Were the people truly humbled after God's judgment? It seems that they were swift to bring this man to judgment who broke the Sabbath law. Which was worse? grumbling against God and disbelieving Him to deliver them into the land -or- collecting sticks on the Sabbath to keep warm or give light to their campsite.
At least they waited until God spoke to Moses to carry out the requirement of the law concerning this breach. Maybe Moses told them to wait on the LORD. I wonder if they thought about their own rebelliousness and unbelief towards the LORD with every stone they threw at this man. They were equally as guilty as he was. They all had experienced the miraculous ways God delivered them from enemies and provided for their physical needs. They all had heard Moses announce the Law to them and they all agreed to keep the Law as their part of the covenant with the LORD. They all knew that they were law-breakers, just like this man.
It seems the LORD exacted this sentence on this man because he deserved it, but also to show the people how serious and offensive their own sin truly was to God who delivered them from their enemies and bondage. Especially when God said that the sinner's soul will be cut off (assumed from God) and that his sin remains upon him. This goes beyond not entering into the land, dying in the wilderness. It speaks to the life to come for those who remain in unbelief.
The chapter ends with God instructing the people to put fringes upon the hems of their garments with blue ribbon. This was for them to always be reminded of the their responsibility to keep the commandments God gave them as part of the covenant made at Sinai. I wonder how long it took for this practice to become so ordinary that it no longer was a reminder as God had requested of them. How long did it take for Israelites to abandon having fringed garments altogether.
Such acts that are meant to remind us of God's Word can become mundane or rote to us.
Pt. 3
Were the people truly humbled after God's judgment? It seems that they were swift to bring this man to judgment who broke the Sabbath law. Which was worse? grumbling against God and disbelieving Him to deliver them into the land -or- collecting sticks on the Sabbath to keep warm or give light to their campsite.
At least they waited until God spoke to Moses to carry out the requirement of the law concerning this breach. Maybe Moses told them to wait on the LORD. I wonder if they thought about their own rebelliousness and unbelief towards the LORD with every stone they threw at this man. They were equally as guilty as he was. They all had experienced the miraculous ways God delivered them from enemies and provided for their physical needs. They all had heard Moses announce the Law to them and they all agreed to keep the Law as their part of the covenant with the LORD. They all knew that they were law-breakers, just like this man.
It seems the LORD exacted this sentence on this man because he deserved it, but also to show the people how serious and offensive their own sin truly was to God who delivered them from their enemies and bondage. Especially when God said that the sinner's soul will be cut off (assumed from God) and that his sin remains upon him. This goes beyond not entering into the land, dying in the wilderness. It speaks to the life to come for those who remain in unbelief.
The chapter ends with God instructing the people to put fringes upon the hems of their garments with blue ribbon. This was for them to always be reminded of the their responsibility to keep the commandments God gave them as part of the covenant made at Sinai. I wonder how long it took for this practice to become so ordinary that it no longer was a reminder as God had requested of them. How long did it take for Israelites to abandon having fringed garments altogether.
Such acts that are meant to remind us of God's Word can become mundane or rote to us.
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