Each year I get the privilege of welcoming freshman students to the Moody Bible Institute. In those first weeks they want to know what they are required to do for class. They also want to know the consequences if they fail to do what they are supposed to do. As we turn to the book of Numbers, we learn that disobedience to God carries consequences. While we have just learned that God provided a way for forgiveness, we also know that God is willing to hold the line even if it means punishing His people. This is a significant theme in the Bible.

After meeting God at Mt. Sinai, the nation made its way to the land God had promised. Along the way He tested them to see if they would obey Him. Often their living circumstances were difficult. They were in a desert without the food and comforts Egypt had provided. Often, they complained bitterly (v. 4). Ironically, they forgot they were slaves in Egypt!

On their desert journey, God had provided miraculous food in the form of manna (v. 9). Still, they complained. We see that, more than just a sign of displeasure, their complaining signified a deep spiritual problem. They refused to trust that God would bring them to the promised land. They doubted He would care for them. They even suspected He meant ill for them. All of these were deeply displeasing to God. He made promises to them based on His character. Their behavior implied He was unreliable. They were committing the sin of unbelief (Heb. 3:19).

As tragic as these narratives are, they taught Israel and teach Bible readers today an important lesson: God judges unbelief. We learn that unbelief, like other sins, has consequences. God has made promises to you. Trust Him!

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