In Deuteronomy, chapter one, verse thirty-five, all Israelites who refused to enter the promised land face rejection at the entrance to the land. Unbelief and disobedience can often be tragic because they may result in an irreversibly lost opportunity, including divine judgment.
They were all, the whole generation of them, evil, and therefore not a man of them should see the good land which God had promised to their fathers, except for Caleb, who had wholly followed the Lord – had remained steadfast and faithful while the others fell away.
The murmuring of Israel and not keeping up the commitment to the promised land proved to be the last straw for God to discipline them. In verse thirty-five of the same chapter, Moses confronts them and describes their attitude: “And ye murmured in your tents and said because the Lord hated us, He hath brought us forth out of the land of Egypt, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us.” The response from the Israelites shows how they feel about what God has done for them at this point. The Lord knew what was in their hearts, yet they seriously believed they were getting set up for danger.
God calls the people the evil generation: at least the ones who refused to believe. These Israelites were not thinking of God as good but as someone attempting to consume them. After all, they experienced in Egypt, suffering under the hands of the Pharoah. Under the heavy burden of the taskmasters looking for deliverance or relief from what they endured. The Israelites believed they were expecting something negative to take place soon.
God came to the rescue of the Israelites by delivering them from slavery and hard labor. He parted the red sea for them to cross over: and avoid danger by the pursuit of the Egyptians. God provided food during their journey to the promised land. Yet, throughout the adventure, their conclusion is the Lord who loves them said He is doing them wrong. Who is bad? No wonder God calls the people from Israel the evil generation.