The Chaos of Doubt (Numbers 14)

Numbers 14:1–2 1 And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. 2 And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness!

Here we see the hopelessness and chaos that results when we fail to believe God and go forward by faith. They don’t know what to do. They are too afraid to go into Canaan. They don’t want to stay where they are. So, they decide that the best option would be either death or return to slavery in Egypt.

Our journey for God is meant to be always forward, but when we balk at the next step, we contemplate all sorts of foolishness. May God help us to believe Him even when we are afraid. May we learn from this story the futility of trusting in our own judgment. If God says, “Go,” we should go. Our motto should be, “Ever forward, by faith.”