A Stone's Throw (Numbers 14)

In Numbers 14 God's people were literally a stone's throw from entering the promised land. Their kids were skipping rocks from the east bank of the Jordan River to the west. The promised land was the covenant fulfillment, a place of blessing, exceedingly good (vs 7), flowing with Starbucks and scones. But after a bad report from the scouts, the people rebelled (first against Moses, but ultimately against God). They let fear, anxiety, unbelief, mistrust, and self-preservation rule the day. They picked up stones to throw at Caleb and Joshua, the only two faithful men of their generation who would enter the promised land. Because the people wanted to kill them, God finally washed His hands of the "rabble". The people who were so close to blessing beyond count, would all perish wandering in the desert within 40 years, stale bits of manna and quail stuck in their beards.

Vs 25 is so sad when God said to Moses, "Turn back tomorrow and set out toward the desert along the route to the Red Sea.” This is the thundering thud of a massive door being slammed shut.

Turn back to the land of slavery, turn back from God's covenant promised blessing, turn back from fruitfulness, from the bounty of God's hand. Turn back.

They were so close! But instead the stones they could've thrown to hit the promised land, were directed to God and His faithful ones. And they perished because of it. Why? At the heart of their rebellion was unbelief mistrust.

Only by abiding belief, trust, and love our Lord can we too enter the fulness of His blessing.