The tragic consequences of unbelief

Numbers 14 reveals how sin flows out of unbelief. This is the hinge point of the Book of Numbers. They’ve been preparing to enter the Promised Land over the year since they left Sinai. They were poised to finally enter the land Yahweh had promised so long ago to Abraham. It was here that their unbelief turned into a full-scale rebellion against Yahweh.

It is important to note that the action of rebellion (the sinful act itself) flowed out of unbelieving hearts. That is always how it works. We are not sinners because we sin. We sin because we are sinners. We have unbelieving hearts.

The unbelief showed itself in three ways. First, they listened to their fears instead of the Word of God. Second, they tested Yahweh, seeking proof of His faithfulness. Third, they preferred an alternative to God over God Himself. Unbelief made them listen to their fears instead of their God.

Unbelief is subtle and complex. And unbelief is the simplest thing in the world. Literally, it means ‘a want (or lack) of faith and trust.’

1. If you repeatedly reject God’s grace, you may cross the line of no return.

In Numbers 14:11, the Lord asks Moses, “How long will this people despise me? And how long will they not believe in me, in spite of all the signs that I have done among them? I will strike them with the pestilence and disinherit them, and I will make of you a nation greater and mightier than they.” In verse 22, the Lord says that these people who had seen His glory and the signs He had performed in Egypt and in the wilderness had put Him to the test, “these ten times.”

God is ready to hammer the people of Israel into nothingness over this unbelief. This threat shows the seriousness with which God takes rebellion on the part of his people.

2. Although the Lord may delay judgment, He does not necessarily remove the consequences of sin on us or on our children.

When the people heard about the giants in the land, they wailed (Num. 14:2), “Would that we had died in this wilderness!” They accused God of bringing them into the land so that their wives and children would become prey for the Canaanites. So, the Lord solemnly declared (four times, Num. 14:29, 32, 33, 35), “Okay, you said you’d rather die in this wilderness, so you’ll die in the wilderness! You accused Me of wanting to kill your children, but I will bring them into the land which you have rejected” (Num. 14:31).

So, during the next 38 years, over a million adults who had come out of Egypt died in the wilderness. If you do the calculation, that amounts to over 26,000 deaths every year, or 72 per day for 38 years! Moses saw a lot of death during those long years in the wilderness (Ps. 90:5-7)

If, through unbelief, you reject God’s gracious promise of salvation, you will reap tragic consequences, but if you respond in faith, you will reap eternal life.

Application Questions:

1. Your attitude determines your destination. They are contagious. Is yours worth catching?

2. Have you ever had to decide whose testimony to trust? What were the circumstances? How were they similar to those of the Israelites in this story? How were they different? How did you decide?

Quote:

“One-half of the ills of life come because men are unwilling to sit down quietly for thirty minutes to think through all the possible consequences of their acts.” - Blaise Pascal

Prayer:

Lord, help me not to miss out on your blessings in my life because of unbelief. Help me to be like Caleb, stand out, and be different in an unbelieving world. Amen.