Day 45

Forgiven But . . .

Read: Numbers 14-15

Ten of the spies came back saying that the task of conquering the land was impossible. This showed lack of faith in God. When the people sided with those spies, they also showed their lack of faith. God was ready to destroy them. God is love, but this doesn’t mean that he will accept any kind of behavior.

Moses now shows his greatness by turning down God’s offer to replace Israel with only the offspring of Moses and instead pleads in intercessory prayer on behalf of this people who had treated him so poorly. He bases this intercession not on the worthiness of the people but on the name of God. If the people perished and the other nations thought it was because God could not take care of them, God’s name would be dishonored. He asked God to forgive them.

God accedes to the plea of Moses and forgives the people. But that is not all; he also told them that the present generation would perish in the wilderness. They will be forgiven. They will remain God’s people. But there will be tragic consequences resulting from their sin. They will miss the blessing they could have had. So with us. How wonderful to be forgiven! But sin results in our missing many blessings God wants to give us. Never forget that in the midst of a generation that takes sin so lightly, God does not take it lightly.

PRAYER
Father, forgive us and also give us grace to keep us from sinning and missing the blessings you are ready to give us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.