“And the LORD said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me? and how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have shewed among them?”
(Numbers 14:11)
God’s people witnessed with their own eyes the hand of judgment on Egypt with every plague God sent. They watched as He miraculously divided the Red Sea before them. They walked through the dry riverbed until the last Israelite was safely on the other side before He drowned the entire Egyptian army pursuing them in that same river.
They gathered their daily bread, sent directly from heaven, every morning for 40 years. They drank fresh, clear water that flowed miraculously from the rock in the middle of the desert. They were continually led by a pillar of cloud by day and fire by night. Israel had more evidence of God’s presence and power than most people have ever experienced.
Yet when they heard the report from the majority of the spies who returned—that there were giants in the land of Canaan—they immediately doubted God’s promises and said it would be better to return to Egypt! Such collective unbelief was not the result of a lack of evidence but hearts unwilling to believe God when trusting Him became difficult.
One reason unbelief is such a serious sin is because it strikes directly at God’s character. When a person refuses to believe God’s promises, he is acting as though God were not truthful. When a person refuses to trust His care, he is acting as though God were not good. When a person refuses to follow His commands, he is acting as though God were not wise. Unbelief, in truth, is a quiet accusation against the character of God.
As long as God led them by easy paths and provided visible miracles, His people were willing to follow Him. But when obedience required courage, when faith required patience, and when trusting Him meant facing danger, their unbelief rose to the surface.
And so it is with us. The real test of our faith happens when life becomes difficult, when prayers are not immediately answered, when the future is uncertain, and when obedience is costly. It is in those moments that unbelief surfaces, and when our heart begins to fear, complain, grow bitter, or seek comfort in the world instead of in God.
Yet even in this passage, the patience of God is remarkable. Though Israel provoked Him through their unbelief again and again, He continued to lead them, provide for them, and preserve them. And God is still merciful to those who struggle to trust Him.
The question God asked Israel is a question that speaks to every heart: “How long will it be ere they believe me?” How long will we see God’s faithfulness and still doubt Him? How long will we hear God’s promises and still fear as if those promises were not true? How long will we walk with God and still not trust Him fully?[1]
Unbelief dishonors God because it says He cannot be trusted. Therefore, the fight against unbelief is a fight for His honor, and to believe Him in the midst of difficult circumstances is to declare that He can, indeed, be trusted no matter what comes our way.
Contemplations:
- Distrusting God Despite His Works. Lord, I confess that I am often like Israel in the wilderness. I have seen Your provision, Your protection, and Your answers to prayer, yet my heart is slow to trust You when new difficulties come. Forgive me for remembering troubles more readily than Your mercies, and for a heart that is quick to fear but slow to believe.
- Believing Circumstances More Than God’s Word. Father, when circumstances grow difficult, I become anxious and discouraged, as though Your promises depended on circumstances instead of Your power. Forgive me for acting as though Your Word is less certain than what I see with my eyes. And teach me to believe that what You have said is more sure than anything I can feel, see, or fear.
- Dishonoring God Through Fear. Lord, I confess that my fears often reveal my unbelief. When I worry about the future, when I become anxious about provision, when I am afraid of what may happen, I am showing that I do not trust You as I should. Forgive me for dishonoring You by fearing as though You were not in control, not good, or not faithful to Your promises. Teach me to rest in Your rule and to trust Your fatherly care in all things.
- Slow Growth in Faith. Father, You asked, “How long will it be ere they believe me?” I confess that I am slow to grow in faith. I should trust You more now than I did years ago, yet I often struggle with the same fears and doubts. Forgive me for growing slowly when I have had so much reason to grow in faith. Increase my faith, strengthen my heart, and teach me to trust You more fully each day.
Prayer (Confession)
Merciful Father, I confess my sin of unbelief. You have given me Your Word, Your promises, and the testimony of Your faithfulness throughout my life, and yet I do not trust You as I should. You have never failed me, yet I often fear as though You might. You have always provided for me, yet I worry as though I were on my own. You have guided me in the past, yet I become anxious about the future.
I see that this unbelief is a sin against Your character. When I doubt Your promises, I am doubting Your truth. When I question Your ways, I am questioning Your wisdom. When I fear that You will not care for me, I am questioning Your goodness. Forgive me, Lord, for this great sin of unbelief, which dishonors You and robs me of the peace You want me to have.
I confess that I often live as though everything depends on me instead of depending on You. I often try to solve my own problems before I pray, and I worry about things that I should bring to You. I confess that I am often impatient, wanting You to act according to my timing instead of trusting Your perfect timing.
Forgive me for the times I complain about my circumstances. Forgive me for those times I have been discouraged and acted as though You had forgotten me. Forgive me when I have envied others, feared the future, or doubted Your care. All these arise from unbelief, and I confess them to You.
Give me a heart that rests in You, a mind that remembers Your faithfulness, and a will that obeys Your Word even when obedience is hard. Let my life show that I believe You are truthful, wise, good, and faithful in all things. Strengthen my faith, quiet my fears, and teach me to walk by faith and not by sight.
In Jesus’ name I pray.
Further Scripture References for Numbers 14:11:
Psalm 106:24; Psalm 78:22; Hebrews 3:16; Deuteronomy 9:7
[1] Stephen Charnock, The Complete Works of Stephen Charnock, vol. 4 (Edinburgh; London; Dublin: James Nichol; James Nisbet and Co.; W. Robertson; G. Herbert, 1864–1866), 223–228.
