Obedience & Blessing (Numbers 26:64–65)

But among these there was not one of those listed by Moses and Aaron the priest, who had listed the people of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai. For the Lord had said of them, “They shall die in the wilderness.” Not one of them was left, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun.
—Numbers 26:64–65

What happened earlier in the book of Numbers is now becoming a reality in this verse: the people of God who are entering the promised land include none of the names of those who rebelled against God at Kadesh Barnea. The only people alive on that day who are going into the promised land are Caleb and Joshua, because they trusted and obeyed God. They would experience the blessing of God.

Every other adult would die in the wilderness. Not one of them would experience God’s blessing. It could not be clearer. God, help us learn this lesson from Numbers 26: obedience leads to blessing; disobedience disqualifies us from blessing. It is that simple.

And by “blessing,” we mean it in the most comprehensive sense. Do not read into this a kind of health-and-wealth, “name it and claim it” prosperity theology—that is false and misses the teaching of God’s Word. This is not to say that if you obey God, everything will go well for you, and you will have perfect health or abundant wealth in this world. That is decidedly not what the Bible teaches.

Rather, we are talking about a life far greater than possessions or health. We are talking about joy and peace that surpass circumstances. We are talking about bearing fruit for the glory of God and the spread of the gospel. We are talking about thriving and flourishing in relationship with God in ways that will matter forever—for all eternity. That is the kind of blessing in view. Obedience leads to that kind of blessing, while disobedience forfeits it.

So, do you want it? Do you want life and joy and peace and satisfaction—fruit that lasts forever? Do you want to live for what will matter ten trillion years from now?

Then obey God today.

O God, please help us today—not just theoretically, but practically—to obey you and to experience the blessing of walking with you and receiving all that you give to your children as we enjoy and exalt you. Please keep each of us from disobedience. Keep us from forfeiting your blessing, your good plans, and your good designs for our lives.

Help us to be like Caleb and Joshua. We pray for faith and courage to believe you and follow you and, in the process, to experience all you have for us in our lives, our families, the church, this world, and the world to come.

A Prayer for the Tai Pao People

God, help us also to lead others to blessing in you. We intercede now for the Tai Pao people of Vietnam, a small group of about 13,000 with little to no knowledge of your love for them. We pray that the goodness of your Word and your grace and mercy in Jesus would spread among them. We ask for your blessing on them, that they might know, enjoy, and exalt you in relationship with you.

Help us to live in the fullness of the blessing you have made possible for us in Jesus—in relationship with you today, in obedience to you today—and to lead others, near and far, to the blessing found in you alone.

In Jesus’s name we pray, according to your Word in Numbers 26. Amen.