February 20

By my readings of the chapters in Numbers, I would say that the wilderness generation is led to condemnation because they fail to appreciate the liberation and mercy that God has given them. Rather, they are seen complaining about the lack of food and drink they are provided and even wishing that they could be returned back to their slave status in Egypt. God wanted these people to draw near to him and use this opportunity journeying in the desert to solidify their role as his chosen people. Instead, they complained about trivial things and their disobedience and distrust in God leads to their own future downfall. Moses is somewhat linked with these people in his own downfall because he attempts to stand up for them to God, and it is also under his leadership in the first place that these people developed such an ungrateful mindset. Closing the Pentateuch with the death of Moses, while being a let down, seems fitting because it reiterates the theme that one cannot approach God with full confidence. God wants to draw near to us, but he also gives us the stiff arm when we seem to be getting too comfortable with him. Even Moses, the greatest prophet as declared by Deuteronomy 34, cannot enter the Holy Land after all his years of guiding the Israelites because he displeased God. Things never turn out the way we expect them to when it comes to God’s will. Joshua is much like Moses. However, the shadow hanging over him is that Moses was the greatest prophet in Israel and even he did not achieve full communion with God. This makes Joshua’s job seem impossible, hinting at more obstacles ahead between God and the Israelites in Joshua’s generation of command.