In Numbers, chapter twenty, verse one, the events begin in the fortieth year after the exodus from Egypt. The children of Israel, even the whole congregation, arrive in the desert of Zin, where the people abode in Kadesh. The people had wandered in the wilderness for thirty-nine years. Most of the first generation died because of their unbelief without receiving the promised land. However, soon the children will enter the promised land.
In Numbers fourteen, verse twenty-nine, The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron concerning the congregation. God says to His servants, “How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me.” God tells Moses and Aaron to say to the children of Israel, “As truly as I live, saith the LORD, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you. Doubtless, ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein.”
The constant complaining from the time the congregation left Egypt until now ultimately has reached the point of no return. They did not believe in God and His Word, and it showed. Actions speak louder than words. Activity includes attitude. If we say one thing, but our ways differ from what we believe in, then we are fooling ourselves and will not reach anywhere but remain stagnant.
Unbelief is like climbing a hill and intending to reach the top of it. The person ascends ahead the halfway mark only to stumble, going up and falling to find themselves at the bottom again. Then reattempt to climb and reach three-quarters up and experience the same thing. Well, if the Israelites wandered for thirty-nines years until most passed away in the wilderness, imagine the number of attempts they were climbing the mountain to reach the promised land and yet still did not get there.