If the LORD is pleased with us, He will bring us into this land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and give it to us. Only don’t rebel against the LORD, and don’t be afraid of the people of the land, for we will devour them. Their protection has been removed from them, and the LORD is with us. Don’t be afraid of them!  Numbers 14:8-9 HCSB

The Israelites had wandered around in the wilderness for two years. As they were coming close to the Promised Land, it was agreed that Moses would send one man from each of the twelve tribes to scout out the land and bring a report back to the people.

While the land was fertile and they brought back fruit from the land, ten of the twelve men complained that there were giants in the land and the cities were fortified. They convinced the Israelites that they would never be able to successfully conquer and live in the Promised Land.

Keep in mind it’s called the Promised Land. God had promised Abraham way back in Genesis that this land would be an inheritance for his descendants.

Two of the scouts, Jacob and Caleb, encouraged them in our Scripture passage above to enter into the Promised Land. God had promised this land to them, and He would make it possible.

But the Israelites did not trust God. They rebelled against God and refused to obey His command to go in and take over the land. They failed to trust, and they failed to obey.

God was so angry over their refusal to enter the Promised Land that He punished their rebellion by letting them wander around another 38 years, for a total of 40 years in the desert, where they would die. It is estimated that about two million left Egypt, and now out of the two million, only two, Joshua and Caleb, would enter the Promised Land.

Jesus said in John 14:2-3, “In My Father’s house are many mansions, if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” God has promised a land for us where we will have no sorrow and no mourning (Revelation 21:4). He has promised a land where the streets are made of gold, gates made of a single pearl, and walls are made with precious gemstones (Revelation 4:9-21). Are you willing to enter, or do you refuse?

We refuse to enter heaven in the same way the Israelites refused to enter the Promised Land. We refuse to trust God through the hard times in this life on earth. Jesus commanded us in Matthew 22:37 that the greatest commandment was to love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. Romans 8:28 tells us that the Lord works all things for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. If you love the Lord as you should, you can trust in Him to work even the worst things out in your life for your good.

Secondly, we rebel against the Lord. When we let our fear take over our faith, we start to decide our way is better, and we know best. This causes us to rebel against God and His plans for us. This is a dangerous situation in which to find ourselves.

For their rebelliousness, God sentenced them to die in the wilderness after wandering around another 38 years. We serve a loving, gracious, merciful God. But don’t fool yourself, we serve a God of wrath. When we bring His wrath upon ourselves, nothing good can come from that.

Trust and obey Him. He wants good for you, and He will provide it if you only do your part. Be willing to go through the hard times to get to the Promised Land. You can be assured God will be right there with you every step of the way.

Have a great day!