Edina Hall

Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

In today’s lesson, we meet the Israelites wandering in the wilderness (Numbers 13:31-14:25). Moses has sent twelve spies on a reconnaissance mission into Canaan. Upon return, ten of the twelve are not hopeful. “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.” “We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.” Despite a good report from the two spies, Caleb and Joshua, the Israelites began to complain again to Moses and Aaron. They stir up the people in dissent. Regardless of all the distance traveled (miles and months) and all of God’s faithfulness along the way, they begin to hatch plans to stone Moses and Aaron, elect new leaders and return to Egypt.

And God finally had enough. 

“How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the signs I have performed among them? I will strike them down with a plague and destroy them…” 

Moses with his unique and direct relationship with God, intervenes for the nation.

He points out that if he kills them, the Egyptians will hear about how God, who was with the Israelites night and day, gave up on them. “The Lord was not able to bring these people into the land he promised them on oath, so he slaughtered them in the wilderness”. Worse, Moses points out; other nations will hear about it. 

Moses continues on, reminds God that while he IS powerful and can destroy the Israelites, he more importantly is “slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion.” God tempers his wrath and while he does not kill the Israelites, they wander many more years. All of them, except Caleb, do not see the promised land.

These interactions between the Israelites, Moses and God have me reflecting on my own relationship with him.

I am comfortable thanking, praising and asking for an intersession. I do it daily. I have questioned, complained, and railed against the Almighty. More than once, I have tried to bargain with him.

What is clear to me in my relationship with God is that he will never be weary of me because despite all I may dish out, he is abounding in love. 

—Edina