Numbers 14:1-19   There are consequences for rebellion and unbelief. The people of Israel lost faith in the God who was present.. in the cloud by day and the fire by night.. the same God who brought them out of Egypt with His powerful Hand.  They saw Him... but didn't know Him.  They didn't trust His promise that He would give them the land.. that He would conquer these enemies. That He would do what they couldn't do.  

Verse 5 tells us that Moses and Aaron both fell on their faces.. Verse 6 tells us that Joshua and Caleb "tore their clothes" and spoke to the people.  " If the Lord is pleased with us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us - a land which flows with milk and honey. Only do not rebel against the Lord; and do not fear the people of the land. "  

But the people were ready to stone them.. until the Lord showed up.. "Then the glory of the Lord appeared in the tent of meeting to all the sons of Israel."

Imagine this.. when the glory of the Lord shows up.. it stops the rebels.. it stops the arguments.. He brings an end to the violence.  It must have been stunning.. this powerful appearance of the Lord in the midst of the multitude. 

The Lord seems to take Moses aside "How long will this people spurn Me?"  He is willing to "smite" them all right there and then.  But, weary and frustrated Moses intercedes instead of agreeing..   He reasons with the Lord.. his argument is that the Name of the Lord will be dishonored by the other nations if the people die in the wilderness like this. They will think that the Lord is unable to accomplish what He set out to do. "But now I pray, let the power of the Lord be great, just as Thou hast declared." Moses prays for the pardon of "the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of Thy lovingkindness, just as Thou also hast forgiven this people, from Egypt until now." 

Moses reminded the Lord of His own words spoken on Mt Sinai.. ( Exodus 34:6-7) "The Lord is slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, forgiving iniquity and transgression; but He will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation." And we are reminded once again of the character of our God.. for He never changes.  He is willing and able to forgive.. He will pardon our iniquities.. He is abundant in His lovingkindness towards us. But, He will not ignore those who continue in sin and rebellion. 

There is one thing that the Lord did change.... oh how great is His grace... In Ezekiel 18 the Lord declared that  "The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father's iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son's iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself." (v20)  

Father in heaven, You are so good. You are ready to forgive. Ready to pardon our iniquities and give us life.  You are just in all You do.  We desire, Lord, to live for You and to please You.. even though we know that we fall short. So we thank You for being patient and loving towards us.. We are grateful that You are slow to anger and that You do not remember are transgressions against us when we repent and turn away from sin.  We thank You for the atonement that You have made for us through Jesus Christ the Lord who died on the cross, shedding His blood and giving us life through His death.  Hallelujah! What a Savior! We praise Your Name and pray that You will be exalted in all the earth !  Amen.