Today’s reading covers the offerings of the
princes, the dedication of the Tabernacle, consecration
of the Levites, observance of the Passover, and the
guiding cloud for the people of Israel. The Book of
Numbers has a tremendous spiritual lesson for Christians
today, as explained in Hebrews 3 and 4, and I
Corinthians 10:1-15. God honors faith and punishes
unbelief. At the root of all Israel’s sin in the
wilderness was unbelief; they did not trust God’s Word.
At Kadesh-Barnea they doubted God’s Word and failed to
enter into their inheritance. Instead of claiming Canaan
in faith, they wandered in the wilderness of unbelief.

Many Christians today are “in between” in their
spiritual lives. They have been delivered from Egypt by
the blood of the Lamb, but they have not yet entered
into their inheritance in Christ Jesus. Canaan is not a
picture of heaven. Rather, it is an illustration of our
spiritual inheritance in Christ (Ephesians 1:3), an
inheritance that must be claimed by faith. Canaan was a
land of battles and blessings, as is the Christian life
today. Too many Christians fail to enter into all that
God has for them. Instead of being conquerors (as
described in Joshua), they become wanderers (as
described in Numbers). Many are saved, but fail to
fulfill God’s purpose for their lives.

As we read the Book of Numbers, it is
interesting to note that the nation did not grow in
their wilderness wanderings; in fact, the second census
showed 1,820 fewer men of war. The nation wasted 38
years, endured unnecessary afflictions, did not grow
and, in general, did not honor God while they were
marching in the wilderness. This is what unbelief does
to Christians. It produces wasted time, wasted effort,
and no blessing.