And the LORD’s anger was kindled the same time, and he sware, saying,
The verse concerns the time when Reuben and Gad sought to settle east of the Jordan rather than go forward into the promised work, discouraging their brethren. Their course repeated the earlier rebellion when the fathers sent from Kadesh-barnea to see the land went up to the valley of Eschol and discouraged the heart of Israel from entering the land the Lord had given them, a rebellion that shut the adult army out of Canaan. The kindling of the Lord's anger shows He is jealous against sin yet bears long with the sins and transgressions of His people. The Lord's promises and the advance of His work are conditional on believing Him and obeying Him as doers of His word and keepers of His commandments, so He altered His purpose toward disobedient Israel.
He swore that none of the men that came up out of Egypt from twenty years old and upward should see the land He swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, because they had not wholly followed Him, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun who wholly followed the Lord. His anger was kindled against Israel and He made them wander in the wilderness forty years until all the generation that had done evil in His sight was consumed, warning the new generation risen up in their fathers' stead that if they turn away they will augment His fierce anger, cause Him yet again to leave Israel in the wilderness, and destroy all the people. Avoiding shared responsibilities and seeking personal ease risks bringing God's displeasure, so those who claim to serve God must join their fellow believers in the work and conflict they face. The same principle applies in this generation, where disobedience, unthankfulness, and unholiness hinder God's work and prolong time, delaying the sealing of God's servants and the holding of the four winds so that many who have not heard the truth may have a chance to hear the last message of mercy, be converted, and the great work go forward to all people on the earth.
The verse concerns the time when Reuben and Gad sought to settle east of the Jordan rather than go forward into the promised work, discouraging their brethren. Their course repeated the earlier rebellion when the fathers sent from Kadesh-barnea to see the land went up to the valley of Eschol and discouraged the heart of Israel from entering the land the Lord had given them, a rebellion that shut the adult army out of Canaan. The kindling of the Lord's anger shows He is jealous against sin yet bears long with the sins and transgressions of His people. The Lord's promises and the advance of His work are conditional on believing Him and obeying Him as doers of His word and keepers of His commandments, so He altered His purpose toward disobedient Israel.
He swore that none of the men that came up out of Egypt from twenty years old and upward should see the land He swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, because they had not wholly followed Him, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun who wholly followed the Lord. His anger was kindled against Israel and He made them wander in the wilderness forty years until all the generation that had done evil in His sight was consumed, warning the new generation risen up in their fathers' stead that if they turn away they will augment His fierce anger, cause Him yet again to leave Israel in the wilderness, and destroy all the people. Avoiding shared responsibilities and seeking personal ease risks bringing God's displeasure, so those who claim to serve God must join their fellow believers in the work and conflict they face. The same principle applies in this generation, where disobedience, unthankfulness, and unholiness hinder God's work and prolong time, delaying the sealing of God's servants and the holding of the four winds so that many who have not heard the truth may have a chance to hear the last message of mercy, be converted, and the great work go forward to all people on the earth.