Continued Rebellion Makes It Worse

 When the spies or scouts had said there were giants in the land, many of the people were afraid they couldn’t defeat them.  There was also a group who wanted to go back to the things they were familiar with even though they didn’t like it.  By playing on the people’s fears, they were able to convince the people to go back to Egypt, effectively rejecting everything God had done for them as being of no importance.  God was offended by the lack of appreciation, and declared that none of the people with that attitude would be allowed live in the land he had promised, but their children would.   As Jesus said in Luke 9:62, “…No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”  As long as they are still looking back longing for what they used to have or do, they will never be satisfied where they are. 

When Moses told the people what God had said, instead of apologizing and asking forgiveness, the people rebelled, determined to show God they could do as the pleased.  Numbers 14:39-40 tells us the decided they would go into the land anyway.  “And Moses told these sayings unto all the children of Israel: and the people mourned greatly.  And they rose up early in the morning, and gat them up into the top of the mountain, saying, Lo, we be here, and will go up unto the place which the LORD hath promised: for we have sinned.”

Moses warned them that God was not going to bless their efforts, in Numbers 14:41-43.  “And Moses said, Wherefore now do ye transgress the commandment of the LORD? but it shall not prosper.  Go not up, for the LORD is not among you; that ye be not smitten before your enemies.  For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and ye shall fall by the sword: because ye are turned away from the LORD, therefore the LORD will not be with you.”  The same people they had been afraid of before were still living in the land.  The only difference was that now God had said he would not help them. 

Unfortunately, some people are so rebellious that if they are told not to do something they try to do it to prove you can’t tell them what to do.  The leaders of the mob had that attitude.  Numbers 14:44-tells us, “But they presumed to go up unto the hill top: nevertheless the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and Moses, departed not out of the camp.  Then the Amalekites came down, and the Canaanites which dwelt in that hill, and smote them, and discomfited them, even unto Hormah.”  Those who were following God did not move, but the others went charging off to fight the people with no clear battle plan, just trying to prove they could do things.  They were totally unequipped to fight experienced raiders and military groups such as the Amalekites or various Canaanite tribes.  They were driven back to the camp where Moses and the others had remained in disgrace.  It was a natural result of rebelling and rushing into things in an effort to prove something.  Rebellion almost always makes things worse. 

Although they would have to suffer the consequences of their decision to disobey, God held no grudges against them.  He continued to plan for their eventual ownership of the land, as we see in Numbers 15:1-5, for example.  “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land of your habitations, which I give unto you, And will make an offering by fire unto the LORD, a burnt offering, or a sacrifice in performing a vow, or in a freewill offering, or in your solemn feasts, to make a sweet savour unto the LORD, of the herd, or of the flock: Then shall he that offereth his offering unto the LORD bring a meat offering of a tenth deal of flour mingled with the fourth part of an hin of oil.  And the fourth part of an hin of wine for a drink offering shalt thou prepare with the burnt offering or sacrifice, for one lamb.”  Their sin had not changed God’s plan, but only delayed it.