Monday 28th August
Read Numbers 14:1-4
“That night all the members of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. 2 All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, ‘If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this wilderness! 3 Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?’ 4 And they said to each other, ‘We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.’” (NIVUK)
The reversal of the Exodus. The people, all the people, reject Yahweh and want to return to Egypt. The spies’ lies give rise to fear and despair. Fear and despair lead them to despise the Lord who brought them out of bondage in Egypt. This is the lowest point in the story. Despite all that has happened it is not pride or arrogance that leads them to forsake God but fear and despair.
One wise observer of the history of the church has observed that pessimism has done more to forestall the advance of the kingdom than atheism ever has. The Israelites listened to the lies of the spies that the land was beyond their reach, the people too strong and powerful, and the effort required simply too great and chose the easier path. Fear of the effort involved caused them to shrink back. They choose continued bondage rather than promised freedom. Sent in as witnesses to the wonder of the promised land the spies spread fear and despair. We don’t often consider ‘sin’ in this light. We don’t often think that simply opting for the path of least resistance results in bondage and slavery anew.
It certainly casts a different light on one of my favourite passages. What is the ‘sin’ that so easily entangles? Is it looking back to ways that require less effort? Is it shrinking back from hard work? Should we ‘turn our eyes upon Jesus’ because He provides us with the perfect example of the effort, and reward, that accrues to those who refuse to grow weary and lose heart. Those who refuse to despair.
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy that was set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Hebrews 12:1-3) (NIVUK)
