“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8, NASB).
At this point in the text it is important to take an account of where we are in the narrative. Israel has been rescued from Egyptian slavery. They have been brought miraculously to the entrance of the Promised Land. That is where it all goes wrong. They reject God, rebel against Moses and (except for two men) every one of them (eventually including Moses himself) dies in the wilderness. Through all this, a king wishes to come against the people of Israel. He gets a local prophet and pays him to curse these invaders, thus ensuring his own victory. The plan backfires. The prophet, being used by God, proceeds to bless Israel.
Israel receives a momentous blessing from God through the mouth of their enemy. Then, they proceed to turn aside and worship the local gods of their neighbors. This facilitates the judgment and death of all remaining members of the previous generation. A census is then taken to document the passing of the old generation. Then, new laws are put in place to provide for the future inheritance of God’s people.
God sets a people for himself. God promises to prosper and protect them. He promises to provide for all their needs and always be with them. All they must do is faithfully worship God alone. When they fail to do this, God keeps his promises.
At this point, we see how truly faithful God is. When God’s people forget his promises, God remembers them. When we turn aside in our sin and become unfaithful, God remains faithful to his people. In his righteousness, God still enacts his judgment. Yet, even in his judgment there is love, grace and mercy. Israel rebels and wanders in the wilderness of their own sin. God brings them back to that same Promised Land and pronounces future blessings while they are still in their sin. God renders judgment. He then makes preparation for their future inheritance.
God is never unfaithful. It’s simply not in his nature, even if it is in ours.
Rev. David Richards, Monroe N.C.
