Even though Israel's 40 years in the wilderness was of their own doing, there is a wonderful reminder of God's kindness during that time. Deuteronomy 2:7, "For the LORD your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He knows your going through this great wilderness. These forty years, the LORD your God has been with you. You have lacked nothing." God would have had them in the promised land as opposed to the wilderness, but He did not leave them. He showed them kindness, tolerance, and patience during their 40-year wilderness travels. Their own fear and disbelief brought consequences they could not change, and in the wilderness, they roamed.
After they received the consequences of their sin, they tried to correct it by going up and battling for the land, but it was too late. They were defeated, and badly. God did allow that defeat because He warned them not to go; it was too late. He did not capitulate and allow them to go into the land. As a consequence, he promised, "not one of these men of this evil generation shall see the good land that I swore to give to your fathers." God allowed Caleb and Joshua, and their families to see the land. Also, "your little ones... to them I will give it, and they shall possess it." The men who rejected God still experienced God "who went before you... fire by night and in the cloud by day, to show you by what way you should go." His kindness went before them and after them during their 40 years.
With all that set in stone, to use an idiom of our time, God still prospered them, blessed them, and recognized their plight in the wilderness. He says, "you have lacked nothing." This was to the people he called an "evil generation" Deuteronomy 1:35. This was His care and kindness toward men who rejected Him continually. Men who continued to grumble and murmur against what He provided.
If that is God's care for those he called evil, what more will he do for those like Caleb and Joshua who "wholly followed the LORD?" And remember, Caleb and Joshua had to remain patient and wholly obedient in following God for 40 years. They did. They remained content with what they had and knew the wait was not going anywhere. They battled alongside the evil generation that would not inherit the promised land. They traveled with them from place to place. They continued to experience all God did to provide and care for that evil generation. They built relationships, worshiped with; worked alongside; walk in communion.
God did not turn His back on the faithful or the unfaithful, though their outcomes would be different. There were no grudges held. The people in the land around them would not have known a difference between either group. Caleb and Joshua did not ask God to make sure they stood out from the others. I believe Caleb and Joshua went about the business of the LORD, not of themselves. They went through a lot with these people before and through the 40 years.
The reality is these two men did stand out. They stood out in ways that allowed their lives to experience something none of the others would. They would enter into the promised land. While God may be taking care of everyone the same, it doesn't mean He hasn't made a distinction between the faithful and the evil ones of the generation. Caleb and Joshua simply continued life, obeying what God directed all of Israel to do. God provided for these two just as He did for the others. They did stand out; God aligned their name with His.
It is fascinating to see the kindness of God so visible in a people he called an "evil generation." He did not give them a scarlet letter. They continued walking, working, and winning wars with those who were faithful to God. He made sure both groups lacked nothing in their wilderness stay. There is a lesson for us in this. We can easily get bent out of shape when God cares for the evil generation we live amongst, with what may appear as no preference for us, those who "wholly follow the LORD."
The Word says, "He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." While we walk this earth, we may not see distinctions in God's care because "... He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance..." Just because these people were not going to enter the promised land does not mean none truly repented in that 40-year wilderness. Well, we call it wilderness because that's what it was. It was truly more of an experience in God's kindness meant to lead to repentance. For 40 years they experienced and watched as God cared for them and showed them kindness. "... God's kindness, tolerance, and patience... is meant to lead to repentance."
Thank God, Caleb and Joshua's lesson was minding their business and not worrying about what God was doing to these people who didn't believe as they did. Thank God they did not become complainers and grumblers wondering why God didn't "get them already!" Thank God they remained content in God's decision and walked humbly before Him with these people who would never experience the promised land. I hope their attitudes were part of God's kindness that may have led to many of their repentance. Who knows?
What about you; what's your example to those God is showing kindness to who you may not think deserve it? You are definitely living among an evil generation. Is it possible you are part of that kindness that may lead to their repentance? We still need to be careful to be in the world while not of it. That doesn't mean we cannot be God's instrument of kindness to an evil generation.
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