Numbers 26:57-65: a reflection

57These are those who were counted of the Levites after their families: of Gershon, the family of the Gershonites; of Kohath, the family of the Kohathites; of Merari, the family of the Merarites. 58These are the families of Levi: the family of the Libnites, the family of the Hebronites, the family of the Mahlites, the family of the Mushites, and the family of the Korahites. Kohath became the father of Amram. 59The name of Amram’s wife was Jochebed, the daughter of Levi, who was born to Levi in Egypt. She bore to Amram Aaron and Moses, and Miriam their sister. 60To Aaron were born Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. 61Nadab and Abihu died when they offered strange fire before the LORD. 62Those who were counted of them were twenty-three thousand, every male from a month old and upward; for they were not counted among the children of Israel, because there was no inheritance given them among the children of Israel. 63These are those who were counted by Moses and Eleazar the priest, who counted the children of Israel in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho. 64But among these there was not a man of them who were counted by Moses and Aaron the priest, who counted the children of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai. 65For the LORD had said of them, “They shall surely die in the wilderness.” There was not a man left of them, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.

This second census of Israel, taken on the plains of Moab before entering the promised land, ends with a sobering note. Among all those now counted, there was not one who had been counted in the first census at Sinai, except Caleb and Joshua. The entire generation that had come out of Egypt had died in the wilderness, just as the LORD had said, because they had refused to trust him and enter the land. Only the two who had believed, Caleb and Joshua, remained.

Notice the two things set side by side here. On one hand, the sobering cost of unbelief: a whole generation, who had seen God's wonders in Egypt and at the sea, died in the wilderness without entering the land, because they would not trust God when it counted. And on the other hand, the preservation of the faithful: Caleb and Joshua, who had believed God's promise and urged the people to trust him, were the only two of that generation to remain and enter in. Faith entered; unbelief did not.

That contrast is a solemn encouragement to be among those who trust God. Unbelief is not a small thing; the generation that would not trust God forfeited the promise and died short of it. But those who believed were preserved and brought in. God calls us to trust him and to hold to his promises, especially when doing so is hard and the majority give way to fear and doubt. Be a Caleb, be a Joshua; do not let unbelief keep you from what God has promised. Trust God when it counts, hold to his word against the fearful crowd, and be among those who, by faith, enter into what he has promised, rather than forfeiting it through unbelief.

Lord, of the whole generation that came out of Egypt, only Caleb and Joshua remained to enter the land, for the rest had died in the wilderness because they would not trust you; faith entered, and unbelief did not. Let that contrast move me. Unbelief is not a small thing; a whole generation forfeited your promise and died short of it because they would not trust you when it counted. But those who believed were preserved and brought in. Help me be among those who trust you, to hold to your promises even when it is hard and the majority give way to fear and doubt. Make me a Caleb, a Joshua, unwilling to let unbelief keep me from what you have promised. Help me trust you when it counts, hold to your word against the fearful crowd, and by faith enter into what you have promised, rather than forfeit it through unbelief. Give me a believing heart.