#33 — Parshat Shelach

 

Numbers 13:1- 15:41

 
 

Overview

At G-d’s command Moses sends out twelve chief men to explore the land, one for each tribe. After 40 days they come back with an enormous cluster of grapes (and other fruit). They confirm the land’s fruitfulness but 10 of the 12 say Israel will not be able to overcome the Canaanites (especially because of the presence of the giant Anakites; see Numbers 13).

The unbelief of the 10 goes viral and becomes an outright rebellion in which the people even want to go back to Egypt. The L-RD is again so provoked that He wants to destroy the Israelites and make a people from Moses instead. But Moses intercedes, and the L-RD relents from His righteous anger. 

Nevertheless, the current generation has forfeited its inheritance of the land through unbelief; they will die in the wilderness.  An attempt to conquer the land anyway, without the presence of the L-RD, ends in miserable defeat (Numbers 14).

Laws about grain and wine offering as additions to the sacrifices of animals and giving the first of their dough to the L-RD, “when you come into the land” (Numbers 15:2,17), graciously reconfirm the promise of the inheritance of the land (Numbers 15:1-20).

Unintentional sins can be atoned for with a sin offering, but a person who sins brazenly shall be cut off from among his people (Numbers 15:22-31).

A Shabbat breaker is stoned (Numbers 15:32-36) and the Israelites are commanded to make tassels on the corners of their garments to remind them to be holy to their G-d (Numbers 15:37-41).


Don’t miss the promised land

Why the delay?

Why was Israel’s entry into the promised land delayed by 40 years? Why did an entire generation have to die in the desert? 

It is because of rebellion. Our parsha shows us also clearly what is at the core of this: unbelief. 

The reasoning of faith and unbelief

The 10 spies and Joshua and Caleb all saw the same thing. Each one saw the same fortified cities and the same giant sons of Anak in Canaan. Nevertheless Joshua and Caleb said, “We are well able to overcome them” (Numbers 13:30). 

But the 10 said, “We are not able…” (Numbers 13:31).

The key difference which led to such radically different conclusions is not a varying assessment of Israel’s strength. Joshua and Caleb are not overestimating Israel’s military prowess. 

The difference is caused by what they thought about the L-RD. Based on the mighty works the L-RD already performed for Israel, Joshua and Caleb count on the power of G-d and trust His goodness and promise. Their reasoning: “If the L-RD delights in us, He will bring us into His land” (Numbers 14:8). 

The faith of these two men doesn’t dare question the goodness and grace of G-d which He so clearly demonstrated to Israel. And so, when they say “If the L-RD delights in us,” they are not questioning G-d’s love but rather use it as a stepping stone for a next logical conclusion: He definitely will bring us in.

The unbelief of the 10 which goes viral among the people is completely opposed to this. It questions the premise of G-d’s goodness on which Joshua and Caleb’s faith is built. Their unbelief is seen in their attributing sinister motives to the L-RD. “Why is the L-RD bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword?”

The consequence of unbelief

The unbelief of the 10 spies and the people leads to an outright rebellion, even to the point of wanting to return to Egypt. Their outright rejection provokes the L-RD’s wrath. G-d says to Moses, “How long will this people despise me? And how long will they not believe in Me, in spite of all the signs that I have done among them?” (Numbers 14:11).

Moses’ intercession saves the people from destruction, but Israel’s unbelief has the grave consequence that an entire generation has to remain 40 years in the wilderness and die there. Our parsha stands as a clear warning: don’t be like the unbelieving spies, but trust in the good news of G-d’s promise and grace as did Joshua and Caleb.

The ultimate promised land

Faith or unbelief meant gaining or losing the promised land. But when we read our parsha, we see an indication that there is yet more to lose or gain.

When the L-RD declares the faithless generation surely cannot enter Canaan, He underscores this with an oath: “Truly as I live, and as all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the L-RD…” (Numbers 14:21).

This reveals, almost in passing, the L-RD’s grand plan. This is a plan to which He remains unwaveringly committed and which will surely come to pass. His glory will fill the earth. At that time we will experience the ultimate promised land.

How will we enter this promised land? To enter this promised land, faith is also key. We enter by faith in the promises G-d gives us in the Messiah. Through the Messiah, He offers us complete forgiveness and eternal life. The serious flip-side of this reality is that unbelief and rejection of the Messiah will keep us out of the promised world to come.


The greatest demonstration of the L-RD’s power.

Have you ever thought about the power of G-d as enormous, divine, self-restraint? G-d is slow to anger, even when our rebellion against Him has provoked His absolute holiness. Even then, He is still full of lovingkindness which forgives iniquity.

“Let the power of the L-RD be great,” Moses prays in Numbers 14:17. In asking this, Moses is appealing to G-d’s own declaration of His Name and His glory:

“Let the power of the L-RD be great, just as You have declared: “The L-RD  is slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, forgiving iniquity and transgression…” (Numbers 14:17-18a).

It is to this glory of G-d that Moses knows he can appeal. Because of this, the L-RD allows Moses to be a mediator who makes intercession for the people.

Another side

Moses is honest, however. He also knows the L-RD said more than that. The L-RD also declared that “He will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, to the third and fourth generation” (Numbers 14:18b).

Moses knows G-d’s holiness doesn’t allow sins to be simply glossed over. In our parsha we see both sides: on one hand, the L-RD relents from His wrath and the people are not annihilated; on the other hand, the generation that rebelled in unbelief will die in the desert.

The ultimate demonstration of the power of the L-RD

These two sides of the L-RD’s holy name – His long patience and great mercy which wants to forgive even the greatest sin, but also His holy aversion against sin – appear to be in tension. But when we see how G-d reveals Himself in the redemption He brings about in Messiah, these “two sides” of the L-RD come together in perfect unity.

There is a perfect solution to the apparent tension in the revelation of G-d’s power and glory, which flows directly from His holy character. The L-RD Himself gives us the perfect mediator and perfect representative in Jesus the Messiah. He is a mediator who intercedes for the transgressors by giving His life as a sacrifice for sins (Isaiah 53). Our sins are indeed “visited,” not glossed over. But we nevertheless go out in peace and are completely forgiven. 

That is how we can enter the perfect land G-d has promised to all who place their trust in Messiah’s perfect sacrifice.

 
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#32 — Parshat Behaalotecha

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#34 — Parshat Korach