'Slow To Anger'
Texts: Numbers 14:11-12; 17-23
Background:
Israelites about to enter Promise Land. Sent 12 spies to check out the land. After 40 days, 10 spies came back with some good news and bad news. Good news - Promise Land really does flow with milk and honey! Proof - bunch of grape so big it took two men to carry it on pole. Bad news - people there powerful and big. Cities large and strong. Only 2 spies said they go and take the land. But Israelites refused to go into Promise Land. Even wanted to return to Egypt. This was what the Lord said to them (v11-12), God was really angry and wanted to wipe them all out. Moses pleaded with God (v17-18).
V18 - It says let he doesn't leave the guilty unpunished. In Exodus 20, Ten Commandments and in v5 explains what are the sins that will be punished to third and fourth generations. Exodus 20:5 - for one, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing children of those who hate me.
V19-20 - So God forgave Israelites. People won't be put to death but (v21-23). God didn't cut them off, they were still His people. But they still had to face the consequences of their sins. Punishment: not allowed to see or enter the Promise Land.
V23 - Israelites tested God ten times, while wandering in the wilderness. What were the ten times? They doubted God's power (two times) in Exodus 14:10-12, when Egyptians closing in on them at Red Sea - Can God save us? And in Numbers 14:1-3, refused to go into Promise Land. They doubted God's providence in Exodus 15:22-24, Exodus 16:1-3, Exodus 17:3-7. Exodus 15 - bitter water, c16 - no food, c17 - no water. They were disobedient in Exodus 16:19-20 - stored manna overnight and in Exodus 16:27-30, gathered manna on Sabbath, even though God specifically told not to. Idolatry in Exodus 32:1-35 - worship golden calf. Ungrateful - Numbers 11:1-3 (complained about hardship) and in Numbers 11:4-34 - no meat, sick of manna.
V18 - 'Slow to anger' means to take a long time to get angry or delay in showing anger. NKJV - long suffering, common English Bible - very patient. God continued to be slow to anger with the Israelites. Nehemiah 9:9-31- a summary of Israelites' sad history, for time freed from slavery in Egypt till the king Cyrus (Persia) conquered Babylon and allowed Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem. Israelites repeatedly turned away from the Lord after He had blessed them. Cut of their sin, God punished them, delivered them into hands of their enemy. But didn't destroy them completely. Instead, in his compassion, God restored them, brought them out of their misery, over and over again.
Why God so patient with us? 2 Peter 3:96 - He (the Lord) is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. He delays His anger so we have another chance to change our ways, shows His mercy when He's slow to anger.
God only slow to anger with Israelites? No, God sent Jonah to Nineveh to warn them - continue your wickedness and God will destroy you. Cuz repented, turned from wicked ways, God had compassion on them and didn't destroy them as He had threatened. But, The Ninevites eventually returned to their wicked ways. God judged them 150 years after Jonah's ministry. Written in book of Nahum.
Proverbs 29:1 - warns us that 'a man who remains stiff necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed without remedy. In Psalm 18:7 describes what happens when God gets angry. The earth trembled and quaked, even the earth and mountains shook when God is angry.
Galatians 5:22 - patience, one traits of His.
God is slow to anger and we're supposed to be like Him. Christians are to be patient during difficult circumstances and when they're around difficult people. Ask God to reveal to you, how He has been slow to anger with you. God patiently waiting for us to change. He made us with wills of our own. So we can resist Him and we do.
How should your response be?
1. Thank God for being patient with you and for letting you see your weakness. Ask God for strength to change and willingness to obey Him.
2. Easy to see others' faults but we're often blind to ours. That's why we think we're better and are impatient with others. Ask God to show you how you many have been testing others' patience. Since God has revealed to you that you too, are a different person yourself this should humble you. Being humble help us to be patient with our fellow different brothers and sisters. Ephesians 4:2 - Be completely humble and gentle, be patient, bearing with one another in love.
3. Knowing there's an end to God's patience, pray for those yet to accept Jesus. Ask God - don't harden their hearts, that He open their eyes and soften their hearts, to accept Jesus invitation to rest in Him.
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