Numbers 14:42-45(ESV)

Originally published 08/29/2015

The people of Israel didn't accept God's authority or trust him enough to enter Canaan when he told them to enter. Then he told them they would never enter the land as their punishment for rejecting his authority. Then they decided to go into Canaan, but Moses told them: "Do not go up, for the Lord is not among you, lest you be struck down before your enemies. For there the Amalekites and the Canaanites are facing you, and you shall fall by the sword. Because you have turned back from following the LORD, the LORD will not be with you." But they presumed to go up to the heights of the hill country, although neither the ark of the covenant of the LORD nor of Moses departed out of the camp. Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in that hill country came down and defeated them and pursued them, even to Hormah" Numbers 14:42-45 (ESV). The Israelites decided to enter Canaan, not because they accepted God's authority over them, but to avoid punishment for their disobedience to him. When Moses told them that God did not want them to enter now, they disobeyed again. God wants us to accept him as the ruler of the world and submit to his wisdom and authority. I think many people profess faith in God when they really do not want to obey him but want to avoid punishment and Hell, and God knows the difference. Lord, search my motives. Do I serve you just so I can avoid judgment or because I love you and accept you as the ruler of the universe?

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