In Leviticus, you see the purpose of Israel’s redemption that they would be whole, and we note that it only took one night to deliver Israel out of Egypt, but it would take 40 years to take Egypt out of Israel. That in a nutshell my friends is what the Book of Numbers is all about.
During the 40 years of wandering in the wilderness the nation is going to see 1 ½ million of their countrymen die an average of 82 deaths a day in what was to be only an 11-day journey to the land of promise, no wonder they were constantly on the move. And what was the cause of this delay that led to a whole generation dying along the journey? Are you ready for this?
They refused to trust God even though He proved worthy of their trust. So for 40 years, they complained against God about His guidance, provision, and protection. The people didn’t like the folks God put in charge, they didn’t like the food and drink God gave them, why they even told God that they preferred to go back and be in bondage than to have Him lead them. They spent most of their time complaining about every move God made, they were unhappy, ungrateful, and defeated followers of God because they were unwilling to slay their biggest foe, themselves.
Hey saints, the Book of Numbers is going to hit a little close to home. We tend to think that God makes mistakes, that Father doesn’t know what is best, and that we are closer to the situation and can better handle things if He would just do things our way. Dear ones, in the wilderness called life there are millions of folks who are fighting God over CONTROL of their lives instead of trusting the only one who is capable of fulfilling His promises.
Many a Christian has the faith necessary to trust God to lead them out of slavery and bondage to the world, but have decided that God can’t be trusted to guide them into the fullness of all His promises.