Day 63: Israel's Rebellion

 Today's readings: Numbers 14, Deuteronomy 12, and Psalm 95.

I. And in the fourteenth chapter of Numbers, the people rebel. Rather surprising given their stellar performance in the previous chapter! Yes, sarcasm. In fairness, I seriously doubt we'd do any better today in their situation, but they did have benefit of seeing great divine miracles personally which most of us now do not. At any rate, the Israelites panic and complain yet again, saying that they wished they had died in Egypt. In an outright act of rebellion, they talked about choosing a new leader and returning there. Not even Joshua and Caleb could soothe their hysteria, as they threatened to stone them. So trust, faith, and obedience were completely tossed aside by Israel for sheer terror of what awaited them in Canaan. Needless to say, God was not pleased at all. He proposed striking them down, but Moses interceded. God forgave Israel, but there were consequences:

• The entire adult generation who doubted will not enter the Promised Land.
• They will instead wander for 40 more years, one year for each day the land was explored.
• Only Joshua and Caleb will enter.
• The 10 unfaithful spies die immediately.
• Israel ignores Moses' warnings and in regret for their hysteria, attempt to enter Canaan, but are defeated by the Amalekites and Canaanites.

On this major act of rebellion by Israel, the Ignatius Bible notes:

The second major apostasy of Israel since leaving Egypt. The first was the golden calf rebellion at Sinai (Ex 32:1-35), and now the tribes rebel again at Kadesh (13:31-33). On both occasions, the Lord released a plague among the people (14:37; Ex 32:35) and Moses stepped in to plead for God's mercy (14:17-19; Ex 34:9). The NT recalls the tragedy at Kadesh to warn that apostasy and unbelief can deny Christians a heavenly inheritance, much as it barred faithless Israel from entering the Promised Lan (1 Cor 10:5, 10; Heb 3:12-4:13). (p. 248)

The BIY Companion, Vol 1, also comments on this:

The people of Israel still have the hearts and minds of slaves - they would rather return to slavery in Egypt than enter the land God has promised because it will be dangerous and difficult to conquer... God gives them the land, but they need to cooperate with him... This is a lesson for us. If we are unwilling to fight against the things that enslave us (e.g. fears, bad habits, addictions) and move forward in freedom, our children will have to fight those battles. (p. 136)

II. In Deuteronomy 12, Moses instructs Israel on how they are to worship once they enter the Promised Land.

• First, Israel must completely remove Canaanite religious practices, including all idols and pagan "holy" places.
• Israel must worship in the place that God chooses.
• Israel may slaughter animals for ordinary food locally, but sacrificial offerings belong at the chosen sanctuary. A repeated command is to not eat the blood of animals, as it symbolizes life and belongs to God alone.
• Israel must not imitate pagan worship practices, even if they seem appealing, most especially with pagan practice of sacrificing children to their false gods.
• Israel is forbidden from adding to or taking away from God’s commands.

It sounds like Israel is in the steep learning curve, only having been liberated from slavery in Egypt less than 50 years ago, which is why some of this seems very strict. Also, given the state of pagan religion at the time, something they were most familiar with, it is understandable.

III. Psalm 95 is one of praise. As the Ignatius Bible notes:

It issues a summons to worship (95:1-7c) and a warning against unfaithfulness (95:7d-11). That implies that liturgy and life form a unit, so that serving God in the Temple must be joined with a commitment to obeying God when he speaks. Otherwise, hearers risk offending him and forfeiting the blessing of his "rest" (95:11). God appears in the psalm as a great King (95:3) and Shepherd (95:7). The Church's daily prayer, the Liturgy of the Hours, regularly begins with Ps 95. (p. 912)

That's it for today!