to select a captain and return to Egypt.
This rejection of the exodus and act of rebellion angers God, and as a consequence, God proclaims that every Israelite twenty years old and older will not enter the Promised Land. Instead, the whole congregation will wander the wilderness for forty years – one year for every day the spies scouted the land – until the last of that generation dies. Only then will their children, the next generation, be able to finally enter the land.
The theme of the book of Numbers is the death of the rebellious generation in the wilderness and the rising up of a new, hopeful generation to inhabit the Promised Land. Despite the people’s rebellion, and the consequences they face for it, God’s steadfast love outlasts God’s anger, and the promise of faithfulness to the next generation continues.
Summer Devotional
God Goes With Us
This summer’s devotional is a walk through the Bible. Join our pastors and staff for daily reflections on scripture passages from Genesis to Revelation. In the beginning, God said, “I will be your God and you will be my people.” Come and see how this covenant promise changes through time yet remains steadfast from generation to generation.
Each Sunday, Chris Holmes will share a short message on the texts for the week, and written reflections will go out every Monday through Thursday morning.
We wish you blessings and deeper faith this summer!
