Bible Reading Blog
“God's Grace Has Limits”
Categories: Congregational Bible ReadingBIBLE READING: Numbers 10-14
For more than two years Israel was exposed to the power, direction and holiness of YHWH. After their significant blunder with the calf, YHWH’s presence seemed to impact their behavior for a while. They set out “at the command of the LORD by Moses” according to the pattern he had laid out for them (Numbers 10.13-28). They followed the ark and the cloud wherever it led them (10.33-34). But rote obedience was lacking. The people continued to complain about God’s plan for them. They didn’t like the food (11.1-6). They didn’t like the leadership (12.1-2). They didn’t like the prospect of fighting a difficult enemy (13.28-29, 32-33; 14.1-4). Here they were, at the cusp of the Promised Land that YHWH had repeatedly promised to them, filled with an enemy that YHWH had already helped them defeat and promised he would again (Numbers 12.29; see Exodus 17.8-16)… but they decided it would be better to go back to Egypt (14.4).
It wasn’t that they didn’t have opportunity to learn about God. It wasn’t some unknown factor that caused their fear and rejection. He had gone out of his way to prepare them for this moment. Their existence as a nation was defined by HIS choices, not theirs. But they did not believe him (Numbers 14.11). “How long will they not believe in me, in spite of all the signs that I have done among them?” (14.11). They had seen and yet turned away from the realities of God’s power. “You have put me to the test these ten times and have not obeyed my voice” (14.22). They had understood and yet chose their own way.
This moment was the final, catastrophic straw: “your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness… all your number listed in the census from twenty years old and upward, who have grumbled against me…” (Numbers 14.29).
This episode plainly reveals that God’s grace had limits… and it still does today. These people an object lesson for us to avoid (1 Corinthians 10) with the same warning they were given: “Don’t harden your heart as in the day of rebellion” (Hebrews 3-4). Like these people, God’s grace is immense towards us, but God doesn’t force us to do anything. In fact, he will give us up to our desires if that’s what we choose (see Romans 1.18-ff).
We must mature through obedience, but it must go beyond rote activity. Our heart’s desire must change for us to receive the promises of God. We must understand how foolish, deceptive and destructive our natural desires are and where they take us (Jeremiah 17.9; Proverbs 14.12). Just because we have been called, chosen and promised things from God doesn’t mean we’re a shoo-in to receive. God’s grace is only limited by our choice regarding it. In fact, like Israel we can choose our fate. If we set our mind on the here-and-now, this life will be our only reward. If we want to return to our old life, it will be like a dog returning to it's vomit (2 Peter 2.20-22). It would be better for us to have never known God's ways, than to reject it (Hebrews 10.26-31). There is nothing else to be offered beyond the atoning and all-sufficient grace given to us through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.
God has always made good on his promises and so we must listen and believe. Jesus has promised to prepare a place for us, where we can be at peace with him, if we believe in him (John 14.1-3). This means we trust him with more than just lip service. It means we listen and obey, confident that his ways are leading us home. And so, let us not presume upon his grace, but grow in it with less complaining and more trusting (Romans 2.3-4; 2 Peter 3.17-18).
